New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-05-13
THE sENAT2 AND THE EXECUTIVE.

tvs and neTafi ~ totals were botE about equally DE-
sided between She two political parties
THE SENATE AND TIE EXECUTIVE
RFycnrs 10 mbUcs THE PRESIDENT 10 suRRENDER
RETAINING cUnooUeLY ILLOGICAL ARGUMENTS
-wHY Nh. coxELmG FINDS sYsfPATsTzEes.
fsr yRlEoRkfH TO ma rRrnrxK.i
WAsHrNeToS, May l2--There is no material
change In the situation te Senate in relation to
the Robertson controversy, except that some acces-
ons have been made since yesterday TO the number
Of Senators who are convinced that further at
tepfs to induce the President 10 surrender to Sena
tor Conkling Ia direct or roundabout way are
uselcss, and who therefore favor early vote on
the merits Of the nomination. Two Senator's were
at the White House to-day with new variations of
the old argument that the soldity OF the RePubli-
can party Is Ia danger and that terrible conse-
auences can Galy be avoided by the Presidents
placatng that obstreperous disurber of the peace,
the senior Senator from New-York.
Neither these gentlemen nor any others who have
gone to the White House on similar errands sug-
gested that Mr Conkng would yield If assured that
the quarrel would 20 no further On the contrary,
when questioned about his attitude. they agree that
he s as belligerent as All the rctreatine must
be done by the President. He is large-hearted and
magnanimous and in the right too therefore he
can afford to back down to prevent Mr.. Conkling
from smashing all the crockery in the party cup
board This is the gist of the pleas lately made to
the President. He has also been told OF late--and
for this statement Senators themselves are author
| ity-that Mr.. Conkling Is evidently beaten, and
| badly beaten, too, and that he can now afford
to be generous and not subject him 10 the hurulia
| ton of having Robertson confirmed. In other
words the President is asked on a confession Of do
feat which comes not from. conkling himself nor
even by his authorization. to give up the whole
principle ho has been contending for and enable
Conng 20 posture before the country the victor
| In the contest
/ From the beginning of the struggle, II should be
remembered Conkling has concentrated all his ef-
forts ON the simple point of keeping Judge Robertson
| out of the Custom House, He has never obected to
his appointment to the DisrictAttorneyship or to
any other place. II his name were Withdrawn no
| matter for what Office he might subsequently be
nominated Conkhng could clsimt have carried ms
point. He could say 81 determined to keep Rob
ertson out of the Custom House. The President de-
ter,nined to put him there. What was the result
Is he in OF QUIT
singular feature Of the Senatorial arguments on
the pending question is the unanimity with which
tho men who are advising the President TO retreat
declare that on the principle involved he Is wholly
In the-right and Mr. Conlling in the wrong. Their
logic is that the President should yield because he
is in the iight-a singular perversion of ethics.
Pretty much the whole Senate appears TO be afflicted
with moral strabismus whenever question arises
touching it's control over Government patronage.
The constitutional duty of tho President to nomi-
nate public officials on his Judgment Is aehno~l-
edged in theory but In practice there are few
Senators who do not think that the President
should do as they tell him 10. out II regard for
their dignity and political importance and for the
harmony of the party. The covert, bui none the
less eager desire 10 bring the President into subiec-
ton to Republican Senators in the matter OF making
nominations lies at the bottom OF much OF the oer-
ance for and sympathy with Mr. Conlliug's position.
II Mr. Conkling could harness the Executive and
drive him for his purposes then other Republican
Senators could in turn take the whip and reins aud
make him haul their grst to mill. This is the real
reason why so many Senators who say they going
10 vote for Roersonif the question comes to direct
Issue arc still urging the President 10 withdraw his
name for the sake of harmony"
A veteran Republican statesman, for some years
retired from active life and now lying on bed Of
sickness said to-day that it looked as If there were
a cowardly conspiracy in the Senate to cOerce the
President into surrendering his right 10 make non-
nations The rule of the caucus, that no nomination
objected TO by single Senator should he considered,
was a gross defiance Of the Constitution and a
Aagraut usurpation. The Senate, he said, has
no more right tO bind itself by such a rule
|
to try causes on its docket when objected
TO by single Judge. Senators bound by their
oaths to consider the nominations of the President
! lust as much as the Judges 10 hear and deter
mine the suits brought before them. " What sort
. of figure would the Supreme Court make" he
asked. "if when the docket was called, the Chief
Justice should ask Does any brother object TO try
; ing the case of Smith against Jones and # one
! Justice responded that he knew Smith and had a
poor opinion of him, the ChiefJustice should an
nounce that the case would not be tried r
Everybody who has sounded the real opinions Of
I the Senator'S who want harmony" at the expense
Of principle and Of the dignity and rights Of the
Executive must sec that the strength Of Mr. Conk-
ling lies in the greed for power and patronage which
has always to greater or less extent characterized
the Senate After the full discussion Of the ques-
ton at issue which has gone IN the public press
for nearly two months, there can still be found Sem
| atOrs who talk in the clOak-rOOms among them.
c selves about the President assuming dictatOra
Il powers because he has ht 20 make q single
| nomination in accordance with his own wishes and
, Judgment and IN opposition 20 the Will OF one mem
4 The Scnate must stand upon its dignity and not
a allow the President % cOerce IT, said one Senator
| TODAY Smpefed 10y the atmosphere OF concert
! and mutual admiration which pcryades the Senate
= / Chamber such men do not sce that the body ha.
sacrificed ali dignity IN permitting iti To be ruled
him put il in the attitude of indecenty graspinR al
the powers Of the Executive and refusing 70 perform
its plain constitutional duty OF giving his nOniina
J tions fair and prompt consideration
q THROWING STONES AT TIE PRESIDENT.
lBY TELEGRAPH TO TIE TnrBuSEl
WAsHINGT0N, May 12.-It is reported and believed
here that George c. Gorham, the Republican nomi
, Co. coorot.rr of the genate and managing editO