Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1881-05-26
CONKLJNG AND THE PREsI-
DENT.
A stalwart's View Of it.


A Stalwart's View Of it.
From the Globe Democrat OF the 18th inst
The reasons which the New York
Senators give for their designations de-
serve to be discussed on their merits.
They are before the country and can
not be weakened by misrepresentation
or slurred over by abuse. The only
question to be considered Is, are the
Senators justified, according to their
own statement, :in taking the step
which they have taken? If their state
ment remains uncontradicted in Its
chief particulars, there can he no ques-
tion but what they acted wisely and
with due regard for the best interests
of the Republican party. It is evident
from the statement of Senators Conk-
ling and Platt that the President had
determined from the first to begin q
war on Conkling, and that Conkling
was resolved that no act of his should
should afford q pretext for the opening
of hostilities. He refrained from ask
ing for the nomination of any person,
and he and Mr.. Platt aver that they
had nothing whatever to do with pro-
noting the deadlock in order that ac-
ed. Indeed, it 10 not possible to con-
ceive how politician of commanding
influence in his party could have more
strongly manifested his anxiety for
relations with the Admin
istration than did Mr.. Conkling by his
extreme forbearance in asking moth
ing for himself.
This attitude of Conkling's made 1t
very easy for the President to avoid
complicating matters i'm New York.
1t put in his power to say to the half
breeds, Gentlemen. COnkling is Civ
ing me no trouble, and if you will be
as considerate shall have no difficult
ty in satisfying both you and him."
But instead of pursuing this wise
course the President removed Collec-
tor Merritt in the middle OF his term
expressly for the pupose Of appointing
In his place the most Objectionable
man to the Stalwarts in the State of
New York. Whom the Stalwarts ask
Ell nothing he began making remov-
ais in order to bestOw patronage on
the half-breeds. It may will be believ-
Ell that the removal of Merritt was a
surprise to the New York Senators,
and in this connection they make a
distinct charge of deception against the
President, which is indorsed by Vice.
President Arthur and Postmaster-Gen-
eral James. In the joint note which
the four addressed to the President,
they say, 1--WE had only two days be-
fore this been informed by you that a
change in customs officers at New York
was not contemplated, and we were
quite ignorant of your purpose to take
any action until now"
This direect charge of misrepresenta-
ton against the President by the Vice
President and Cabinet officer Is one
which demands square refutatiOn.
1t will not do for the President to say
that he has the constitutional right to
make appointments in vi Olation OF a
promise. The important point is, did
he make the statement that he did not
design to make appointments which
were already prepared: The charge
against him Is explicit, and If it be not
explicitly denied he will hold no envi-
able place in the estimation of his cOun-
trymen. Instead of a personal reply to
such source, the Senators state that
he took no notice oft, but Immediately
the public press, especially in articles
and dispatches written by those in con-
slant association with the President,
and with an influential member of his
Cabinet, teemed with violent denunci-
tiOns of the Senators from New York
for opposing the Administration and
dicta ting to the President" The Liter
ary Bureau, which did such effective
service for Mr.. Blaine when candidate
for nomination as President, was turned
loose ON Mr.. Conkling in reply to a sug-
gestion by four men high in official pO-
sition that the President had been guilty
of a misstatement. The four gentlemen
kept their own counsel, but they were
daily deluged with vituperation by the
bureau unde er the inspiration of its chief,
as the only reply which the President
would vouchsafe to their request for an
explanation.
The President withdrew all the other
New York nominations in order to pun
ish Conkling for giving him chance to
privately vindicate his veracity. and 1t
was given out by the bureau that vote
against Robertson's confirmation would
expose the Senator casting it to the dis
pleasure of the Administrations. The
Presidents reply to private note was
a notification through the press, II
have prepared a rod for you; kiss 1t. or
] will lay it on" The New York Sem
ators wisely concluded not to remain in
CQelr Sc8tS as targets IOE al AuullHIS-
tration the word of whose chief they
could no longer regard, and according
ly resigned. Their statement contains
two very important charges, which it
is useless attempting to smother. They
state unequivocally that the President
lied. and in this they are sustained by
the eVice-President and the Postmaster
General. It would seem that the Pres
ident could not rest under such charge
so specifically made, nor is 1t conceiva-
BILE that he can, consistently with his
self-respect, retain in his ca abinst q man
who Joined in making it. The county
will have its opinion of him if he per-
mits Cabinet officers thus to attack his
veracity with impunity. The other
charge il that the Secretary Of State is
running the Senate with his Literary
Bureau. There is nothing new in this
charge and nothing which requires de-
nial or confirmation, but the Senators
who submit to be thus run ought TO be
known. Had the Republican Senators
been rue to themselves this threat Of
ostracism by Blaine would have secur-
ed their unanimous vote against Rob
ertson. But they have chosen to lick