Daily Republican., 1881-10-04
CoukIing's BiunderE.

If Mr.. Conkling would step. down
= and out of politics for the time bsSng
there would be peace in the ,Gepuhii,an
party in New York, and great victory
would be the result. it is a little
= strange that men should follow the
FALLING fortunes Of man though great
in his time until they involve great
party in the same irretrsevabln ruin he
has brought upon him self by his own
folly and pervsrseness, Mr. Conkling,
tapugh he has acted badly, has lost none
.of his ability as statesman nor sagaci-
rsy as q politician, but he has rendered
himself so unpoprlar by his actions
that he is an unsafe leader and there
fore he should not push himself to the
front at the present tirle, nor should
his friends who seem determined to
cling to him upwisely, whether he be
right or wrong urge him to come to the
front as a leader. M. Conkling is yet
comparatively young man, just in
the vigor of intellectual manhood, and
has abundant time and opportunity to
yet make himself popular and right be-
fore the people thathave so long trusted
and honored him. He should therefore
retire from active political work for the
present and allow his damaged politi-
cal constitution time to recuperate that
he may be enabled hereafter TO come
before his people in all the strength of
rejuvenated political manhood. For
the present he is unable to occupy the
place of leader of his party through po-
litical inability, and this is not time
to go into the field with the expectation
of winning an easy victory under an
unsafe leader.
Mr.. Conkling has been treated as
fairly as any man could ask to be
treated under the circumstances. In
stead Of being forced from the Senate
by the party, he forced himself out on his
own motion, and he met with no reverse
experience to cause him to 90, that
hundreds Of other men had not met
with before. He quarrelled with Presi-
dent Garfield, and the Senate of which
he was member sustained the Presi-
dent. His resignation surprised the
people, and there was a general con. ,
domination of his act. His folly has al ,
ready plunged his party into trouble, ,
and as consequence the Republicans
have lost their numerical majority in
the Senate, and are unable now to Or ,
ganize it with Republican head when
1T meets next Monday, simply because
Conkling and his man Platt, resigned
and went home in a pet, and their
'suoeessors cannot take their seats
at the opening Of the session 20
help to organize the Senate. Mr..
Conkting's quarrel with the President
was purely personal one, undertaken
with q distinct purpose in view, and
that purpose selfish in its inception and
to the very core. When man em-
barks in such conflict he cuts loose
from public sympathy, and time is re-
Iuired before he can regain it. 1t was
a great mistake for Mr.. Conkling to be-
gin personal quarrel with the Presi-
dent, and it was still greater mis-
take for him to resign seat in the
United States Senate, so evenly divided
as to make the Senate Democratic. Ill
was still another great mistake to ask
for a reelection from the New York
Legislature, but the last and crow ming
mistake Of all was for him to inaugu-
rate contest in the election of dele
gates to the New York State Conven-
non, which meets tomorrow in New
York city. The attitude of the ex. Sena-
tor is thet of the man elected from a
house by the door, trying to get back
ny the window. The door of his return a
was closed, locked and bolted by him
self. If Senator Conking does not ac- G
cept defeat GRACEFUL, the people '
will wall up the door against his re- a
turn to the party, in any manner what l
ever hereafter When man of brai ms
begins 10 make blunder, it seems that
he ever afterwards keeps on at it, and :,
this really appears to be the case with :.
Mr.. Conkling.