The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-05-26
WHY THEY DID 1T.
The New York Senators State their Rem
sons for Resigping.

Ahe new 1Ork senators State their Ren-
sons for nesigping.
ALBANY, N. Y, MAY 16.
The following is the letter of resigna-
ton of Senators Conkling and Platt
WAsHINGTON, Alay II, 1881.
SIR-Transmitting as we do our resig-
nations respectively of the great trusts
with which New York has honorel us, it
. is fit that we acquaint you, and through
you the Legislature and people of the
State, with 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 several persons for public offices
already filed. One of those Offices is
the collectcrship for tho port of New
York, now held by General Merritt, an
other is the consul.generalship at Lon
don, now held by General Badeau,
another is that of charge d'affaires to
Denmark, held by Mr.. Cramer. another
is the mission to Switzerland, held by
Mr.. Fish, son of the former distin-
guished Secretary of State. Mr.. Fish
bad, in Difference to al ancient practice,
placed his position at the disposal OF the
new administration, but like the other
persons named he was TO remain at his
post if permitted to do so. All nf these
officers, save only Mr.. Cramer, are citi.
zens Of New York. IT is proposed to
displace them all, not for any alleged
failure or any alleged need or advantage
of the public service, but in order 10
give the great Office Of collector at the
port of New York to Mr.. William H.
Robertson, as the reward Of certain acts
of his said to have aided in making the
nomination of Mr.. Garfield possible.
= he chain of rewards thus proposed
" s,roken by General Badeau's prompt
lysl lining the acceptance of the Office
to which he YVES to be sent.
These nominations summoned every
member of the Senate to say whether he
advised such transaction. The move
ment was mo:e than o surprise. We had
been told only few hours before that no
removals in the New York offices were
socH :o be made, or even considered,
and had been requested to withhold pa
pers and suggestions bearing on the sub
ject which hfd been sent to us for pre-
sentation should the occasion arise, un-
til we had nutice from the President of
his readiness to receive them. Hearing
that tho Vice President was equally sur
prised, and 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 Presi-
dent on the morning of the day the nom-
lnatlons were sent in, no disclosure Of
any intention to send them had been
made to him, and that he first knew of
the matter by heresay, following the
event. After earnest reflection and con-
sultation, we believed the proceedings
unwise and wrong, whether considered
wholly in relation, to the preservation
and integrity ofthe public service and the
public example to be set, or in relation
to the integrity of the Republican party.
No public utterance of comment or cen
sure was made by either of us in the
Senate or elsewhere. On the contrary.
we thought the President would recon
slider the sudden and hasty step, and
would, at least, adopt less hurtful and
Objectionable modes of requiting per-
sonal or individual service. In this hope
the following paper was prepared and
signed and presented by Mr.. James to
the President, who was subsequently, in-
formed that you had authorized your
name to be added also:
To the President: We beg leave to re.
monstrata against the change in the Col
lectorship OF New York by the removal
os,Yr. Merritt and the appointment of
N Robertson. The proposal was wholly
,S-prisc. We heard of it only when
sc9sSs-l nominations involved in the plan
we enounced in the Senate. We had
on' 10 days before this been informed
fros.s You that q change in the customs
Office at New York was not contemplated
and quite ignorant of q purpose to take
any action pcw, we had no opportunity,
until after the nominations, to make the
suggestions we present.
We do not believe that the interest of
the public service will be promoted by
removing the present collector and put
ting MIR. Robertson in his stead. Our
opinion is quite the reverse, and We be-
/. lieve no political advantage can be gain
ed for either the Republican party or it's
principles, believing that no individual
has claims or obligations which should be
liquidated in such a mode. We earnest
ly and respectfully ask that the nomina-
( ton Of Mr.. Robertson be withdrawn.
CHESTER A. ARTHUR.
j. @. PLATT.
THOMAS l.. JAMES.
s Roscoe CONKLING.
u This paper was presented to Mr. James
Z on Monday, the goth day of March
! Knowing the frequency with which ossTJ
S one Of the twenty Presidents of the re-
& public, and markedly the present incum.
i bent, had withdrawn nominations on less
4 erious representations, we did not ap-
\ prehend such suggestions would be
4 treated as al intrusion or an evasion of
] the prerogative Of the nominating power.
Immediately the public press, especially
in articles and dispatches, written by
those in'close and constant association
/, with the President and with an inhuen-
tial member Of the Cabinet, teemed with
violent denunciations Of the Senators
from New York for Opposing the ad-
ministration" and "dictating to the Pres
ident." Persons who visited the Execu-
tive Mansion reported the President as
resentful and impatient of hesitation "to
advise and consent" to what he proposed.
We had made, we have made, no assault
& upon anybody. We have at all times re-
! fused to answer questions by the repre-
sentatives of the press, or to make com-
plaint or comment or denial of many
RUTHLESS charges against us by oficious
3 champions of the administration
i Indeed, beyond confidential consultations
3with brother Senators and officials, we
have said nothing until now on the sub
ject, nor have we, or either of rs, pro-
NOTED the deadlock in the Senate in
order to prevent or influence action on
any Nomination. Nor havo we so stat
I'd. Immediately after the nor.inati0ns