THOMAS NAST’S CARTOON ON COLONEL WATTERSON’S SUGGESTION OF A GATHERING
OF ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND DEMOCRATS IN WASHINGTON
The ice-water is being applied by Murat Halstead, editor of the
Cincinnati “Commercial,” which was opposed to Tilden; but in the
Greeley campaign of 1872 Halstead had worked with Watterson. (See
~The Century~ for November, 1912.)]
The “Times” people, intense Republican partizans, at once saw an
opportunity. If Barnum did not know, why might not a doubt be raised?
At once the editorial in the first edition was revised to take a
decisive tone and declare the election of Hayes. One of the editorial
council, Mr. John C. Reid, hurried to Republican Headquarters in the
Fifth Avenue Hotel, which he found deserted, the triumph of Tilden
having long before sent everybody to bed. Mr. Reid then sought the room
of Senator Zachariah Chandler, Chairman of the National Republican
Committee. While upon this errand he encountered in the hotel corridor
“a small man wearing an enormous pair of goggles, his hat drawn over
his ears, a greatcoat with a heavy military cloak, and carrying a
gripsack and newspaper in his hand. The newspaper was the ‘New-York
Tribune,’” announcing the election of Tilden and the defeat of Hayes.
The new-comer was Mr. William E. Chandler, even then a very prominent
Republican politician, just arrived from New Hampshire and very much
exasperated by what he had read.
Mr. Reid had another tale to tell. The two found Mr. Zachariah
Chandler, who bade them leave him alone and do whatever they thought
best. They did so consumingly, sending telegrams to Columbia,
Tallahassee, and New Orleans, stating to each of the parties addressed
that the result of the election depended upon his State. To these were
appended the signature of Zachariah Chandler. Later in the day Senator
Chandler, advised of what had been set on foot and its possibilities,
issued from National Republican Headquarters this laconic message:
“Hayes has 185 electoral votes and is elected.” Thus began and was put
in motion the scheme to confuse the returns and make a disputed count
of the vote.