The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1881-05-19
Ga1 fIeId,s Broken Pledges.


unmake him, He was ready to set price upon
every place ia his gilt from a Cabinet Office
down to a gaugeship." But the election over
Gar field was struck by a paralysis Of memory,
and then the Herald traces how he went back
on the pledges he had made TO secure the aid OF
the stalwarts 1t is long story Of treschery,
dissimulaton and falsehood. Morton was re-
fused the Treasury, and Blaine announced as
Secretary OF State. Then commenced the eX.
traOTdinary series Of fpilgrimages to Mentor, when
cabinet places enough were promised to make
Cabinets for half century.
COnkling's Visit to Mentor Last Winter.
Finally 1t came to the turn Of Mr.. Conkling to
be invited, and like loyal Republican leader he
went to see how he could aid and assist the srug.
Cling statesman in the SHOWS Of the Western Re-
serve. There had been a good deal said and
written about the memorable meeting, but the
true inwardness Of 1t is this morning for the first
time explained.
General Garfield opened the dialogue with a
series OF interrogatcries in regard to the chsrao-
tes of various personages who had been spoken
OF for various Offices. Among these curious
queries was one concerning Judge Folger.
What sort of a man is he2" said the President,
elect To this Nj. COnkling very quietly replied
that he had known Judge Folger for thirty years,
and In all that time had found him to be a man
OF the highest character. "But," said the sena-
tor, why do you ask?"
"Well," said Mr.. Garfield, "the fact Is have
heard some queer things about Mr.. Folger- bad
charges-and want to know from you what you
think of them and Of him."
To this the answer was made that he Senator
Conkling) d not think 1t fair 10 discuss mems
characters in that way; that in fact 1t was not the
kind Of a banquet that he had supposed he had
been bidden to; that he did not like the thing.
What were the chargesH
"Well," said the sorely preplexed President,
"the fact OF the matter is 1t has been said by some
people that Judge Folger is man who drinks,
and also that he is man who is somewhat cor
rubt"
Mr. Copkling, am Informed, smiled at this
terrible charge, and said that he had known
Judge Folger a good many years and never be-
fore had heard anything Of that kind IN connee
tion with his name. But Whist was Mr.. Garheld's
object In making these inquiries2 Did he mean
to give him a Cabinet POSITION
The conversation then turned upon Mr.. Nor
ton. Mr.. Conkling said ne did not propose to ask
him for any position. II, however, he intended
to give q place to the State Of New york he
thought the Treasury Department was one TO
which the State, because Of Its dignity and i'm.
portance, was entitled Then, In his opinion,
the State was entitled to It because Of It's great
service in the cam Jaigh. Mr.. Garfield replied
that he had been CT nsidering the name Of Mr..
Morton in connection with the Treasury, but he
had concluded for many reasons that 1t would be
very incOnvenient for him to make him SecTe.
tary OF the Treasury; that he had promised him
either the leadership OF the syndicate or the mis-
sion to England or France.
Mr.. Conkling remarked upon this that alto
gether there were seven Cabinet appoint
ments, II New York cannot have the Treasury,
II have only one request to mske-nsmely, that
you will pass New York over; at all events that
you will not give us the navy wnen there is no
navy, That Department would probably satisfy
some other State, and the multiplication table
will explain why New York is left out"
1t was now nearly six O'Clock III the evening.
Mr. COnkllng was anxious to take an early train
for home. General Garfield, however, pressed
him to stay to tea, urging that he could take
train that left at midnight. Mr.. Conkling asked
II he intended mere hospitality or business III
1t means hospitality" said he, II must ask to be
excused, for have left important matters behind
me which need attention; II II is buAineBs l will
stay" General Garfield replied tat II was busi'
ness.
Al this point General Garfield went to tea. Mr..
Conkling declining to accompany him. When
that important repast in the Garfield household
was over the political threads were again taken
up by Mr. Conkling's host What Mr. Garfield
said was Of very little importance one way or the
other, but 1t was characterized throughout by
want of frankness. he never once, l am as.
sured informed Mr.. OOnkllng why he summoned
him to Mentor.
