The Cecil Whig., 1881-05-28
EX SENATOR CAMERON.
His Views of the Conk!ing Fiasco-How
it Might Have Been Adjusted.

PHILADELpHIA. May 23.-Simon Cam
concerning the present political situation,
said: The differences i'll the party are
very Serious--really dangerous-and |
cannot see now how they are to he set
tied. The disposition to fight rather
than to adjust the difficulties. is the
worst feature of the situation. | always
acted upon the theory that you must
compromise with or crush your enemy.
| rarely ever resorted to the latter alter
native. certainly never until | had care
fully calculated the strength of the man
to be sat upon and its effect upon the
party. No man, i'll my judgment. is wise
enough or strong enough to neglect this
preeaution without injury to himself or
his party. Many men not in place OF au-
tAurity are as essential to party success
as those who are representing 1t for the
time being. There has been a lack of
rordiality all around, and Il disposition
on tile part of the Executive to listen to
bad advisers There was a solution Of
the difficulties perfectly honorable to
both pant ties. | believe Gen. Garticld's
best friends felt that he made a mistake
in nominating Robertson. Such being
the ease, i! he had withdrawn all Of the
New lork appointments and begun anew
no person could have found fault, and it
would have been Il creditabe act, which
would have strengthened both the party
and the President. because it would have
shown a desire to meet all interests in an
amicable spirit. Other grave mistakes
have been made, and, if not corrected
will destroy the party: for no organiZa-
ton can live while divided into factions
each having the other by the throat
Mr.. Coukling and the force he represents
i might almost say commands-cannot
be crushed and the party live. There
fore he should have been met in spirit
of compromise. which tue withdrawal of
all the New York nominations would
have emphasized The difficulty i'll the
way is that the position of the stalwarts
is misunderstood and miSrcpresented.
If there is a contest over an office i'm
which they appear, the clamor is that
they want To control ali the offices, or are
tryIn. to dictate 10 the President. when
" the ret"ru'"rs are riamorin| for pa
trnnagc. and don know a .recdier ele-
nient than they. Ii is lIeralded as 4 fight
for purity i'll politics. and 4 contest
against the machine. The stalwarts
believe he offices should be distributed
50 as to strengthen the Republican party
and not destroy it. Mr., Conklin. WILL
in my Judgment, do any reasonable thing
necessary to party harmony. | regret
exceedingly his resignation, but he had
great provoeation for the act. The pub
lie cannot, IN the present state of mind,
judge n! the act dispassionately. The
clamor is always with the man who con-
trolls the gifts. The reaction will be
more favorable to Senator Conkling. ic it
does not entirely justify his course
Did YOU see General Grants letter to
Senator Jones upon the situation?
81 did, and regret the circumstance
that called it out. General Grant is out
of public life, and can afford to speak his
mind"
is there no possibility of his bein. 4
candidate in 1884 -
= No. sir he * out of politics. in bust
ness, and is, | believe. without aspira-
tions or political ambitions. except for the
continued success of the Republican
party