hurman were fully committed, Mr. Tilden said: "Is it
not, then, rather late to consult me?"

To which Mr. Hewitt replied: "They do not consult you. They are public
men, and have their own duties and responsibilities. I consult you."

In the course of the discussion with Mr. Hewitt which followed Mr.
Tilden said: "If you go into conference with your adversary, and can't
break off because you feel you must agree to something, you cannot
negotiate--you are not fit to negotiate. You will be beaten upon every
detail."

Replying to the apprehension of a collision of force between the parties
Mr. Tilden thought it exaggerated, but said: "Why surrender now? You can
always surrender. Why surrender before the battle for fear you may have
to surrender after the battle?"

In short, Mr. Tilden condemned the proceeding as precipitate. It was
a month before the time for the count, and he saw no reason why
opportunity should not be given for consideration and consultation by
all the representatives of the people. He treated the state of mind of
Bayard and Thurman as a panic in which they were liable to act in haste
and repent at leisure. He stood for publicity and wider discussion,
distrusting a scheme to submit such vast interests to a small body
sitting in the Capitol as likely to become the sport of intrigue and
fraud.

Mr. Hewitt returned to Washington and without communicating to Mr.
Tilden's immediate friends in the House his attitude and objection,
united with Mr. Thurman and Mr. Bayard in completing the bill and
reporting it to the Democratic Advisory Committee, as, by a caucus rule,
had to be done with all measures relating to the great issue then before
us. No intimation had preceded it. It fell like a bombshell upon the
members of the committee.

In the debate that followed Mr. Bayard was very insistent, answering the
objections at once offered by me, first aggressively and then angrily,
going the length of saying, "If you do not accept this plan I shall
wash my hands of the whole business, and you can go ahead and seat your
President in your own way."

Mr. Randall, the Speaker, said nothing, but he was with me, as were a
majority of my colleagues. It was Mr. Hunton, of Virginia, who poured
oil on the troubled waters, and somewhat in doubt as to whether the
changed situation had changed Mr. Tilden I yielded my better judgment,
declaring it as my opinion that the plan would seat Hayes; and there
being no other protes