The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-07-16
SENIOR CONkLTN0 AND the CUsI or
HOUsE

ALBANY, July 80 no friends OF S.aHator
Cnnkllng in the interior vi the Stnte look upon
tho suspension Of Arthur and Cornell md tho
appointment Of Merritt 10 the Col'Ntorsh %, NJ
tho gngO Of battle thrown az them by Hayes.
Sherman. and fvarts. From tho hour Hayes
VIVA inau .uritpd. thranu- Conkling Republicans
Ia tue rural districts have made tho capture Of
the Custom House in your city their OhJcctivc
point Probably the same ia true Of the metro
politan politicians Of like proclivitrs.
All last summer anil fall these dissenters were
In worry about the patronage at the disposal
of the Collector and Naval Oficer But when
tiienaw nominees stepped forth in the forms Of
MI. Roosevelt and Mr.. Prince. the Fcnton wing
of the party cnrlcd their lips with chagrin and
disgust for they wcrc not men Of their type ut
all. They said they did not fancy Custom House
chiefs who wcrc selected from tho dlettnnto
school Of George William Curtis. and not n
tear WING shed in Chautauaua at their rejection
by the SENATE
These civil service reformers wero growing
more and more lean and hungry. They wore not
satisfied with the conduct Of Gov. Fenton. They
complained that he was not anxious enough to
get hold of the big plums Of the Custom House
for distribution among his friends. They did
not curc n continental pistarecn about intcrna-
tional silver coinage. and wero not to DO ap-
peascd by tho aid which Conkling rendered to
Fenton in procuring his confirmation AZ Com
missioner. This tone Of expression rather
frightened Fcnton. end the result is the recent
changes in Jour Custom House.
These changes are regarded all through the
State. north and ives, Of Albany. rs a dcclara-
iion Of war against Mr.. Conklng in his efforts
for reelection 10 the Senate. 1t is the very thin
nest Of nonsense 90 proclaim tina, this measure
springs from desire to reform the revenue
service at the port " New York. few Of Mr.
Curtis's horse marines may believe this story
but Mr.. Conklings common sailors know bet
ter. The Inter accept 1t rs the signal gun for
hostile movement on his line Of battle in the
fall campaign.
We perceive that few simpetons in your
city say that tho selection Of Gen. Merritt for
the Collectorship rebuts the presumption that
this change originates in an unfriendly feeling
toward Mr.. Conkling; that Merritt has never
taken sides in the divisions and dissensons Of
the Republican marty Of the State. and SO on.
Could stupidity dive deeper than this? Why
for fifteen years he has been leader in that
section OF the party that always opposed Conk-
ling whenever that issue was raised. Through
this long period he has been. more than any
other one man. Mr.. Fenton's mouthpiece. his
premonitory symptom. his confidential hench-
man. While Fenton was Governor. Merritt was
his Quartermastcr-Genera and he shared the
counsels and followed the fortunes Of Lis chief
through the bitter controversies Of 1871. In the
Greeley revolt Of 1872. and in the reconciliation
OF 1876. In word. II anybody has wanted to
know what Gov. Fenton was aiming at. he did
not listen much to the words Of Gen. Merritt
as try to find out what he was doing.
II the challenged Senator takes mn the gage
with alacrty. and goes into the contest with ar
dor this blow may do him no harm. Indeed.
il might have the effect OF saving him. for all his
political victories have been won by desperate
lighting.
Nevertheless. cloud of uncertainty covers
the Held. Tho Nationals and other outside fac
tons will cast n disturbing element into the can
yass. They claim that they will hold the balance
Of power in the Assembly. II this be so. whore
will they throwit?
A Republican state Convention is likely to be
called to nominate a Judge of Appeals. and dc
something more il need be. II convention
assemblies, and n truce is not previously pro-
claimed. there will be loud aud angry notes IN
the air. compared with which the music Of last
September will be but the gentle pleasing Of a
Lutte.