The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1877-12-11
Further Specimens of the Pres1dent's
"Amiable Stubborness."

"Am1aplo 6GuppoEueShs
From the telegraphic and other Wash !
ington reports it appears that a strong
effort has been made to induce the Pres |
ident to yield his own preferences and
accept those Of certain senators in making |
nominations to Office. Senator Oonkling's
friends have tried very hard to have the
President re-appoint Messrs. Arthur and
Cornell for New York, and others have
attempted the same kindly Office to haYe
Mr.. Packard appointed collector at New
Orleans.
The gentlemen who have interested
themselves so deeply in behalf Of the New
York appointments, and who attempted to
assist Mr.. Conkling by the force Of peti-
ton with a long list Of names attached,
called at the White House and presented
their formidable document; which by the
way was signed by the whole New York
republican delegation, except two. They
seem to have been received with great
suavity and aRreeableness of manner, and
the interview was characterized by the
usual polite and cheerful tone with which
Mr., Hayessmanages to conceal 'the iron
hand under the velvet glove, and all the
same they failed to make Roadway against
the "amiabe stubborness" which has once
more calmly disregarded Mr.. Oonklin's
wishes by renewing the nomination of
Messrs. Prince, Roosevelt and Merritt,
whose confirmation DIR. Cooking
succeeded in having passed over
at the extra session. At the
time OF this celebrated interview, as the
story goes, the President told the distin
guished delegation that he would be glad
to get rid of making any appointments,
and if the constitution had only given the
whole thing into the exclusive charge and
power of the senate and house of repre-
sentatives it would have saved the Execu.
tive vast amount of care aud RESPONSE
bllity. He thereupon, as the story further
goes, drew out a copy of the Cincinnati
Republican platform and read to them the
fifth resolution 10 manner which suggest
ed that the party once upon a time said
something on this subject which it would
be we'll to recall to mind. This fifth plank
reads as follows:
Bih-Under the constitution the
President and heads of departments are L
make nominations for office, the senate il
TO advise aud consent TO appointments anC
Nha nE kO mr.
prosecute faithless officers. The bes
interests Of the public service demand tha
these distinctions be respected, that sena
tors aud representatives who may b.
Judges ard accusers should not dictate
appointments to Office, The invariablt
rule for appointments should have refer
ence to the honesty, fidelity aud capacit!
of appointees, giving to the party 10 powe
those places where harmony and vigor o
administration require its policy to b.
represented, but permitting all others to b.
filled with persons selected with sol
reference TO efficiency of the public servic
and the right of citizens to share in th
honor Of rendering faithful service to thei
country.
1t may be true, as one of the delegatio
afterwards remarked in speaking Of tn
obstinacy of the President about his civ
service reforms. that instead of begiunin
his civil service efforts in quiet, judicioU
way, like a man of sense who had take
the full measure Of the obstacles to
encountered, he had entered upon tn
difficult part of his task as if he cou
repeat Joshua's miracle of causing Il
walls of Jericho to fall down by the blov
ing Of rams horns; nevertheless it is WI
for thoughtful republicans to bear in mil
that Mr.. Hayes is President of their oV
making, aud frauduleutly at that. If L
republican platform was designed to me-
anything at all, the President in his co
test with republican senators seems to ha
the best Of the argument, so far as regar
his civil service reforms