New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-05-18
THE SENATORIAL EXIT.
rvp1c1ov TNgTEAp OF APPLAUSE.

The feeling at Washington is generaily one
"a a;sappointment that Mr.. Conklng maoe ou.
40 ,oor a case for himself and his " assistant
c.. of the assertions ia his letter OF resiglla-
tior Il ia claimed, must have been known ny
him 10 be untrue, while his pretended devo-
,;o, IN Civil Service Reform excites only
I'll. The Editor of The Providence Press
telegraphs to his paper that is part Oh D,, Uons
ling's scheme to be reelected 1or MI i"..
term. Information from Albany Is TO the
effect that Mr.. COnkling may III urn s"u.i
startling surprise in faiing to secure rce'o'
tion. The interest in this city continueu yes
terday, but the feeling of the day previous
that the ex-Senators would be Immediately re-
turned, gave way to doubts.
A LAME AND IMPoTENT CONCLUSION.
s,ppp,sr AT WASHINGTON THAT CONK1ING MADE
so POOR CASE FOR HTHsELF-IsPoRTANr
VARIATIONS FROM FACT IN HIS ErTEi-uAh-
FIELD AGAINST BossisM IN 1S77-coNkIiN"
OK SENATE AND EXECUTIVE.
Try TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE
WASHINGTON. MAY 1.-THE great sensation OF
Yesterday has been followed by great disappo'nt-
meut to-day When the designations OF the New
York Senators first became known the query was Oh
every lin. What motive could justify such re-
"Wait until Won hear from Albany tomorrow ana
IL will be made plain So great a man as Senator
Conklinp and so shrewd a politician certainty
knows what he is about"
To-niqht II IL asked by friend and foe, by those
who admire and those who ridicule Senator Conk
ling. "Is il possible he has nothing better TO oier
than is contained in his letter to Governor Corneh
where. them it is asked, are the stories OF bro
ken promises and unfulflled pledges which the
public has 80 long been promised Will not senator
ronkline make himself responsible for themi Or
viii ho continue to cause them to he published
through ANONYMOUS and irresponsible people
while he himself only attempts to JUSTIFY his re-
markable series of acts during the past eight weeks
by 80 himsy and weak an argument as that pno-
lished over his signature this morning.
docs Senator Conkling," asked one of the most
widely known and highly esteemed of American
statesmen then really interpret the Constitution as
reouiring the advice and consent of Roscoe Conk-
ling to Federal appointments and has he actually
resigned because the Senate manifested an inclina-
ton to consider itself in some sense party TO such
transactionsf 1t would seem so, since no other
reason for his act is to be gathered from his letter.
But Mr.. Conkling's mountainous egotism is not
the only revelation made in the production.
The attitude Of long suffering and patient meekness
assumed for this occasion must be predicated 1t is
and the voters of the State and of the Nation as
well are FOOLS He apparently forgets, it is said,
that his attitude toward the last Administration,
and his threats cajolings and attempts at bargain
ing with other Senators since Judge Robertsons
nomination was made. explain his present position
much more forcibly and eloquently than even his
plausible pen can do it.
The assumption of championship Of the of
four Federal officials Is perhaps the most grotesque
feature of the whole business He assumes to be in
aignant because the President proposes to remove
General Merritt, when he could not have
forgotten he himself sought most strenuousy to
influence the President through his colleague, Sem
ator Platt, to remove General Merritt and appoint
In his place John F. smyth, of Albany, Remem-
bcring this, as he must have DONE his assumed and
vrstuitous indignation falls little short OF false
hood.
Then in the case of Mr.. Fish, Mr.. COnkling has
either deliberately distorted the facts 10 suit his
purposes or he knows nothing of the thing he is
talking about Before the present Administration
came into power Mr.. Fish sent his resignation to
Secretary Evarts. He certainly did not intimate
his willingness to remain at his post if permitted
to do So" During the first week of General Gar
fields Administration letter was received from
Mr.. Fish inclosirg copy Of his resignation
and renewing it. He only asked that he
be informed by cable as early as
possible of his recall, that he
might have time to make preparations for leaving.
General Grant had asked as personal favor that
Mr. Cramer be transferred to more southern point
than Denmark, and Secretary Blaine telegraphed
Mr. Fish asking II the mission to Denmark would be
acceptable to him. His immediate reply was "NO,
want promotion" Shortly afterward Mr.. Fish
telegraphed the State Department asking to be ap-
pointed to Berlin. In the case of General Badeau,
who has been in Office for many years. there will not
be found much latitude for sympathy.
Senator ConklingD said member Of the Admin
stration, asks that he be judged only by the one
act which he acknowledges: namely, his
letter signed jointly by his colleague, the
Postmaster-General, the Vice President and
himself and that all his manipulations of the Re-
publican caucuse0 his caolngs and threats to
the rejection Of Judge Robertson be ignored. Atthe
same time he formally arraigns the motives Of the
President, not expressed in his official acts nor
his own word to Senators, but expressed by news
paper correspondents in all paris of the country"
Mr.. Conklng quotes paragraph from General
Gar6elds letter Of acceptance, which simply refers
TO the thousands Of departmental clerkships which
are 20 fruitful Of annoyance both to the Adminstra
ton and to Members Of Congress as we'll and seeks
10 make IL apply to position of nearly equal im
portance 70 a Cabinet Office. This whole paltry cx-
hbiton made BY the New York Senators has strength
ceed the position Of the President in the estimation
Of people who have been heretofore either Indifferent
or actively friendly to Mr. Conkling. The wisdom
OF the original act Of the President in naming Judge
Robertson for the Colectorship lie more generally
admitted, and II Is beginning to be whispered that
"bossism,S like the Star Route infamy. was one ~
the things which the Administrator deliberately
set out 70 annihilate. Upon TINS subject the Pres
dent is retcent but fair justification Of the sus-
pcion that the assertion Of executive Independence
Is not thing Of accident Of recent conceptjon
e found in Q article entitled "a Century of