The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-07-14
Tue swampinG or Fcrton--iinmors- Of Z
Rebellion iu the Camp.

The terrible defeat of Senator Fenton by tho
almost unanimous confirmation of Murphy as
Collector Of this port, together with the
appointments Of Grinneh as Naval Officer in
place Of General Merritt, Hillhouse as Assistant
Treasurer and Judge Davis as United States
District Attorney for this district, all anti
Fenton men, puzzles the politicians. On both
sides they are discussing the question, what
does it all mean? Upon the proposition of
confirming the nomination of Murphy, after
Fenton's charges, specifications and insinua-
tons against him, in q speech of two hours,
that he was an Andy johnson conservative.
supporter of Hoffman, spoiIs confederate of
the Tammany sachems, an active enemy of the
republican candidate for Governor in 1866,
and a sort Of shoddy Spectator during the
war, and all that, how stood the Senate?
Let us see.
There were fifty one votes cast-forty- eight
for Murphy's confirmation and three against
him-Fcnton, Harris and Upton. All the
republicans except these three voted for
Murphy, and all tue democrats voting, without
an exception, voted for Murphy. But in full
Senate there are seventy-four members,
and excepting bakers dozen of democrats,
they are all republicans. There were, then,
upon this Murphy question twenty three Sena-
tors who did not vote. Some of these were
absent, but some were present aud remained
silent The democrats liked the nomination,
because from Fenton's exposition of Murphy
they rather liked the man, and because, no
| fIay hot in iufO
back seat he would rebel against the powers
that be and carry some of his followers with
him. Tho republicans voting for Murphy
were satisfied that he was o fair man and a
good republican. The republicans who alb
scnted themselves to avoid the vote or who re-
iaained silent or notonless when the vote was
taken, did so BECAUSE they did not care to APP
pear in opposition 70 the Presidents wish in
the matter, and because they desired to soften
tho blow TO Fenton. Explain il as we may,
| the vote on Murshy's confirmation was a stun
ming blow TO Feuton
The question recurs what will Fenton do?
! The New York Custom House for tho last forty
years. with it's spoils and plumber, has been
always sort Of Pandora's box to the party
| holding it. President Pierce, In giving the
| Office first to Bronson, democratic hardshell,
and then to Redfeld, democratic soft
shell, split the democratic party of the
| State into two violently and nearly equally
! powerful hostile factions, and in the gap thus
| made between the two wings the republicans
I came to the front and took possession of the
| State. President Lincoln, with Preston King
| rs his Collector, got along smoothly, and Andy
Johnson, with Collector Smythe, good man,
| got along as well with this troublesome Office
| as could have been expected. Grinnell has
been satisfactory Collector to the merchants
and to the Treasury Department, but not
giving satisfaction to the hungry politicians
clamorous for the spoils he has had to retire,
and Murphy, younger and more active man,
and shrewd politician withal, takes his place.
But the politicians will have it that Murphys
| appointment and these other appointments
mean simply that Grant has resolved to snuff
| out Fenton as the great radical Mogul of the
republican party in this State.
What for? Because they say, Fenton
aspires to be the republican candidate for the
Presidential succession, and hence the neces-
sity for clipping his wings. This may seem
very absurd, but we remember some months
ago reading an editorial in one of the
papers of our rural districts pretty broadly
foreshadowing the availability Of Fenton for
the next Presidency. But if that buzzing bee
of the White House has got into the ear of
| Fenion will Murphy stop its buzzing2 Per-
| haps not The general rule, almost without
| an exception, with your aspiring politician,
when bafled and defeated in his schemes is
| revenge or Roland for an Oliver. CAL
! houn, Van Buren,, Tyler, Douglas, Buchanan,
| Fillmore, Chase, johnson and host of others,
will serve as examples of retaliation for real
or imaginary personal wrongs suffered in the
line Of political promotion. Assuming, them
that Fenton holds himself as grievously
wronged in the appointment of Murphy and
in these other anuFenton appointments, what
will Fenton do?
Men who ought to know him say that he
! win fight; that as Greeley at Chicago turned
| uoon Seward in 1860; that as Weed, the
riqhtband man Of Seward, turned upon
| Greecy's man Wadsworih in 1862, and that
| AZ the Morgan clique have now turned the
| tables against FentOn, so will Fenton have
his revenge upon General Grant They tell us
that it is the great radical wing of the republi-
can party of New York that has been
| made to stand back in order to bring to the
front the little mischief-makng faction Of
Morgan, Murphy and Company, and that with
out Fenton and his devoted radical followers
the administration cannot carry single Con-
oressional district in the State neys fall. Very
well. II there is to be a fight to determine
the question whether Grant or Fenton is the