Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1881-05-07
WASHINGTON.
Miscellaneous News from the Ma
tiOnal Capital.

WASHINGTON, May 6.-The Presi~
dent has finally decided that owing
to the important juncture of affairs
he will be compelled to decline the
invitation to be present at the Gems
tennial celebration Of the battle of
the Cowpens, which will take place
on Wednesday next at Spartansburg,
South Carolina
The Star tonight says the ex-
citement over the withdrawal of the
New York nominations has not sub
sided whit, In the hotels, on the
street corners, and in public places,
it is the only theme Of gossip. The
history of the Presidents decisive
action is said to be follows: He
had been tolerant with Mr.. Conk~
ling, INDUCING the hope that the
Republican side of the Senate would
eventually be able to secure a de-
cent treatment of the Executive nom
nations. After the long delay, how
ever, he expressed to the committee Of
safety his hope that, in the caucus to
be held, an understanding would be
reached whereby the executive busi~
ness could be proceeded with. The
caucus was held, and its proceedings
are now matter of history. Senator
Conkling succeeded in making an ar
rangement whereby all contested
nominations were to be sent
to the rear, and not acted
upon until all the others were
disposed of. This was q triumph
for Mr.. Conkling and humiliating
to the President. It's effect was that
all Mr.. Conkling's friends nominated
for Office were to be confirmed, and
then the New York Senator intended
to muster his forces and crowd the
President to the wall by having
Robertsons nomination rejected.
This the President determined to
prevent, and the result was the
bomb fired yesterday into the
camp of bosses. 1t did not
come any too soon. It had been the
intention of the Conkling men to
confirm all the New York appoints
ments, except Robertson, and then
either adjourn with disposing of his
case or have a long delay. There
has been strong influence exerted
with the President to~day to induce
him to also withdraw Robertson and
start the New York nominations
anew. This, however, the Pres
ident will not listen to. He
takes the ground that Robertson
is honest, competent and a good
Republican, and that it would be in
justice to him to recall his name
There is some talk that the emergen~
cies Of the situation now require
another caucus and it is not improb
able that one will be held Saturday.
The very interesting question
is what will the President do
with the candidates withdrawn
in case Judge Robertson is con
frmed. The Presidents friends
say in such event he will renom~
mate them, because not to de so
would be a tacit acknowledgement
that they were unworthy to be NOM
mated at all. The Presidents mos
tives, as construed by his friends in
making the Withdrawals, was to
prevent the New York Senator from
making any determinations touch~
ing the New York appointments.
Senator Conkling's friends say the
Presidents action is unwise, and that
it means trouble, and that worse
than all, he is endeavoring to over
ride the action of the Senate caucus
with the power of patronage. 1t is
certain, however, that the public
feeling is largely with the President.
Already he is in receipt of telegrams
from all quarters and from Demo
Gratis as well as Republicans, endors-
ing his action.
1t is considered certain now that
Robertson will be confirmed. A
large proportion of the Democratic
Senators will vote for him. A friend
Of Senator Conkling to-day said to
him, that he believed the confrma-
ton of Robertson could not now be
prevented. The reply of the New
York Senator was to the effect that
he did not share this opinion; that
the matter was not yet settled by
any means.