National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-02-22
Garfield and COnkline.

| SENATOR COnklng mas V1SlteQ mentor, anu,
after friendly conversation with Gen
| eral Garfield, has returned to the Capital.
The shorthand report of this converse
ton has not yet been furnished us by the
General; but as soon as it shall arrive
and been declared correct by the New
York Senator, we shall lay it before the
readers of THE REPUBLICAN. This exact
ness seems due to the public in a matter
of so much moment.
But, while awaiting the official report,
we are able to state the substance of all
that has agitated Lawnfield during the
past few days. For this we are indebted
to the enterprising correspondents OF
various papers strewed along the line be-
tween General Garfield's residence at
Mentor and The REPUBLICAN Office. Weare
also greatly indebted to the President-eiect
and the Stalwart leader from New York
for the minuteness with which they have
each detailed the various contradictory
positions assumed by each during the
hours of converse at Mentor.
| 1t appears that as soon as the two mag
mates had separated each summoned as
many newspaper correspondents about
him as he could find and gave away y
the other. The consequence is that the
wires have been loaded with dispatches
fresh from General Garfield dated at
Cleveland, while New York and Wash
ington correspondents have been over
worked because of Senator Conklings
eagerness to impart what he had secured
at the hands of the new President.
The statements of the two gentlemen
are very contradictory, and indeed each
one contradicts himself in some small de-
tails-for instance us to whether Levi P.
Morton or Judge Folger shall be Secre-
tary of the Treasury. But then any one
might forget which one of two men had
been agreed on. No doubt the high con-
tracing parties will be able to agree as
to what was agreed on.
And now seriously, having given all
this so-called news thus printed on this
delicate subject, let us remark that the
future will prove that THE REPUBLICAN
has been right in the belief it has inva-
riably expressed that the most amicable
relations would exist between the incom-
ing administration and Senator Conkling
and that, while New England would fur
nish the Secretary of State in the person
of Senator Blaine, New York would fur
nish the Secretary of the Treasury from
among the supporters of Senator Conk-
ling who at Chicago favored the nomina-
ton of General Grant twill also be shown
that we have been right in maintaining
that the new President is not mere
make-weight to aid one portion of the
party to tear down the other, but & broad
and liberal man, intent upon harmonizing
all the elements which are really Repub-
ican, and which have too long been re-
garding each other as enemies.
As to the gueSses, surmises, and infer
ences from circumstances which form
the staple of the pretended re-
ports of the result of the late confer
ence between General Garfield and Sem
ator Conkling, they are very clever and
very skillfully combined. Thus: 1t is
known that the name of Levi P. Morton
has, since last summer, been favorably
regarded by the business world and by
many prominent Republicans in connec-
ton with the Treasury portfolio. Also,
that Senator Conkling is very warmly
Mr.. Morton's friend. Then it is known
that Judge Folger is also near friend of
Senator Conkling, and that some
New York Republicans about three
months ago commenced discussing. his
name in the same connection. These
facts, taken together with the visit of
Judge Folger to Mentor, seem to encour-
age our daring correspondents to immedi-
ately confer the appointment ON that ex-
cellent gentleman. But whether he went
to Mentor to receive proffer ofthe great
Office in question, or whether he
was invited there to oconsult as to Mr.. Nor
tons appointment and the legal
question raised thereon, is all known but
to the favored few. Perhaps Senator
Conkling visited Judge Folger at Albany
DIS Tic LlOSl W ltlI
to rest, or perhaps he sought his opinion
as to Mr.. Morton's eligibility, or perhaps
he went at Mr. Morton's request, to ask
the Judge to accept the Treasury, which
to him would mean imprisonment at
Washington i'll the long summer, instead
of being at his delightful villa at Newport
Every reader has as good right to
guess us the men who write what he
reads. We think that none of the guess
ers will any longer believe that the great
Empire State is to be football for snobs,
sneaks, or Hessians. but that through her
chosen leaders she is to participate fairly
in the administration of public affairs
under the President she did so much to
elect This will not detract from the
dignity, rights, or proper influence of any
other State, section, or element.
Civii-Seryice Reform.
We doubt if anv phrase in the English