The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1881-05-21
Finally it came to the turn OF Mr.. Conklinl

I
to be invited, and like loyal republican
leader he went to see how he could aid and
assist the struggling statesman in tue snow 8
OF the Western Reserve.
| General Garfield opcaed the dialogue with
a series OF interrogatories in regard to the
characters of various personages who had IN en
spoken of for various offices. Among these
icurious queries was one concerning Judge
| Folger. What sort of II man is he!" sad the
| President elect. To this Mr.. Conkling very
quietly replied that he had known Judge Fol
ger for thirty years and IN all that time he had
found HIM to be man of the highest charac
ter. But" said the Senator, why do you
ask"
well" said Mr.. Garfield, "the fact is have
heard some queer things about MIR. Folger-
bad Charges--and | want To know from you
what you think of them and of hlm?"
| To this the answer was made that he (Sena.
tor Conkling) did not think it fair To discuss
mems characters in that way; that in fact it,
was not the kind of a banquet that'he had sup
posed he had been hidden to; that he did not
| like the thing What we're the charges?
well said the sorely perplexed President
elect 1.-The fact of the matter 49, II has been said
by some people that Judge Folger is u man
who drinks, and also that he is a man who is
somewhat corrupt
| Mr.. COnkllng smiled at this terrible charge,
and said that he had known Judge Folger al
good many years and never before had heard
anythlng of the kind IN connection with his
name. But what was Mr.. Garted's ol ject in
making these inquiries? Did he mean to give
him cabinet position?
| The conversation then turned upon Mr..
Morton. Mr.. Conkling said he did not pro-
| pose to ask him for any position. If, how.
ever. he intended to give place to the State
sh.
partment was the one to which the Slate, he
cause OF its dignity and Importance, was en-.
titled. Then, in his opinion, the State was en-.
titled to 1t because of its great services in the
campaign. Mr. Garfield replied that he had
been considering the name of MIR. Morton IN
connection with the Treasury, but he had con-
cluded for many reasons that 1t would be very
| announcement for him to make him Secretary
of the Treasury; that he had promised HIM
either the headship Of the syndicate or the
mission 10 England or France.
Next Folger was invited to Mentor and the
president offered HIM the attorney generalship,
which was promptly declined. And thus it
went on. Finally in violation of hundred
| promises and agreements, the curious cabinet
was made up as finally announced. Still
Conkllng and the "old guard" had no desne
or purpose to break with Garfield, and up TO
within three days of the appointment of Rob.
cr.son he daily sent for Conkling to help him
out of the endless straits into which the distri
button Of the spolls involved him. The last
conference took place on Sunday evening, the
president up to this time persisting in the as
surance that he had no purpose to touch the
custom house in New York until Merrtts
time was up. At all events, before he did
He would let Mr.. Conkling know and con
suit with him, Mr.. Cornell, Vice President
Arthur, Senator Plat and the other gentlemen
who were entitled to be heard on the subject
in the state of New York. He declared fur.
Their, that he thought President Hayes had
made great mistake in the policy he had
pursued in antagonzng one wing of the par
lty that blunder he proposed to avoid. Yet,
on the following Wednesday, while Mr.. Conk-
ling and his friends were endeavorng to agree
upon some plan 10 extricate the president from
the helpless condition in which he admitted
he was placed and from which he had request
!, ed to be delivered, without saying one word
a to either of the Senators from New York, the
nomination OF Mr.. Robertson was thrown into
) the Senate chamber. What was the meaning
of this change of base on the part of the pres
ident? 1t seems that on that very Sunday
night Mr.. Blame had heard of the consulta
ton between the President and the Senator
, from New York and the purport of 1t. The
! premier" was i'll at the time, and so ho DIES
|, patched note to the President requesting as
a personal favor that the name of Judge Rob
er,son should be sent to the Senate as Colec.
tor of the Port. Not hearing from his missive
t as quickly as he expected, his Impotence got
| the better of his illness, and calling his car
| riage he drove to the Executive Mansion
where, it appears, an exceedingly lively time
ensued between His Excelency and the Secre
tary of State. Mr. Blame, after raving around
the Executive office for some time, insisted
upon having the nomination made at once
He threatened to resign and smash things gen.
, orally unless his wishes we're acceded TO, and
d in order to pacify him and prevent something
like a second attack of sunstroke the nomina
ton was made. This is the whole story from