Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-02-23
conklipg's visit to Mentor.


The late visit of Senator Conkling to
Mentor, the home of President-elect
Garfield, is exciting considerable interest
in the political world. and, from all ac-
counts, the result of that visit is unfa-
vorable to the hopes of those who trusted
that the breach in the Republican ranks
between the GRANTEES, or stalwarts. and
the anti.stalwarts would be permanently
widened. 1t is stated that the New
York Senator visited the President
elect al the special invitation of the lat
ter. and that he returned to Washington
evidently greatly pleased and in good
humor. The probabilities are, therefore,
that he has received assurances that his
wing of the party viii be fully recog-
nized under the new administration, and
that Garfield's aim will be to harmonic
all conflicting elements in his party.
This, we think, is not at all unlikely.
One of the main characteristics OF the
Republican party is to make all
principle and all feeling subordi-
nate to private ends, and since
the breach which was so apparent
in the Chicago Convention was caused
solely by the desire of the two factions
to control the spoils of Office, it is not to
be wondered at that, now that the Presi-
Dental question is settled, both sides
should be willing to unite so as to make
sure that each will receive its share OF
government pap. This is the great CO
hesive principle which always unites the
party eventually, no matter no"
greatly it may be divided over the effort TO
command the sway. Conkling would like
to be the chief dispenser of offices,
and will fight hard to gain that position,
when he thinks an opportunity for so
doing is possible. Once defeated in his
wishes, however, and he and the faction
of whIchhe is the recognized head are
perfectly willing to pocket al pride
and modification, and make the best
terms possible with the fortunate vic
tors. On the other hand, the triumphant
anti Conklingites, with Hayes misfor-
tunes before their eyes, end seeing that
Cornell and Arthur, in whose persons
he sought to humiliate the New York
Senator, have each been rewarded by
their party-one being now Governor of
New York, and the other Vice President
elect of the United States-are anxious
to bury the Ratchet and make peace. In
other words, each faction of the Republi
can party feels that the other is too strong
to be fought if the control of the public
patronage by the party is the main ques-
ton to which all others must yield, and
so, making discretion the better part of
valor, they have probably agreed to let
the dead past bury its dead. The Demo-
cratic party might learn some worldly
wisdom from its enemies in this respect.
They differ among themselves, and, in
asmuch as their differences are usually
based on higher principle than control
of the spoils, they refuse to harmonic,
but cany on the contest to the bitter end.
In consequence, they invariably expe-
rience defeat, and witness the triumph
of their political foes.
This fusion between Garfield and the
stalwarts bodies no good to the South.
1t may not result IN a revival of carpet
baggery, but it is very conclusive evil
dence that the hopes which have been
INDUCED in that Garfield would be lib
eral to this section, and seek to
desectionslize politics, are vain.
The South can expect nothing
from coalition between Blaine and
Conkling, aud the old sectional cry of
a solid North against a solid South will
in all probability be kept up at least
until after the campaign of 1884. This
should be "a still greater incentive to our
people 10 determine to labor zealously
for pecuniarY independence, and to raise
themselves to a point of wealth from
which they can command the respect of
their money-worshipping enemies.