National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-05-07
The Political Situation.

lhS Il
The weak, ill-tempered, and petulant
act of the President in recalling the New
York nominations on Thursday in retalia-
ton for the action of the Republican
senatorial caucus in suspending action
upon the contested nomination of Rob-
ertson has not been undone, nor supple
mented, as some hoped would be done,
by any gracious act of compensation, such
as the withdrawal of the name of Robert
son would be. The Vice-President and
Mr.. Platt, with authority to speak for Mr..
Conkling also, respectfully and kindly
urged the withdrawal of oil the New York
nominations on Thursday morning, with
the understanding that the present
incumbents should serve until next De-
cember. The response was an ironical
inquiry as to how they would like to
have all except Robertson withdrawn.
To this they of course demurred, and
were not notified that it would be done.
But message announcing such action
reached the Capitol abreast with them.
Senators were amazed. The Republican
Senators had, at the Presidents ur-
gent desire, suspended the contest over
the Senate offices and proceeded with
executive business. They chose to con-
slider first only such nominations as were
not contested by Senators from the State
concerned. There was no decision that
this limit should continue. 1t was left for
future caucus to determine the further
order Of business This is deemed often
sive by the President, and he administers
his rebuke to the Republican caucus and
its committee by withdrawing the unob-
jected cases from New York. He is to
confirm, or he will not nominate. eff
you will not confirm when | command,
then I will withdraw nominations be-
cause they are agreeable to you" Such
is the language of his act. From the
date of the nomination of Robertson
on the 23d of March until the present
hour there is probably not a Senator
of whatever political faith who has
not been made by the President to
feel that upon his vote on the Robert
son nomination must depend the favor
with which his recommendations for
office will be viewed. The effort of
on his Lecompton policy, and the
desperate struggle Of Andrew Johnson
against impeachment, were pushed to
great eXtremities, but it may well be
doubted whether either case presents a
more fragrant attempt at executive usur-
patton of the constitutionalfu functions ofthe
Senate than is now before us in the wild
enterprise Of the President concerning
the New York custom-house. If this un-
seemly invasion Of the Senate by execu-
tive power was on question of some
public consequence its Importance might
impart some dignity to the present
1t is not 1t is simply
childish and futile attempt to show that
he can upset leader whom he does not
like. He has "chums" and famiiiars
who say in the hotels and on the
street corners that Garfield knew he
had to fight Conkling, and preferred to
Ia = II ONlO llOH' AllO(LCl tliStI tlIS
President has said: "The principle upon
which | was nominated at Chicago COM
PEELED fight with Conkling." The "prin-
ciple" upon which the President was
nominated at Chicago was a principle
which disappointed Mr.. Sherman as
to the action of Ohio in the
and which robbed Grant
Of votes enough to have nominated
him. 1t refused to allow even Blaine any
chance whatever after he had fSrcibly
torn down the Grant edifce,
and finally it wSc,s principle
which from the robbers rent the prey,
and ggaKHf1 the nomination, by the acci-
ientaI caprices of mob, to one who had
been thought of in that connec-
ton. Those who saw the mad orgies at
Chicago, in the midst of which storm
to drift the debris of two beaten
armies over to General Garfield, will not
be impressed greatly by any stilted claim
as to " the principle involved" The
: principle" which now seems to animate
the President is an unseemly lust for
power. He seeks to cripple Mr.. Conk-
ling, and to seize the political machine"
in New York for his own use in 1884. A
court favorite and newspaper writer for
the New York Tribune has announced
this programme in great detail, and
it from his temporary Office in
the White House. The wanton and unpro-
vokcd assault on Mr.. Conkling in the NOM
nation of Robertson was followed by a
spirit of intolerance to opposition which
has seldom been equaled. The editor of
The NATIONAL REPUBLICAN, was specially
marked out for executive destruction be-
cause of his protests against the act. The
President said he would "crush" this
and later along, in order to carry
this determination into effect, he made a
formal demand on Senators that they
must allow him to use their votes in ex-
ecuting his vengeance. If two months |
bring forth such fruits, what may be
looked for hereafter?
The Republican Senators will be called |
On very soon to decide whether they will |
stand together against any attempt at
Mr.. Conkling, humiliating
Arthur and Senator Platt, |
and dividing the party these so faithfully
in New York, or whether they
will divide, some standing by the fair and
usages of the Senate, and the
rest joining hands with the Democracy to
make breach which can never be healed. |
The President can destroy the party if
rided by Republican Senators. He has
no divine right to demand such service
IF Senators. There is not State in the |
[-ninn in which the Renuhlicans will |