New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-03-29
THE PRESIDENTS FAVORITE.


nc was pointed out some months ago in THE
TRIBUNE that whenever President Grant should
make I'D his mind finally that there was no
hope for a third term, it would be the most
natural thing in the world for him to
lend his aid to Senator Conkling In that
statesman's aspirations for the noml-
nation. The readers of THE TRIBUNE
will not be surprised then at the communica-
tons made on that head by Cabinet MIN
lister as given in our Washington correspond
ence. We should be guilty of irreverence
were we to say, as the worldly minded might
under the circumstances, that this was Mr.. Conk-
ling's little game" For statesmen have no
little games, least Of all, such little games
az that. We shall only say then that while 1t
is very probable that all the time Senator
Conkling was defending President Grants
public administration and personal character
with conspicuous zeal, he was acting from the
purest and most unselfsh motives; That
while he was appearing on all occasions
as the Presidents eulOgist, he acted
from feelings of affection and regard, it is still
Just possible that there were times during this
weary and difficult term of attorneyship when
the thought crept into his brain-but OF
course he put it away instantly" Sup
"pose he shouldn't be candidate him
"self.n Whether it did or not, it
must be admitted that Mr. COnklings
fidelity to his chief has been constant and I'M
wayering He has shown a devotion more
touching than that of Ruth for Naomi. He
could not be entreated to return from fol-
lowing after him. Whittier Grant went he
went, Grants people were his people, Grants
policy his policy, Grants friends his friends
and Grants enemies his enemies. There were
Presidential aspirants who did not wait for
Grant to refuse absolutely denomination, but
who reached out for delegates regardless
Not so Conkling. He waved away delegates !;
he banished thoughts of the Convention. With
him it was always, after you, Mr.. Prcsi-
"dent." He waited.
Well. he has lis reward. The President is
in favor of his nomination. That stout-hearted
warrior, Col. Frederic Grant, was reported to
have Swallowed forth such preference III
Diplomatic conversation with newspaper cor
respondent some months ago. IL seemed
entirely reasonable then and nobody won
dered at it, though possibly Mr.. Morton
doubted the policy of making the preference
public. 1t seems now to be settled TACT
And we rejoice that it is so. For really 1t
would be shocking were it otherwise. No man
in this country has such a claim upon the
Presidents gratitude, no one such title to
his support as Senator COnkling. No other
man has made such sacrifices in his be-
half. none stood by him at such cost through
thick and thin. His devotion may have been
at times not altogether wise. but it has at any
Ha ALWAYS
depended on He stuck. The President could
do no less than support him for the succession.
First, from a sense of gratitude, and second be-
cause no other nomination would SO well rep
resent his own administration, or so effectively
perpetuate its spirit and its policy. 1t Is to be
regretted, on Mr. COnkliDg's account, that the
countenance and support OF the President are
not so valuable at this time as they might
have been at an earlier date. From present
indications he will not be able to swing ma
iority of the delegates to Cincinnati, either for
himself OF the candidate he prefers. There
are those, indeed who will 20 so far
as to say that to be President Grants
choice is a damage rather than an adj
vantage. 1t will be lamentable indeed If
after all Mr.. Conkling's unselfish service he
should prove to have gained only handicap
ping for the race. If such zeal is only so re-
warded how hereafter can any President who
accepts and uses the Office as a personal emOl-
ument expect to be sustained in his distribu-
ton of patronage
Let us hope though that the Presidents
support will not prove 80 calamitous. 1t
cannot be that the Republic will be SO
ungrateful to President Grant, after all
that he has done, as to refuse to
allow him to name his successor. But if
it should be so, and Mr.. Conliling, notwith-
standing his assistance, should not be noml-
mated, we shall at least hope that New
York's favorite son may be favored with the
usual mark of approval. the Presidents GER
tificate. That will he something.