The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-09-27


The intense curiosity which has been felt
respecting Senator Conkling's attitude to-
ward the administration is surpassed by the
establishment which will be excited by the
affronting boldness of his opposition now
that it is openly declared and by the Of
fensive singularity of his methods. He has
not only drawn the sword and thrown away
the scabbard he has dipped his weapon in
venom. The election of Mr.. Platt as per-
manent President Of the Cony ention ut Mr..
Conkling's instance is the most astound-
ing thing in our recent politics. When
the Committee on Organization selected Mr.
Conkling for that position, and the Conven-
ton promptly ratified the selection, 1t
was an expected and merited tribute to the
distinguished Senator, and personal
triumph of which he had just reason
to be proud. Had he accepted this
position and discharged its duties this
signal mark of party confidence would
have been regarded by republicans in other
| States as evidence that if he has been
| sighted by the President he has not lost
influence at home. But he used his personal
triumph for hinging tirebrand Of discord
into the republican party. Instead OF &C.
cepting the position which had been so
handsomely profered, he thanked the Con-
vention, asked to be excused, and moved
that the name of Mr.. Plat, the temporary
| Chairman, be substituted for his own.
| Considering who Mr.. Plat is and what
Mr. Platt had just done, such mo-
L,
| an electric shock Mr.. Plat hud made
violent and virulent attack on the
administration and on leading men,
| bers of the Cabinet-an attack which tram
| scended all bounds of moderation and
decorum, and even of political decency.
| This Incorporate assault came with
especial bad grace from him, because Mr..
| Conkling had recommended him as men,
Der Of the Cabinet, and the President chose
to make different selection from the State
of New York. His TRADE looked, therefore,
too much like venting personal grudge, too
much like the invective Of a disappointed
office-seeker. It was an ebullition Of spite
which his friends ought to have apologzed
for or, at least, have silently condoned with
an ingenious sense of regret. But, instead
of this, Mr.. Conkling thought fit to indorse
| it and to reward it with distinguished
mark of honor. It is very unusual
thing for the temporary chairman OF
political convention to be promoted to the
position of its permanent president Still
it is sometimes done, and nothing would
have been thought Of it in this instance if
| it had not been bold and deliberate in
suit by republican convention to the
! republican President of the United States.
TO confer the highest honor of the Conven-
ton upon man whose tongue had just been
dropping venom upon the President and
his Cabinet was such declaration Of war,
such an act of insulting defiance as puts an
insurmountable barrier in the way of any
future reconciliation. It is a great deal
more wounding than the strongest declara-
ton that could have been made against the
President in a mere platform. Besides con-
demning the policy of the administration it
is a personal affront to the President. And
Mr. Conkling was strong enough to carry
this bitter, audacious insult through the
| Convention by majority of two-thirds!
Of course this astonishing maneuvre was
not prompted by motives merely political.
Mr. Conkling is incensed against the Presi-
dent for what he constructs as personal
sights He thinks he was entitled to be
consulted in the composition of the Cabinet
| but his wishes were disregarded and the Cabi-
net was made up in manner which gave him
great offence. But he has fresher grievance.
| The President has threatened 10 remove all
the chief officers Of the New York Custom
House, some of whom are Mr.. Conkling's
friends and proteges. This intention was
given out from Washington, few weeks
since after Cabinet consultation, while the
contumacy of Naval Officer Cornell was
/ exciting so much attention. The under
standing is that when Congress meets in
| October the President will send to the SEN
ate new names for all the important places
in the Custom House. Mr.. Conkling is
q man who stands by his friends, and
when these nominations are made he
means to defeat them if possible.
He was unwilling that anything should be
done by this Convention which would
restrain or embarrass him in making that
| fight. He knows that a majority of the
republican Senators dislike the civil service
order, and as they have interests in
their own States similar to Mr.
Conklings in New York, he means
to bring the question to test at
the extra session. Conkling would rather
bring the controversy to a focus then than
at a lator period. The Ohio election will
have taken place meanwhile and the New
York election will be still to come.
II, as seems not unlikely, the re-
publican party is defeated in the
Presidents own State Mr.. Conkling
thinks that that would be good time for