Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-05-17
CONKLING AND PLATT.
REASONS FOR THEIR RIsl6NATIONs

REASONS FOE THEIR RHsl6NATI0Ns.
Their Joint Letter to lsovernor Cornell.
Following is the letter of Senators Conk.
ling and Platt to the governor of New
York, in which they resign their::seats and
bid for reelection. Their step was the
sensation of Washington yesterday ; the
stalwarts approving, the administration
people ridiculing, and the Democrats
chuckling:
WASHINGTON, May IA, 1881.
SIR Transmitting, as We do, our resig
nations respectively of the great trusts
with which New York has honored us, it
is fit that we acquaint you, and Though
you the Legislature and people of the
state. the reasons which, in our judgment,
make such step respectful and necessary.
Some weeks ago the president sent to the
Senate in group the nominations of sew
eral persons for public Offices already
filled. One of the offices is the collector
ship of the port of New York, now held by
General Merritt another is the consul
generalship at London, now held by Gen.
Badeau another is charge d'affaires to
Denmark, held by Mr.. Cramer :
another is the mission to Switzer-
land, held by Mr.. Fish, a son of the
former distinguished secretary of state.
Mr.. Fish had, in Difference to an ancient
practice, placed his position at the dis
posal of the new administration, but. like
the other persons named, he was ready to
remain at his post if permitted to do SO.
All of these officers, save only Mr.. Cramer,
are citizens of New York. 1t was pro-
posed to displace them all, not for any al
legged fault or for any alleged need or ad-
vantage of the public service, but in order
to give the great Office of collector of the
port of New York to Mr.. William H. Rob-
ertsOn as q "reward" " for certain acts Of
his, said to have "aided in making the
nomination of General Garfield possible
The chain of rewards thus proposed was
broken by General Badeau's promptly de-
clining to accept the new place to which
he was to be sent. The nominations sum-
moned every member of the Senate to say
whether he advised such a transaction.
The movement was more than a surprise.
We had been told only a few
hours before that no removals
in the New York offices were
soon to be made or even considered, and
had been requested to withhold papers and
suggestions bearing on the subject, which
had been sent to us for presentation,
should occasion arise, until we had notice
from the president of his readiness to re-
ceive them. Hearing that the vice presi
dent was equally surprised and had been
equally misled, we went to Mr.. James, the
cabinet officer from our state, and learned
that, though he had spent somo time with
the president on the morning of the day
the nominations were sent in, no 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 believed the
proceeding unwise and wrong, whether
considered wholly in relation to the pre-
servation and integrity of tho public SER
vice and the public example to be set, or
in relation also to the integrity of the Re-
publican party. No public utterance OF
comment or censuro was made by either
of us in tho Senate or elsewhere on the
contrary We thought that the president
would reconsider the action, so sudden
and hasty, and would at least adopt less
hurtful and Objectionable modes of rcquit-
Jag personal or individual service. In this
hope the following paper was prepared and
signed and presented by Mr.. James to the
president. who was subsequently informed
that you had authorized your. name to he
added also
TO THE PREslDENT:-We beg leave to rcmOn.
strate against the change in the collectOrship
at New York by the removal of Mr.. Merritt
Int, ll~l,<
proposal was wholly surprise. We heard ii
only when the several nominations involved
in the plan were announced in the Senate.
formed from you that change in the customs
office ut New York was not contemplated. and
quite ignorant Of purpose to take any action
nominations to maze the suggestions we now
present. We do not believe that the interests
of the public service will be promoted by re-
Robertson in his tead. Our opinion is quite
the reverse, and We believe no political advan.
tage can be gained for either the Republican
dividual has claims obligations which
should be liq Undated in such Il mode, we e:lr,-
cstly and respectfully ask that the nomination
OF Mr.: Robertson be withdrawn.
ISigned1 CHESTER A. ARTHUR,
THOMAS l.. JAMES.
Roscoe CONKLING.
This paper was presented to the prcsi-
dent by Mr.. James on Monday, the 2Sth
day of March. Knowing the frequency
with which every one Of the twenty presi-
dents of the republic, and markedly the
present incumbent, had withdrawn nOm-
nations on less serious representations,
we did not apprehend that such sugges-
tiOn would he treated as an intrusion or
an invasion Of any prcrogative of the NOM
mating power. We were disappointed.
Immediately the public press, especially
in articles and dispatches written by those
in close and constant association with the
president and with an influential member
of his cabinet teemed with violent denun-