The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-04-19
Mr.. couklinq's Artful scheme.


scheme for requiring the President OF Tue
United States to respect what the New iorS
senator denominates "the courtesy OF TOE
senate II Is worthy Of remark, too, tna'
Mr.. CoxKLlxo has not during the presen'
session OF the Senate said single word Oh
the subject OF the coalition between tue ne
pubiicans and General MALONE having TOT
its oojec, the election OF RiDDLEbhh'."'
f,onnAs. &C.. to the various offices OF the
Senate. lie has so far reirmheu ''o"'
offending the Democrats.
Mr.. Combines "courtesy oil the sen.
ate y /, his claim that no nomination shou'o
be confirmed by the Senate when Is op'
osed by both the senators from the STATE III
which the Office Is to be exercised. Inc
mere statement OF the proposition shows
that /, involves treason to the Constitution.
That instrument provides that offices shall
no filled by and with the advice and consent
Of the Senate--thst is, Of course, the Senate
MS a body-a msjority Of the members pres
ept. Mr.. CoyKLISG's scheme would convert
the Senate into tbirty.eight confirming
bodies. The two senator's from each state
would be In practice the Senate by and with
whose advice and consent many OF the most
important offices under the Government
would be filled.
This scheme has no meIit whatever. Ii
would commend itself 10 no senators APP
proyaI il 1. could be separated from each
senator's regard for his personal conse'
qucnce aud private plans. 1n the case now
before us, 1t asks OF each senator that be
shall abdicate his functions as senstor IN
favor Of the two senators from New York
weallude TO the appointment OF MIR. ROBERT
SON to be collector OF the port OF New YORK
city. In fact, seeing that Mr.. PLATT Is but
mere tool Of Mr.. Combines. the
enphemistc phrase "the courtesy OF the
Senate hides from view nothing but an
ipsolen, demand on the part OF Mr.. CoNK-
LING that he shall be allowed to dictate how
all The national Offices in the Empire State
Of The Union shall be filed.
This scheme appeals TO the vanity OF every
senator. II was invented BY cunning and
malice. No Democratic senator, however,
should lie beguiled by either soft phrase
or personal considerations into betrayal
of his trust. The fathers Of the republic
never for moment designed that the sena.
tors from a single State should have an alb
solute veto over the appointments msde for
that State by the President.
We blye said that Mr. CONKLISG has used
In the Senate in connection with the new
coalition no word that could offend the De-
mocrais. But when he was on bis way to
Wisconsin two weeks ago be was not so re-
ticeut. At Pittsburgh he was interviewed
by reporter for the Commercial, and spat
out his venom in abundance. We quote for
the. delectation OF southern senators few
choice extracts. Speaking OF the coalition
with General MALONE, be said:
ut is the entering wedge for breaking up
The solid South. Anybody who knows any,
thing about politics in the South knows
that South Carolina is really Republican
State; that Louisiana Is Republican State;
that Alabama, and Mississippi, and Florida
are all Republican States, ii we could only
prevent the wholesale intimidation down
there and Get fair count OF the votes.
This Is why we feel that this departure OF
MahoDe's Is OF vital import TO the future OF
the South. The BourbOns feel it, and want
to break him down, II possible, and get his
following away from him. But they will
not succeed!
alt Is odd" said the Senator, "to witness
their furious denunciations OF what they
term 0 corrupt coalition between Malone
and The Republicans. Ben. Hill and this
same gang OF statesmen are The same who
made The bargain with our friend from Ohio
who has Just left the White House expect
ing darkness to cover the land on his de.
parture-the bargain by which be aided in
oycrturning the legally.elected Packard
government ia Louisiana aud all Republl'
can government throughout the South. 1t
was enough TO make one sick TO see them
following after him aud supporting him
after their previous denunciations OF him a.
fraud and swindler. You couldn't 90
near the White House during the four years
OF his administration without finding some
OF the pack hanging about the pOTtlcos,
lounging In the balls, or peering through the
windows, Ill eager for some small crumb OF
Executive patronage ~ some part of the
South, and they generally got it, too"
Why docs CoNKLIgG ridicule HAYES I'M
Incredibly as the man who expected dark
ness to cover the land" when he went out
OF Office, and as the man who "aided in
oyerturning the legally-elecied PACKARD
government? Because HAYES was on
good terms with Democratic congressman.
See how Mr.. CONKLING applies the epithet
"pack F" TO the southern senators, TO whom
be also appeals for aid in his scheme TO
COMPEL the President to respect "the cOur-
tesy OF The Senate"
Bat II southern senators can be Influenced
by an appeal to their vanity, we beg them
to recoect that CONKLING has only mega
tive vote in the matter of filling the offices
in their respective States. 1t might be very
comforting TO have the absolute power OF
rejecting nominations; but it would add
much more to their personal consequence to
have the power TO induce the President TO
appoint men OF their own selection. Mr..
COMBINES scheme would enable senators
TO have Objectionable appointments reject
ed; ba, II would leave the worst kind OF
Republicans In the Offices, and confer upon
the President the power TO nominate two,
three. or four, or more friends for each Of
fee, and thus attach to him many men who
might otherwise become disappointed and
sour.
Once more: Let Us say that the Republi.
can senators arc going TO make no such en-.
gagerneDt in good faith. They may humbug
the Democrats into that belief, but the latter
will soon rue their bargain. There are if.
teen States whose senators are both DEM
ocrats; and there are only fifteen States
whose Senafnrs arc both Rannhhcane Tho