Litchfield enquirer., 1877-12-20
'.Is the President Honest h he
 Capabler r

prm@annkS 2 or iB this recent difficulty mere pers0nal squabble between Mir. Evarts and MT. Gouklins for the control of the federal patron ses of the State of New Ycrk7 Let us first zee what reasons the President himself gives for his attempted removals. They are reported in GaEndays papeEs, moi in the Presidents own language, but in substance, as follows:
 Ia the earlier days of the administration the President was inclined from such information ss he could gather to believe that Collector Ar thm WIS good officer and that probably he Ought to ls retained. The troubles in the of- fee weEe theughf to be mainly among the sub oudinnfes- and Nlch that Q commission could ascsxsnin them. After the Jay commission re- ported. Collector Arthur was sent fol, the mat ter was talked over at length, and he was ehaEged with making the reductions recom- usemded hE the c0mmissi0A. This he agreed todd. .ana he seemed anxious to aidin thework of the commsisaiOn- After while it came to the knowledge of the department that, in the reductions ordered, the best men were dis elmxMed and political bummers retained. Col lse1w Arthur was sent for, and came and he exp1afnedffms he had turned the question of re- dmeGfum over ao board. The members of this benzd were fhen sent for. They in turn ex- Plninsd that thsy had put the matter in the
 
 nus hs nemt for readily The whole thing was AmMllF held eO be positive proof that no practi- eMa mleMswes Of reform could be carried into effect while the present collector remained.
 Ts shis truth or falsehood? The recent his- tWy of Custom House management in New Yoxk tallies entirely with the truth of this sta1ement All through Grants late admins trntion IIr. Conkling was the special advocate and representative of Grantism in the Senate. He helped Gsant in everything, and Grant helped him in everything. The Custom House was the machine which controlled New York Republican conventions in Conkling's interest and it wne through Grant that the Custom House was made a Conkling machine. Up to the Imss. changes were made andofficers remov- cd. of whose efficiency there was no dispute, sinply to consolidate the New York Senator's cousrol of his own state. It was noteriously shruueh his control of the ''machine" in New York fhna Mr. Conkling wB able to obtain the vo1s e his staae ct Cincinnati It was noto- riously through his control of thefederal office haidam thnt Mr. Conkling was able to pack the New York Republican Convention of last fdII, nnl place the party of that Statein open hns1ilily to tze President. His course was con- 6dared d the time substantial declaration of wnFAsNima the Administration, and the COL dues of Afr. Arthur, as detailed above, is thus readily aceounted for. It was precisely the couEm he 1zad always pursued as regards the pefkonal interests of Senator Conkling.
 Whlle. therefore. all the facts seem to prove the pssstdens's course in thorough and honest Gcr1sdnncs wiflS his promises of reform, the uext dn6stion that atises is whether he has the shiIiiy ip mske his honest ], purpose of any avail It's en this last point that people who srs in saznta 4of reform have the most fear. Theoretically. every intelligent American knOws Ghat the President is right and Senator Coakling wrong; botthelatter seemsimmense- Iy earnest, able and energetic in carrying his wrong theory into successful practice, while the former seems continually nesitating blun- dering and falling in the execution of his right theory. Nov, by the mass of men, an able eneEggEie end successful wrong ismore respect ed than . hesitating. blundering and unsuc- eessfM right; and Mir. Hayes must at least seem to deserve success, before he can con- mand that earnest popular support which any honest, able, and thorough Reformer is certain to receive from the American people.
 It is specially urged against the President that he owes his defeat on the New York nom nations to his inefaciency; that, while Mir. COukiing was busy night and day, securing votes against confirmation, the Administration was idle, and that the case went against them, as 1t were, by default We consider this crit icism unjust. Had the President been willing to intrigue in the Senate he could und oubtedly have secured the rejection of Kellogg, and with the overthrow of the Republican control Of that body. Mir. Conkling's system of oppo- Siaion would have gone down, too. True tc his spoliey of non-interference between the in d<pendent branches of our government, how. sver. the President made no sign, and Kellogg was given c seat to which he was not really entitled Up tO this tinne it must be remem- bered, there seemed no doubt that the Presi- d6ntis New York nominations would be con- Armed. But Democratic Senators, knowing tlnt these nominations could only succeed by shsif vOtes evidently expected the President's sGtive ssaissance against Kellogg. Mir. Conk tng turned their resentment at the President. refasal of such assistance to slIillful use; and thk0ngh ik obtained enough Democratic votes los1sjecz the New York nominations.
 Fns President really owes the rejection ot hiENew Yszk nominations, therefore, to tn, faet that be is true both to his party and to hi pfhcipleaL A word from him would have SC eusAi the rejection of Kellogg, and the solit support of the Democratic Senators. He coult easay have increased bis strength among thu Rephblicans of the Senate by those persona solicitations to which former presidents have frequently resorted. But such solicitations woald have placed him under personsl ohliga sioas so ths Henators solicited. If they hai Aelbea hin remove Senator Conklings friend, frOlh ofAce. he would have been obliged to ap paint their friends to oface in return. w, cannot but consider the Presidents defea naase honosable than any victory obtained b, ed meana He still retains his constitution al p1wer Of appointment intact, and owes n C8meressnan anything. When Democrat Senate comes in. with the next Congress, am ths Tenure of Office act is repealed. as th Democracy are pledged to repeal it, he will she mQt Independent president that has occu pied the executive chair since George Wast ingtnm.s Dslnng the next four years he ca wsed ths poliacians out of the offices s rhsoashly thst t@ next President, whethe nspuhaican or DemOcrst, will not dare to rs surn Co ths abominable spoils system.
 Bat whlle we hold the Administration in n was 1;amabie for its fecent defeat, the Presi dsntm tmlast remember that he has great wor before him. He has bitter war in prospet wiEh Congress and the politicians; and his fin dHlF b to stop coquetting with Congressions deaesn1ions- Pennsylvania, Illinois. and othE -ana io make his appointments without fes mr fmwnw of CcnureRsunan or politician If th