The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1881-03-29
THE GAGE OF BATTLE.

1ue ule Is CaSC, Tile RGnt mas Degun. Gar
field has crossed the Rubicon and there is no
retreat except in disgrace. On one side are
arrayed the "Masculines" with Garfield and
Blaine at their head, on the other are the
imperious, unyielding Conkling, the grave,
silent Grant, and the immortal 300 and their
friends, the stalwarts. Our dispatches tell the
story. Conkling had dictated some of the
New York appointments. These appoint
1uents were in the interest of his political
friends-simon-pure stalwarts without spot
or ,blemish. OF course it could be seen by
Garfield and the .mascnlines" that by contin-
uing to defer 10 the wishes of kingly Conk-
ling the great state of New York would be
bound hand and foot to the chariot of the
ambitious Syracuse statesman, and its electo-
raj vote be al his command in 1884. Conk-
ling must be checkmated or the "masculines''
would be forced "to hang their harps upon
the willows at the next presidential election.
The field was carefully scanned. 1t was
touad that decided action alone could save
Blaine Or Garfield from defeat at the next ma
tlonal convention and the administration
'N'A lin VI Nv pCoBlCs II OlliLC
of collector of the port of New York, the
most important office in the state, was to be
filed. Conkling expected to name the man.
Garfield decided he shouldn't, and what is
more he determined that no half and half
no milk and water man-but a bitter, person.
al enemy of ConkliDg should be appointed.
Such a man he oundi in Judge Robertson, of
New York. Judge Robertson led the anti
Grant, ~anti-Conkling faction of the New
York republican delegation to the Chicago
convention. So bitter has been the feeling
between Conkling and Robertson that neither
recognized nor spoke to the other.
When the nomination of Judge Robertson
was sent TO the senate, vice president Arthur,
who was aware of the GOODNESS existing be-
tween the Judge and the New York
a%utocrat, Immediately folded the paper so
that the name Of the appointee could be
plainly seen at the top, called a page and sent
it to Conkling. When the gentleman I'M
folded the deadly missive, and saw its con-
tents, his establishment and Anger were plaiu-
ly depicted upon his countenance. His COM
pressed lips, distended nostrils and flashing
eyes plainly showed that all the lion IN the
nature OF the great stalwart was thoroughly
aroused. In a moment he comprehended
that Garfield had, in that nomination, thrown
to the stalwarts the gage of battle. He has
taken it up by declaring that Robertson's
nomination shall not be confirmed. There
will be no child's play in the forthcoming
conflict If will ka tba p,ootipn IF oio,ts l.,
deadly combat, and the clash of their wca-
pons will be heard in every hamlet in the
land. Garfield recognizes the fact that the
fate of himself, his friends and his admins
tration is wrapped up in Its issue. Conkling
must know that a defeat now would sound
the deatL-knell of stalwartism. If Garfield
be successful, Conkling must become his
~vassal, and the stalwarts be fol ced to play
second fiddle to the "masculines." II Gar
field be compelled to withdraw the nomina-
nation, it will be a virtual acknowledgment
on his part of the weakness of his admins
~tration, and will be accepted by all parties as
an evidence of his subsection to the stall
warts. This cannot be permitted. If it
were, Blaine would resign his position, and
the administration cast adrift by among the
stalwait breakers.
So, the fight that has been opened between
these political gladiators must be fought out
to the bitter end. No compromise can be
admitted. The proud, naughty Conkling
may break, but he will never bend. The
smooth, oily, subtle Garfield will bend, but
not to the stalwarts, while Blaine, the
Plumed Knight of Navarro" will never
lower his crest to the arrogant Conkling.
1t matters little to the democratic party
which faction of its enemy triumphs. 1t is
enough for it to know that the conflict means
the disruption of the republican party. 1t
can afford to remain a silent witness to the
battle and unmoved view the fall of Conkling
and his cohorts of sta!warts, or they can with
equal ~equanimity see the power of the s'mas-
c~ulines'' crumble beneath the heels of the
indicative Conkling and his allies. Sooner
or later the end must come. The republican
party has become an unwieldy, unmanageable
corrupt body. 1t is by its own weight falling
to pieces. The cohesive power of "addition,