Year: 1874

why the senate Hangs Fire on VIII


Liams' Nomination - Grant Made


Aware Of the Facts I'm the Case.


From the Cincinnati Gazette.


WASHINGTON. Jan. 5.-A member of
the Senate called on the President Sat
urday, and held a long consultation
with him upon the Williams case, lay
ing before the President in pretty def
mite terms the matter which the Senate
Judiciary Committee had developed
during their investigation of the case.
The President expressed much surprise
at the information given him, and said
he had not been aware of the facts
stated, and supposed much of the talk
IN regard to the case was simply scan-
dal. As the result of this interview,
the President decided to visit the Capt.
tol and have a full conference with the
members Of the judiciary Committee.
To-day he spent several hours III his
room at the Capitol with the Re
publican Senators composing this
committee, and the latter laid all the
matters developed by them before
the President He. had been led TO
think that the investigation had been
conducted without Mr. Williams being
allowed to know what was presented
against him. The President learned,
however, that every step taken by the
committee had been made known to
Mr.. Williams. After a long consulta-
ton over the question, 1t became quite
evident that the confirmation could not
take place. and, upon separating, the
understanding Of the Senators was that
Mr.. Williams name would be with
drawn tomorrow. The Presidents
visit to the committee was not IN any
sense an attempt, on his part, to con-
troll its action. but was purely for the
purpose Of informing himself Of the
real situation Of the case.


From the Cincinnati Commercial


WASHINGTON. Jan. 5.-The four
Republican Senators who were to call
on the President to-day to urge the
withdrawal Of Williams name, were
saved the trouble by his Excellency,
who paid a visit to the capitol. He
took up his position in the President S
room and sent for those whom he
wished to see; not only the members Of
the Judiciary Committee, but as well
all other of the prominent men of the
party in the Senate. When the Pres
ident reached the Capitol he was IN an
unamiable mood. He was sour and
cross. The Senators who We're sum-
moned to his presence saw that the
time had come when there must be
plain talk INDUCED in. That definite
understanding might be arrived at,
they accordingly gave without hesltan-
cy the reasons which moved them to
oppose the confirmation. To many Of
these reasons the President listened IN
apparently utter surprise. The Sena-
tors succeeded evidently IN giving him
many facts Of which he had been hith-
erto entirely ignorant. The result Of
the visit was that Grant went
back to the White House con-
WINGED that he had made a mistake, and
before he left the Capitol he stated that
the nomination would be withdrawn to-
morrow morning. Accordingly when
an effort was made TO 90 INTO executive
session this afternoon. to confirm the
nomination of Caleb Gushing. Messrs.
Morton and Cameron objected. urging
a delay until tomorrow That Caleb
Gushing was Grants first choice for
Chief-Justice viii be remembered, as
viii also the fact that Senators have eX-
pressed their willingness To confirm
Williams ID a foreign appointment. No
positive information warrants the con-
clusiun that such a change VIII be made,
but it is in the range Of probabilities.