The New York herald., 1877-09-13
The Administration and the Repub-
lican Leaders.


singular account of the condition Of the
republican mind in this State. He finds
the friends OF Senator Conkling very bitter
against the administration and determined
to control the Convention and make it hot
for Hayes" while, on the other hand, he re-
ports an impression or belief that if Mr..
Fenton only wanted to he could capture the
Convention, cause an alarming detection
from the Conkling ranks and get hearty
approval Of the President and his policy.
He seems to believe that while the follow
ers of Senator Conkling are disposed to go
to great lengths in their opposition to the
administration there are not a few so-called
Conkling men in the State who would
abandon their chief and 60 over to the adj
ministration if an opportunity offered. He
adds, however, that Senator Conk king him
self is entirely reticent, so that whatever
may be said anywhere about his plans or
purposes comes not from him, but is gath
cred from those who are known to be his
Jealous though, it would seem, not always
discreet friends.
We say frankly that there is to US, some
thing nonsensical, childish and disgusting
about all this squabbling between political
leaders. Senator Conkling is reputcd, not
only by our correspondent, but by others,
to be sulking with the administration.
Well, what of it? Suppose he is? Gov
ernor Fenton, We are told, could an he
would" snatch the Convention from his
rival and carry it for the administration.
Well, why does he not? Here are
lot of absurd people making faces at
each other and disputing about mat
ters that are either past and gone,
like the Southern question, or trivial like
the quarrel about petty offices. Can these
people never think of anything else except
their private political fortunes or their
selfish political animosities or grievances?
Can they not drop their own affairs for
while and try to serve the country? There
never was so great an opportunity for states
manship as just at this time The whole
country is impoverished all industries lie
PROSTATE hundreds of thousands of
people are out of employment hundreds
of thousands of families are suffering
and in want; we cannot sell what we pro-
duce, because bad laws interfere and the
glut consequent on overproduction stops
mills and workshops and distresses capital
lists and employers as well as workmen, and
in the midst of all this suffering, in the
midst of strikes and destitution and fnan-
cial ruin, these republican politicians Sc
renely go on squabbling over Offices fight
ing out personal quarrels and planning
war on the administration which they them
ago, because that has chosen to serve the
country rather than do their will. Is it not
time to stop this trifing?
The republican party desires to retain
power. The wish is very natural. When
men have held in their hands supreme
political power for sixteen years they do not
like to see it slipping away from them. The
republican leaders are furious because they
cannot control the President, whom they
seem to regard as their chattel, and because
they fear that his honest determination to
carry out the policy promised in the Gin
cinnati platform may hurt the party. Hence,
as we learn, not only from our correspond
the republican leaders are planning delib-
crate attack on their own administration,
with the design either to compel the Presi-
dent to submit to them or, if he will not, to
annoy and oppose him and charge him with
John sonizing," in the hope that they can
thus excite the public mind, alarm the
people and keep the party together"
as they say. There is not the
least doubt that this unscrupulous
project is seriously entertained by
considerable number Of influential
republican politicians. These men see that
with the settlement of the old questions
remaining from the war new questions must
come up they see that the industrial and
commercial interests of the country, so long
neglected, will now demand attention; they
comprehend perfectly that on these new
questions the present parties will split and
make shipwreck; hence they determine that
such new questions shall not come up, that
the country shall suffer four years more of
political turmoil in order that they may
have another opportunity to drag up the
Southern bugbear and once more attempt to
scare the country into voting for 'the old
party"
Now we do not blame any republican for
desiring to preserve his party. 1t has in its
time done valuable service to the country,
and it is natural that the name and the or
ganization should be dear to its members
and leaders. There is q sure way to pre-
serve the organization and to insure its fu-
ture success, but these republican opponents
of the administration appear never
to have thought of it. Ii the repub-
lican party had in March last come
heartily and instantly to the support
of the President if its chiefs had gathered
about him, upheld the promises of his in
augural address and proceeded in states
frninn moi