Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-04-22
The Democrats and the Robertson
Nomination.

EOlnAuhLAVAs
The fact that Mr.. Frye, of Maine, let
out some of his Northeastern Puritan
bile and venom against the South and
the Democratic party in the Senate
Wednesday, and the further fact that
Mr. Frye is recognized as an ardent adj
ministration man, should not--as our
Washington special yesterday minated
it would-induce Democrats in the Sen
ate to consent to vote according to Conk.
ling's wishes when the nomination OF
Judge Robertson comes up for action.
Frye's vaporing against the South
amounts to nothing. His false state
ments can readily be refuted, and the
country has grown so tired of the nat
and stale Misrepresentation which were
repeated by the Maine Senator. that they
will prove very improbable. Besides
this the President has, in his inaugural,
and, so far, throughout his sdministra-
ton, shown a disposition to affiliate with
the conservative wing Of his party. and,
unless it becomes a fact, well established,
that the Maine Senator was speaking by
authority, or with the Endorsement of
Mr.. Garfield. it is not fair to jump at the
conclusion that Frye in his speech echoed
his (Garfeld's) sentiments.
But suppose, for the sake of argument,
that he did, what has the Democratic
party to gain by yielding TO Conkhng's
desires He. it is well known, out
herod's Herod in his stalwartism, and
Governor Sprague's shotgun is the only
thing In the world which he hates more
than he does the South. Neither Gar
field, Frye nor Robertson combined
could possibly be a worse enemy of our
section and people, and, therefore, fer
Southern Democratic Senators to vte
for him will be 10 deliberately assist an
~implacable foe. And while theyd do this,
they will, at the same time, run the risk
of entirely alternating the administration
and the wing of the Republican party
which is disposed, as a general rule, to
be far more fair and honest towards the
South than is the stalwar: faction, led
by the New York Senator.
Apart from this, however, there is yet
another motive to which we have already
alluded, and which should rally all the
Democrats Of the Senate, without re-
gard to section, against Conkling, and
that is the motive of policy. The Sena-
tor from New York is the life and head
of his party in his State. Should he be
successful in his approaching contest
with the administration, he will be such
a tower of strength in New York that
he will probably be able to make his
stalwart faction in the State so
formidable as to be irresistible,
and he will, in all probability, be able
to dictate the Republican nomination
for President IN 1884. But, defeated
10 his plans, he will not only be
shorn of much of his power, but his
opponents will be SO strengthened as to
be able to make a strong fight against
him in the Republican Convention of his
State. In this way the Democrats may
contribute to building up two strong
rival Republican factions in New York,
which may grow so bitter against
each other as to considerably
weaken the Republican party
and enable the Democracy the more
easily to carry that important State in
the next Presidential contest. This fact
alone should cause Democratic Senators
to support Robertson and Garfield and
oppose Conkling. 1t is to be hoped that
when the struggle begins they will ignore
the small fry bloviations of the Senator
from Maine, and concentrate their
strength against the presumptuous and
imperiOus stalwart Radical leader of
New York.