The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1881-05-27
CONKLlNG AND PLATT.

CONKLlNa AND PLATT.
Their Letter ef Resisnatlen ~ UniteA
States Senators. In Which They Give Their
Reasoas fsr Reslgnlng and Their versloa
e the DlAerenees Between Then and the
Administrator 1t WasAingtsn.
An Albany IN. ~ telegram of the
10th gives the joint letter of resignation
sent to Governor Cornell by United
States Senators Conk ling and Plat. and
which we publish in full as q matter of
general public interest, giving, as it
does. "their side of the story:
WASHINGTON, d. c., May II. 1881.
SIR: Transmitting as We do our resi9na-
lions. respectively. of the great trusts with
which New York has honored US, 1t is at that
We acQuaint you, and through you the Legis-
lature and people of the State, of the reasons
which, in our judgments, make such q step
respectful and necessary. Some weeks ago
the President sent to the Senate in group
the nominations of several persons for public
Offices already filed. One of these Offices is
the COllectOrship Of the Port of New York.
now held by General Merritt. Another Is the
Consul Generalship at London, now held by
General Badeau. Another is Charge d Affaires
to Denmark, held by Mr.. Crame:. An
other is the Mission to Switzerland. held
by Mr.. Fish, q son Of the former distin-
suished Secretary of State. Mr.. Fish
has. in Difference to an ancient practice,
placed his position at the disposal of the new
Administration, but, like the other persons
named. he was ready to remain at his post, if
permitted to do so. All these officials save
only Mr.. Cramer) are citizens Of New York.
It was proposed to displace them all, not for
any alleged faults, or for any alleged need or
advantage Of the public service, but in order
to give the great Office Of Collector of the Port
of New York to Mr.. William H. Robertson,
as "reward" for certain acts Of his, said to
have aided in making the nomination Of
General Garfield possible.
The chain Of removals thus proposed was
broken by General Badeau promptly declin-
ing to accept the new place to which he was to
be sent. These nominations summoned every
member Of the Senate to say whether he lad
vised'' such q transaction. The movement was
more than a surprise. We had been told only
q few hours before that no removals in New
York offices were soon to be made or even
considered. and had been requested to with
hold the papers and suggestions bearing on
the subject which had been sent to us for pre-
sentation should occasion arise until We had
notice from the President Of his readiness to
receive them.
Learning that the Vice-President was equal
ly surprised, aud had been equally misled, we
went to Mr. James, the Cabinet officer from
our State, and learned that, though he had
spent some time with the President on the
morning of the day the nominations were sent
in, 10 disclosure of an intention to send them
had been made to him, and that he first knew
of the matter by hearsay following the event.
After earnest reflection and consultation we be
lieved the proceeding unwise and wrong, wheth-
err cons dered wholly in relation to the preser-
walton and integrity of the public service and
the public example to be set, or in relation
also to the integrity of the Republican party.
No public utterance of comment or censure
was made by either Of us in the Senate or else
where. On the contrary. we thought that the
President would reconsider an action 80
sudden and hasty, and would at least adopt
less hurtful and Objectionable modes of requit-
ing personal or individual service. In this
hope the following paper was presented by Mr..
James to the President, who was subsequently
informed that you had authorized your name
to be added also:
strate against change in the COllectOrship at
New York by the removal of MI. Merritt and
the appointment of Mr.. Robertson. The pro-
only when the Several nominations involved in
plan were announced in the Senate. We had
only two days before this been informed from
you that q change in the Customs Office at
New York was not contemplated, and, quite
ignorant of your purpose to take any action,
we had no opportunity until after the nOmina-
tons to make the suggestions we now pre-
sent. We do not belle! Q that the interests Of
the public service will be promoted by re-
moving the present Collector and putting Mr..
Robertson in his stead. Our opinion 10 quite
the reverse, and we believe no political adj
vantage can he gained for either the Repub-
lican party or its principles. Believing that
no individual has claims or obligations WHICH
should be iQuiiated in such 4 mode, we
earnestly aud respectfully ask that the
nomination of Mr.. Robertson be withdrawn.
(Signed} "CHEsTER A. ARTHUR,
THOMAS l.. JAMES,
T. C.. PLATT,
ROSCOE CONKLING."
This paper was presented to the President
by MIR. James on Monday, the 18th day Of
March. knowing the frequency with which
every one of the twenty Presidents of the Re-
public, and markedly the present incumbent,