"CLEARFIELD, PA., _Jan. 24th, 1877_.
"MY DEAR SIR,--After a careful examination of all the
plans of adjusting the Presidential embroglio at Washington, I came
to the conclusion that the plan reported by the committee is the
best--most certain to promote the peace and dignity of the country,
and to secure your inauguration as President. In the first place it
involves an abandonment of the plea for the right of the president
of the Senate, and in the next it recognizes the right of the
commission to go behind the certificates on an allegation of fraud.
Besides, I have special confidence in one of the judges who will
be selected as a Republican. He will be just and impartial in his
action, with slight inclination to our side.
"The difficulty in the way of the power of the House consists in the
obstacles that can be interposed against reaching the point at which
that power can be safely and properly exercised. The order laid
down in the Constitution must be followed. First, the certificates
shall be opened. Second, the vote shall then be counted. Third, if
there has been a failure to elect by the States then the House shall
immediately proceed to elect a President. The counting will go on
smoothly until Florida is reached, and then objection will be made
and the Senate will retire. It will decide to count the vote for
Mr. Hayes, and the House will reject the vote or count it for you,
and then when will they come together again? Perhaps at the end of
a week the House may give up Florida to go on with the count and
then will come Louisiana, and this the House cannot yield without
losing everything. Some say at this point the House should proceed
to elect a President, but the vote has not been counted as the
Constitution requires, and the assumption that there has been no
election in the face of the fact that there are but two candidates,
and that it is not possible to so divide the vote as to have a tie,
cannot be overlooked. The plan of conceding everything but Oregon,
which comes last, has been favored by some. My own impression is
that you will become President by the rejection of the vote of
Louisiana. That will be done by the commission, and may be done by
a vote of the Senate. I think the vote in the Senate, taken at any
time, would be very close on the rejection of the vote of Louisiana.
"The danger now is that the plan of the committees will be defeated
by persistent debate. I have no fear of Grant. At present he would
sign the bill.
"I should have remained at Washington but for an imperious demand
for me in a business matter at this place.
"With much esteem I remain,
"Your friend,
"WM. BIGLER.
"Florida is becoming so clear for you that the whole matter may yet
be settled by that State."