Litchfield enquirer., 1881-05-26
Reelected?

Two questions are involved in the appeal
 Mir. Conkling has so suddenly taken from the hostile decision of President and Senate al Washington to the New York legislature. 1st.-Hss Republican President righ,
 to make appointments within 8 state without consulting the Republican senators of that statef
 2nd.-Supposing the President in error on
 the first point, is it of sufficient importance to warrant four years quarrel in the Republi- can party, which is precisely what the re. election of Conkling and Platt will meanp
 The first point is one which the Constitu- tuition itself decides. No room for the so- called 'scourtesy of the Senate" is to be feund in that instrument. This privilege, which other Senators as well as Conkling claim, rests on 6 practice which has grown up not under but in opposition to the Constitution. The utter destruction of this pernicious practice is the first step to be taken In the road towards civil service reform. NE
 But granting the Cenkling claim to the of- fees in his own state for distribution among his own followers. It is pretty evident that his claim will never be allowed by the pres ent administration. It is further evident that while few office seekers may favor that mode of distributing offices, popular opinion is strongly against it. Is the game then. worth the powder Many think the President was wrong in appointing Robertson Collector who have DO patience with Conk ling's theat- rical display of indignation. It is no light matter to ask of a Republican legislature, to declare war on Republican administration.
 If not altogether senseless quarrel, the difficulty in which Mir. Conkling has plunged himself is one in which no homer, and little profit are to be gained. Moreover there is every chance that the legislators who repu- diate their President will be themselves repu. diated by the people. Were the question submitted to the Republican voters of New York. there is no doubt that Garfield would easily carry a majority.
 But, besides the fact that Cenkling is wrong in his claim to control State patronage, and unwise in quarreliug with Garfield, even if his claim were just one, his resignation is blunder. If reelected he gains nothing and if defeated, he is politically dead. If, indeed, he had really tired of public life ard desired to quit politics, his alleged ill-treat- ment by the administration might have af forded decent pretext for dignified retire. ment. Again. if he had made up his mind to quit the party which had elected him to the Senate, and if he thought he could carry the Republicans of New York over to the Oppo- sition with him, he might with great propriety have submitted the question to their decision by resignation. He proposes neither of those things. He simply asks the Republicans of New York to add tenfold bitterness to party feud which was bitter enough already.
 The extent of Mir. Conkling's blunder be- gins to be evident when he has to fight doubtful battle for reelection in legislature but shortly since devoted to his interests AL ready it is the Administration party and anti Administration party which are contending at Albany, and the Administration wing claim to have sufficient number of members pledged already to ensure Conklings defeat Whether they can rely on so large a number as they claim another week will show. In the meantime the quarrelsome New York ex- Senator must make another "supreme effort" to ward of the destruction to which his own folly has exposed him.