New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-12-02
THE DUTY OF REPUBLICANS.
LETTER FROM WILLIAM T.. CHANDLER.

CAN VICTORY PROBABLE. NOT SURF.
To the RdNor or The Tribune.
SIR: On March 4. 1877 not many hours after
the long struggle of the Presidential count had
made Governor Hayes President aud Zachariah
Chandler had. by unremttinr effort. made good his
assertion Of Wednesday, November s. 1876, that
Hayes has 80 votes and is elected" several gen
tlemen, one OF whom bad that day visited the new
President. called OH Mr.. Chandler and told BIN
what they had learned; that an abandonment oi
the principles Of the Republican party had been
agreed upon. aud that. to carry 1T ont, the freSi
dent was seeking a New-England Cabinet minister
from political traitors and Fossils had decided Dap
point as Pcstmaster-tienefala Southern TIdeE-Dem-
cratic rebel who had denounced bis election
rs fraudulent and to place in the Interior
Department as successor % Mr.. Chandler
person offensive in one way or another, 10
nearly every wing and faction and shade OF real he
publicansm. After the narrator. in bis vivid ana
inimitable style, had given the astonishing intcl-
gence. we listened eagerly for the explosion we
thought to from the chagrined and indig-
nant Secretary Bun /; did not come; 10 sat calm
aud speechless. Then some one said. " Mr. Chan
der, have wo been working for this !" Slowly re-
moving his cigar from his mouth, he quietly re-
piled, "No we did not work for this; worked
to keep Tilden ont !"
The spirit which animated Senator Chandler
ought Tor the next year to control and direct all
true Republicans. Whatever differences of opinion
may arise as TO men. We are sure to b. all agreed
upon principles and when the Convention Of 1850
has PANIED its candidates, Republicans OF all
shades Of opinion. sinking personal preferences.
should unite in another earnest enthusiastic ana
final struggle to keep the rebels out of control OF
the National Government
With this evident duty before Republicans, In
New-York more than in any other State, ii is much
20 be regretted that any should say We are willing
TO accept stawarism. but with it we arc not will
ing to accept Conklingisn This means. If any
thing that the Republican party should not lie sus-
tanned in power if Senator Conkling is to remain
Que OF its foremost leaders. What good reason can
be gwen for this threats Mr.. Conkling is a Senator
of transcondent ability, and reflects great honor
upon the Empire State. What Republican principle
or measure has he failed TO support, and when has
hc ceased 10 do his utmost the Republican side
Let The vital contests of the late extra session
testify. Why then should he not lead and influence
and serve the Republican party.
But ii is said We do not object to Senator Ccnt-
ling himself but to the i" me thods of Conklngis
What are these Objectionable methodist The control
of political caucuscs and conventions by political
patronage, II may be answered. For over two years
the bitter opponents of Conklngsm and advocates
of 1.-THE thing called Bristowisn" and of civil ser
vice reform have controlled all Republican official
patronage in New-York, have removed and
appointed scores of Federal officers and
welded the whole patronage-power of the
Government for the sole purpose of destroy.
ing Senator Coniling; and yet his influence in his
State is stronger than ever ; he was reeectcd Sen
atur without opposition and official patronage has
been as poweress 10 control political results under
President Hayes and Secretaries Evarts and sher-
man, as il was when welded by President Johnson
and Secretary Seward and as it always will be
when attempts are made. by il, to thwart instead
of promote the prevalent sentiment of apolitcal
party The charge that Senator Conkling depends
for ms ascendancy upon patronage is utterly absurd
Possibly the objection is not to the control OF pol
tiles by patronage but by the machinery" OF Conk-
lingism. What Is that machinery 1t can only be
the regular caucusss and conventions Of the party
which arc absolutely open and free to every voter
of the party. What sore-headed bolter complains
that he has not been allowed TO vote at caucus OF
a primary meetingi With the Federal patronage
merclessly welded against him by Civil Service
reformeIs and with the caucuses aud convention
open 10 all Republicans, Mr.. Cornell obtained an
overwhelming victory IN convention, which has
been ratified by the people and yet he IS called the
product of tho machine in politics, although mod
eat and true Republican, always serving the party.
and uninpeachable in public and private life. Are
these sincere OF fair or tenabe objectionsi
Upon what principle does Republican hitherto
opposed 10 Stawartlsm now consent to acceptit but
threaten to bolt If asked to take Conklngism with
n, or course he accepts Stalwartsm because he
has changed his opinions. and now finds 1T to be
right. May nc not also. if he further candidly in
yestigates Conklingism, which was stalwart when
he was not, find IL to be commend
able and accept it also' Or is he wor-
ried because Mr.. Cornell has been elected Gov
ernor by the detection from Robinson of Tammany
Hall and John Kellyf When did it become OBJ
iectionabe for the Republicans OF New-York City,
numbering aSout one-third the voters. to profit by
a division of the Democracyi Was it wrong for
Abraham Lincoln TO be elected President in 1860
by the Democratic split at Charleston; or was the
victory tainted by the suspicion that Mr.. Lincoln
was in completely with the Breckenridge bolt
which made his election certain3
May not all Republicans who talk as above ndi-
Gated, thus foreshadowing an inclination to
bolt in 1880 unless Senator ConklIng and
his friends voluntarily surrender their rea-
sonabe and legitimate influence in the coun-
sells of the party. be fairly appealed to- to forego
their prejudces and animositIes, conform to party
usages fight out their differences at the caucuses
and conventions. and abide by the decisions there
formulated3 The nomination OF Charles Foster for
Governor of Ohio by majority Of only six votes in
a large convention. obtained by the persistent.
urgent interference Of sn Administration publicly
pledged not TO use its official power to control nonI
mating conventions was eminently disagreeable to
radical or stalwart Republicans, who yet supported
him zealously and gave him his victory. Are these
forbearanees and sacrifices of personal feeling TO be
reciprocal or are TO get the votes OF the so-caed
reforners only when we yield everything to them.
and TO lose them whenever n nomination. though
fairly and regularly made does not happen TO please
their utopisn fancies,
Appeals 70 New-York Republicans for forbearance
linz