The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1876-06-01
The Cabinet Changes and the Pres
idency.

The late changes in the Cabinet are asserted,
by those who claim to know, to have been made
with a view to influencing the Republican noni-
ination for the Presidency. 1t is said that Pres
ident Grant is warmly committed to Conkiing
for the Presidency, and will use the power OF his
administration to secure his nomination. Simon
Cameron, it is said, controls the Pennsylvania
delegation, which, according to the instructions
of the Convention which elected it, must vote
as a unit upon all questions. That is, q majority
rules, and the whole delegation must vote as a
majority decide. A decided majority, it is said,
is composed of the followers of Cameron, who
will control their action. In consideration OF
the appointment of Cameron's son as Secretary
of War, it is said Cameron is to give the vote OF
PENNSYLVANIA, after the first ballot, to Conkling.
This is q nice little arrangement, but if true,
win most surely fail. The people have special
distaste to being dictated to from the White
House. They elected Grant twice, and having
30 clearly repudiated his pretensions to a third
term, will not allow him to dictate as to who
shall be his successor. 1t has been claimed that
Pennsylvania, after its complimentary vote for
Hartranft, was for Blaine. Can it be possible
that the great State of Pennsylvania the second
State in the Union, can be thus bartered away
by one man, and he of not the most reputable
eharacterf Knowing ones say that it can be,
hut we shall not believe it until it is DONE But
the National Convention will have the power to
prescribe its own rules and to put its foot down
upon any trick for smothering the voice of any
number of delegates, because they happen to be
in a small minority. The Convention should
adopt rule giving every delegate right to cast
his own vote, if he objects to being controlled by
the wishes or the bargains of his colleagues.
But this combination, if carried out, cannot
nominate Conkling. A majority OF the States
will rebel against it, and will send Conkling
higher than Beechers kite, formerly Gilderoy's)
We believe that it insures the nomination OF
Blaine Last week, after the Cabinet changes
were promulgated, several Western States held
their Conventions, choosing over one hundred
delegates to Cincinnati. These delegates were
almost unanimously either instructed to vote for
Blaine, or elected because they were known to
be for him. day or two before these Conven-
tions, some of the leading papers opposed to
Blaine, in estimating the chances, said that if
these Western States should send decided ma
jority of Blaine delegates, it would practically
decide the contest in his favor. The result has
been more favorable to Blaine than they were
willing to admit. 1t is now claimed that the
overwhelming triumph of Blaine in these States
was in great degree owing to the Cabinet ar
rangement in favor of COnkling The ablest
Bristow papers in the West, such as the Chicago
Tribune, have, in the past week, wonderfully
changed their tone in favor of Blaine, and virtu-
ally admit that he is master of the situation,
and that the bargain and sale between Grant,
Conkling and Cameron insures a union of the
New England States, the West, and large por-
tion of the South, upon Blaine. While a week
ago they were publishing tables and estimates
showing that Blaine could not possibly be NOM
mated, they are now giving figures to prove |
that he will have almost enough on the first bal
lot, with a certainty of nomination on the Sec
ond ballot. They have always admitted that |
Blaine could be elected if nominated, but there |
is a general feeling that Conkling cannot be-
They choose the alternative of Blaine and Vic
tory.
This is the situation at present, whatever fu-
ture developments may bring forth. But if the
current keeps on as it has now set in, and espe-
cially if it becomes apparent that the Cabinet
conspiracy exists as charged, the prospect is that
Blaine will be nominated with rush that will
render all such schemes to defeat the will of the
people powerless.