New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-05-20


self defence they must force the fighting and
win back their seats Retirement to private
life-thc restful dream Of an overweight III
tcllcct-inust be shaken off as n fiction nm
wholesome as Ophclia's yagaries. They must
GO back. 1t is their duty. and :hcv must.
For the thoughtlcss people of ;he Imperial
State Of Ncw-IuIk would have il so. 80 runs
the plaintiyc refrain of the cx-Scna,ors' med
itations. 1t Is touching and ought to teach an
unwary public moral lesson. When Scna-
tor resigns again, take him at his word and
let him return To his native grass On no
account bc so incautious as 10 display any
feeling, and thus drag him back into public life.
TITO ADNINISTEATION SEN4T0ES TAINTED.
Events move rapidly. Nearly half o: the
Republican members of the Legislature have
already signed an agreement not To vote under
any circumstances for the reelection OF the two
deserters from Ncw-YOik. The feeling grows
stronger every day both among members of
the Legislature and with their constituents,
that two professcdly Republican Senators who
deliberately abandon their posts of duty, leave
I'm the urch Southern independents who have
trusted in their cooperation, and throw the
control of the Senate into the hands OF the
Democrats, merely because they cannot dictate
to the President as to all his appointments,
nor to the Republican Senators as TO their nc
ton upon such appointments ought to be per
mitted TO return to private life. kilograms
and petitions from constituents come down
upon members like hail. Public meetings Of
great weight are being held and called
throughout the State to urge the Republican
of tba slafrt m ASH
Bossism and to sustain the Republican Admin
istration and the majority of Republican Sen
ators These manifestations of public opinion,
it is safe to say, will grow in force every day,
and it is scarcely possible that majority of
the Republican members of the Legislature
will venture to resist them.
Moreover, the intelligent Republican member
does not care to smash his head against n stone
wall for nothing. 1t is no longer possible for
the adherents of Mr.. COnking to gain anything
by resisting the popular feeling. For many
years nearly all the patronage in the state
has been at the disposal of Mr.. COnbling.
-Four fifths of the officials in the Custom House
are men placed there 10y his influence and
nearly all the other officials under the different
departments. 1t is no longer in his power
to reward those who serve him, nor 10
punish those who prefer TO Obey the
will of the Republican party. The patronage
of the State Administration has been oX-
hausted If control over pending legislation il
desired the State Senate is decidedly opposed
to Mr. COnkinG, and cannot be counted upon
to reward those who carry out his plans. The
Republican party, acting untcdly is stronger
than ever, but Mr.. Coukling. as a political
Boss, has left little Of the power he has
20 long enjoyed Men ak themselves "Why
should not the Republican party act unitcdly
"What sense l. there in throwing away all ltr
opportunities for the sake of satisfyin The
vindctvrncss Of single defeated leader "
A week ago, the question was whether Mr..
Robertson should be confirmed. Yesterday the
question was whether Me-,rs. COnhling and
Platt should be reelected. Now it is certain
that they cannot be by Republican votes. The
question now is whether the Republican party
will fail 10 elect Senators, aud throw away
control of the United States Senate, be-
cause it cannot unitcdly support for re-
election two Senators who have resigned, aud
who seek reelection, if at all, in order to make
war upon the Republican party. Let the mat
ter be stripped of all DISCUSSES. Mr. COnkling,
| II he should 90 back to the Senate at all,
must 90 by the aid Of Democratic votes, and
as an open, bitter and implacabe foe of the
Republican majority in the Senate and of the
Republican Administration.
How many Republican members of the Leg
islature are there who will vote for him under
such circumstances 7 There ought to be not
one. The member who will vote to reflect the
late Senators, knowing that the effect of such
q vote is to harm and if possible, to disrupt
and defeat the Republican party, ought not to
consider himself true Republican any longer.
The party is represented by its President, nom
mated at Chicago and elected by the people,
and by an overwhelming majority of
Republican Senators from other States.
Through these duly chosen leaders the
Republican party has decided upon an
appointment which Mr.. Conkling resists, de-
nounces and holds cause of war against the
Administration. 1t is folly to say that the
party elsewhere, and its proper leaders, must
surrender their convictions and wishes because
a fraction Of the Republicans in NewYork are
dissatisfied II there is to be Republican unity
at all. those must yield who have sustained
Mr.. Conkling.
The Republicans Of New-YOrk do not wish
to have that great party destroyed, to which
Ihty nave given 80 many yV'is VI No"i"uS anu
patriotic effort. Its magnificent victories, Its
splendid work for the welfare of the country,
its grand triumphs in finance and in other fields
of public service, do not inspire the Republi-
cans of New-iork with a desire to smash
things because one leader cannot have his way.
Mr.. Conkling has chosen to go cut of public
life, unless he can dictate as to appointments
in this State 1t has finally decided that he
shall not be allowed to dictate to the Presi-
dent and to the Senate. The next step is Ia