New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-03-07
SHALL MR. C0NKLIYG BE INDOBSEDi

MT. lOnkIlnH mean llt II Sui' w hf''' ~
his organs say. The self-sacriiicing persons
who sit at the receipt Of customs, and who
kindly undertake TO run the Republican party
of this great State with scarcely pretense OF
consulting the Republican voters who are sup
posed to constitute the party, are said to have
completed all the necessary arrangements to
secure a COnkling delegation. Among those
arrangements ii is unnecessary to remark, the
consent of Republican voters ia not included.
The self-cOnstituted managers take 1t for
granted that their voting cattle will carry out
whatever plans may be made for them. and 1t
must bc confessed that, historically speaking.
they have much excuse for their c0ntemptuous
confidence. Reading news from Washington,
voters must realize whittier the present man
aeement is leading them. But they might have
known that at any time for ten years. Mr..
Conkling has seemed to have altogether the
best-drilled lot Of voters to be found anywhere
in the country, excepting perhaps IN Pcnnsyl-
yania. and II he secures full delegation, even
in the face Of recent exposures, nobody viii be
surprised But what will it meant
Obviously, it will mean that the Republican
party of New York is not tired of Grantism,
and not ashamed because of recent disclosures
of corruption. Mr.. COnklng has been Prcsi-
dent Grants principal hunky. In Obsequious
complaisance to the will of the President this
Senator has surpassed all others. In every
controversy in the party his aid has been con-
slstently given to the least decent and worthy
element. If there was rottenness to be covered
up, the Senator has always been ready If the
Administration had disgraced itself, his hymns
of praise sounded louder than ever if in
yestigation was proposed, he was quick to
asperse the motives of those who urged it, and
10 throw contempt upon the inquiry itself.
Doubtless there was good reason. fellow
feeling makes ia wondrous kind" Every
body knows that the Senator has rot escaped
those criticisms of "a malignant press which
have been so singularly justified by subsequent
disclosures. The Conkling Investigating Com
mittec is not expected TO report until after the
Republican National Convention. Whatever
impOrtant information the Democrats possess
rcspccting persons who might become Repub-
lican candidates, they will probably be shrewd
enough 10 hold back for while. But dele
CATION from New-York would mean that the
Republican party of this State is ready to
stake its very existence upon the entire In
tcgrity OF Roscoe Conkling and to assure the
Republicans of other States that no disclosures
hereafter will drag him into the gutter with
Bclknap, DclanO, Williams, and others whom
that Senator has been swift TO aid and defend
His name has been unpleasantly men
toned in connection with railway mat
tiers, Remington arms affairs, and cases
of corruption and Matchmaking in the Revenue
service. But the voters of the Republican party
of New York, if they send COnkling deega-
ton, will virtually declare that they have in
vestigated these things to the bottom, and
that there is no chance whatever that the in
timacy of Conldng with Bellnap, Babcock and
others VIII prove new illustration of the old
adage, Birds of feather flock together
Such an Endorsement Mr.. Conllling may we'll
desire. But the Republicans Of this State would
better think twice before they give it. What
ever they may believe, it is certain that Mr..
Conkling is not regarded by Independent voters
as marvel of purity. They, with votes
enough to decide the result in York, do
not feel such confidence in the Senator that
they are ready TO support him, with recent dis
closures still ringing in their ears. A COnkling
delegation would mean a Democratic victory in
New-York, and those Republicans who care
whether the party lives or dies had better take
notice of the fact