VaCillatiOn and Dupllcity.
We skip the details Of Garheld's intrigues with
New York politicians other than Conkling, and
reach the time Of his departure from Mentor, last
February. s9ys the Herald;
"A few days before General GarHeld's departure
from Mentor TO the Capital he telegraphed Mr..
Morton: The cast of my Cabinet must be made
before ten O'Clock. Please telegraph me Instantly
that you will accept the post Of Secretary OF :he
Navy Now, that was the one thing Mr.. Conk'
ling had asked Mr. Garfield not to do and It was
the only thing he did It was for this that he
dragged him thousands Of miles at the most in.
clement season Of the year all the way to the
snow banks Of Mentor. In the absence Of the
friends with whom he could Consnlt, Mr.. Norton,
whose name had been mentioned for all manner
Of laces-the Treasury, the English mission, the
mission to FranCe-nOt wishing TO make himself
ridiculous II he were not named at all. accepted
1t in a moment CT hesitation. This became
bruited about Washington, and Of course 1t led TO
good deal OF excitement among the stalwart
branches Of the part, Mr.. Morton became 30 an.
nOyed that he emphatiGally withdrew his &C
ceptance, and 30 the famous Cabinet was all
broken up again. The time was now getting
short and at last after months OF incubation
everything had to be done over again, and at the
eleventh hour 1t was patched up and thrown
together IN the marvellous shape In which we see
1t, sent to the Senate and confirmed"
Another Conference With COnkllng.
On a certain Sunday evening, Conkling called
on Garfield at the latter's request, and was
solicited to draw up pl IN for the distribution
the patronage Of New York, in connection with
Arthur Senator Plat, and Governor Cornell, who
were entitled to be heard oil the subject. The
Herald says;
President Garl,l Id declared to Senator Conk-
Ing at this interview that he thought President
Hayes had made great mistake In the policy he
had pursued in antagOnizIng one wing Of the
party; that blunder he proposed TO avoid. This
ended the conference with Mr. C0nkling, who
Immediately proceeded to consult with his
friends and draw up the project for the Execu'
tive.
This celebrated conference took place on a
Sunday evening. On the following Wednesday,
while Mr.. Conkling and his friends were en-
deayorng to agree upon some plan to extriCate
the President from The helpless condition in
which he admitted he was placed and from
which he had requested to be delivered without
saying one word 70 either OF the senators from
New York the nOmina ion Of Mr. Robertson was
thrown into the Senate chamber What was the
meaning OF this change Of base on the part Of
the Presldentp It seems that on that very Sum-
day plight Mr.. Blaine had heard Of the consulta-
tiOn between the President and the Senator from
New York and the purpOrt Of II. The Premier"
was Ill at the time, and so he dispatched q note
TO the President requesting Rs personal favor
that the name OF Judge Robertson should be sent
to the Senate as Collector Of the Port.
Not hearing from his mlSaive Rg quickly as ex-
pected his impatienoe got the better Of his Ill.
ness, and, calling his carriage, he drove to the
Executive Mansion, where, 1t appears, an ex-
ceedlngly lively time ensued between his Excel.
lency and the Secretary OF State. Mr.. Blaine,
after Taving around the Executive of1ce for some
time, insisted upon having the nomination made
at .once He threatened to resign and smash
things generally unless his wishes were acceded
TO, and In order to paciiy him and prevent some.
thing like second attack Of sunstr0ke the nom.
ination was made. This is the whole story from
beginning to end. Since then there have been
frequent consultations between the Presidentthe
Vice President aud Senator Plat in which efforts
have been made to put the fragments together,
but all to no purpose. The President has re.
fused to withdraw the nomination.
New Yoak, May 19.-Ccl. John W Forney Of
Philadelphit, lectured tonight before the Tam
rnanv Rociatv In Tammanv Hall on UIJEe and