Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-10-24
Conference of Republicans on the
Presidents Policy.

vltatons from Representative Foster a number OF
republicans met Friday night at the residence
Of Secretary Sherman to consider the best course
for the republicans to adopt in case the democrats
should on Monday, introduce a resolution ap.
proving the Presidents policy. While this was
the real business before the meeting the discus
sion soon turned upon various features of the
policy. There were present Secretary Sherman,
Messrs. Hale aud Frye of Maine Butler and Grape
Of Massachusetts, Blair of New Hampshire, Hen
dee of Vermont, Martin Townsend of n. York,
Russell Errett of Pennsylvania Foster, Garfield,
J. d. Cox and Dsnford of Ohio, Conger of Mich,
Burchard and Cannon of Illinois, Dunnell of Min
nesota, Price of Iowa, Page of California and
Thornburgh OF Tennessee. No decision was
reached in regard to action in case Of such dem
ocratic resolution as was expected. If the demo-
Gratis should present it in the shape that the
Endorsement stands in their Ohio platform, where
the policy is claimed democratic doctrine. all
present were agreed that the way would then be
open for the republicans to vote solidy against it,
Only General Cox and Mr.. Grape announced their
purpose to vote for it in case it should prove
simple and full Endorsement of the Presidents
policy. Quite number were in favor of treating
il as democratic buncombe, and having an under
standing that all republicans were to sit silent.
There another proposition that, as Maine
would be entitled to call for resolutions after the
States had been called for bills, either Hale or
Frye should obtain the floor and use up the whole
day before allowing the call to pass from their
State. The meeting was called without the
knowledge Of Secretary Sherman, and the idea
NJ thaa atin II nj ina1t tn ha tn U;v
the President through one of his Cabinet officers.
a chance to hear directly in regard to the position
Of the prominent men in the party. The inter-
change of views, after the question laid aside
was general and very free. Only two Endorsed
both the Southern policy and civil service order.
There were few who Endorsed the Southern pol
icy, but only one or two were willing to vote for
an unqualified approval Of it, though they telt
constrained to accept it as q fact. Those who
opposed it stated in strong terms their desire to
preserve the unity of the party, and to act with
the President far as possible, but they were
still unwilling to yield their convictions or vote in
opposition to them. 1t was agreed to ask the re-
publicans from the various States to hold con-
ference on the question of the best method of
treating the democratic resolution relative to the
Presidents policy. Secretary Sherman had very
little to say and nothing at all in reference to the
Southern policy of the President. He urged
upon those present the Importance of the republ-
can members calling upon the President and talk
ing freely with him, and thought it would be q
serious mistake for them to absent themselves
habitually account of their disafection. In
answer to the very general expressions of dissat-
sfaction with the civil service order and its opera
tons, Secretary Sherman insisted that the order
had been misinterpreted or misunderstood, and in
this he was warmly seconded by Messrs. Garfield
and Foster, they each taking the position that the
Presidents intent was not 10 prevent Office holders
from taking a properly active part in q campaign
after the conventions had put a ticket into the
field Gen. Cox of Ohio defended the President
and indicated his cordial support of his entire pol
ICY and argued that the President had simply
carried into practical effect the principle enunci-
aied in the republican platform and in his letter
of acceptance. At this point he was interrupted
by Mr. Frye Of Me-, who asked Gen. Cox to point
TO that plank in the platform or to that clause in
the letter Of acceptance which foreshadowed the
appointment Of an ex-Coniederate and lifelong
democrat TO a seat in the Cabinet. Mr.. Grape of
Mass. indicated his support of the President, both
in his Southern policy and in his civil service
order. Mr.. Frye spoke in very strong terms in
condemnation Of the Southern policy, and also of
the civil service reform order. Mr. Hale directed
his remarks chiefly to the real subject bafore the
meeting, namely, treatment Of the anticipated
democratic resolution. Neither he nor Garfield
had much to say in reference to the Southern
policy, and occupied themselves chiefly with a
discussion of how to avoid split in the party on
| any vote which the democrats might introduce.
Martin |. Townsend Of n. Y. said he had felt very
kindly towards the President, and had desired to
support him cordially, but he had been surprised
| at the reports which he had read from time to
| time that the President regarded the members of
Congress as a set of scamps, and not exactly re-
putable people, and as he was considered tolera-
| bly, honest and respectable man at home, he did
not to introduce himself at the White House.
where he could not be rtsin of the standing he
occupied. Gen. Butler smoke with great earnest
| ness in regard to the importance to the country
| of unfolding and continuing the republican party
| as the hope of the country, and his remarks in
regard to civil service reform were particularly
pointed, and chiefly directed to Gen. Cox's and
were filled from beginning to end with sneers at
this portion of the policy. To that part of Mr.
Cox's speech in which he declared the Pre- sdent
was in full sympathy with the party, and desired
only its good, Mr.. Danford OF Ohio asked what
evidence there was that the President sincerely
desired the good of the party, in view of lis selec
ton of Cabinet in which there were at least
three members who did not care a straw what
became of the republican party (alluding to Key,
Schurz and Evarts).
| unfair to assume that these gentlemen were not
| in accord with the party and that they did not
desire its success Mr.. Thornburgh of Tenn. said
that the republicans of that State and of the
| oOuln "ete utterly tnere was no
! LONGER a republican organization IN the South !;
that they bad no representative in the Cabinet
| and they were obliged, when seeking anything in
| connection with the Post Office department, to 20
over the head of that department, to the President
himself, and that Southern republicans would not
confer directly with the Postmaster General. At
this point Mr.. Blair of N. IL. inquired of Thorn
| burgh whether, when they visited the President
they had received any satisfaction from him, and
whether they had ever been able to obtain what
they wanted Mr.. Thornburgh said they always
had obtained satisfaction Mr.. Cannon of Illinois
reported that there was very general feeling
among the republicans of his State that the Presi.
dent had not properly cared for those to whom be
owed his election, and that there very general
dissatisfaction iu regard to his treatment of the
Southern republicans. Mr.. Dunnell stated that
| the republicans Of his State were not cordial
| towards the President. Mr. Coneer expressed
the opinion that Michigan republican Telling was
that the policy of the President towards the
South must be accepted as matter of fact and
as something which it was now impossible to
remedy. and in regard to the civil service order
at least nine-tenths of the Michigan republicans
dissented totally from it.