The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1881-05-19
TUE TWO sIDEs.

The Conkling and Garfield statements
are in print. The N. Y. Herald publish
ed full account Of the Conkling side
and Col. Thoe. W. Nichols, one of Gar.
fields secretaries, replied throu n the
N. Y. Tribune. The substance of the
Herald a,ticle will be found on our first
page, and is worth reading.
Col. N.chols's reply is feeble compared
with the other. He states that during
large part of the Campaign"he had charge
of Gen. Garfeld's correspondence" with
general directions TO make no promises
to any one," and that "if Gen. Garfeld's
conduct was consistent with these in
structions, 10 promises or pledges were
made" "lf'' is a good and saving word.
Then Nichols goes on to show the aug
ust confer enCe was held to thwart Conk-
ling's intended treachery. We quote
from the N. Y Tribune, in reply to the
HeraldS exposure:
After the National Committee was or.
ganized Mr.. ConkliDg's friends still did
not know whether he was goirg to take
part in the campaign and heartily sup
port the ticket or not So they suggested
the August conference, and insisted on
Ge Garfeld's attendance, while many
others were opposed to the conference,
or if it was held, were opposed to Gar
fields attendance.
went to New York at Gen. Gar6eld's
request, to see what the situation was
that demanded his presence before he
would decide whether to attend or not,
the letters and tele5ram that cached
him on both sides of the case being gen.
orally vague aid unsatisfactory. i was
told by Senator Dorsey, Secretary Of the
National Committee, that they did not
know what Mr.. Conkling was going to do
in the eau paign, and they wanted con-
ference between him and Gen. Garfield,
which they hoped would be satisfactory
to Conkling, and at least would settle the
question as to his course. Mr.. Dorsey
did not seek to disguise the fact that he
thought Mr.. Conkling wanted some sort
of condition or assurance before he wo'd
actively support the ticket. He desired
me to urge Garfield to come, and said
he did rot think Conkling would "de
mand pledges" but he thought he wan.
ted to talk with Garfield on a general
policy, and wanted to "have him where
he could look him in the eyes," asked
Mr.. Dorsey to send to Gen. A. q. Nc
Cook, and state the same facts to him,
saving that if he would unite with me l
would urge Gen. MCCook to attend the
conference. Gen. McCook was sent for.
He came, and Senator Dorsey again sta
ted the case. MCCook told him ii meant
that Mr.. Conkling was contemplating
treaChery; that to either impose condi'
tions before he supported the ticket or to
skulk, do nothing, was simply treaChery.
Mr.. Dorsey said, "You may call it what.
ever you please, l have stated the facts"
The matter was discussed at Considera'
BILE length, and the final esult was that
| agreed to return to Mentor the next
day and report il favor of holding the
conference, and Gen. GaIfeld's attend.
irg not to make pledges or conditions
with Conkling, but to thwart his treach-
cry. That was the purpose for which
Gen. Garfield attended the August con-
ference. How we'll he succeeded is
known to the country.
So ends the first chapter. The AssoCi-
ated Press states, by authority, the Pres
ident will take no notice Of the Herald's
article. But it is hardly one Of those
things that can be treated with silent
contempt.