Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-07-23
rae END OF THE ALBANY STRUGGLES.

At last the long contest at Albany is
ended. Yesterday the Republican men,
bers held conference, the Conklingites
deferred to the decision of the majority,
and on the reassembling of the joint Con-
vention every Republican vote was cast for
Lapham, who was thereupon declared
elected. So ends the desperate and per-
sistent effort of Roscoe Conkling to force
himself upon the State of New York in
defiance of public opinion. The recent
announcements of his intention never to
surrender indicate that the action of his
late supporters was taken in opposition
to him. He was perfectly willing that
they should sacrifice all their political
prospects to his overweening self.conceit
that they should separate themselves from
their party, and incur the opprobrium of
treason that they should help the Demo.
Gratis to elect Senators that they should
break down their organization. Like
Artemus Ward, he was prepared to offer
up all his wife's male connections on the
altar of his country which in his case
means his personal vanity. But though his
friends have stood by him with an amazing
loyalty, and though they have shown their
willingness to imperil their own fortunes
for him, there is limit to this kind of
magnanimity. They saw that they were
marching straight to ruin that the
recovery of President Garfield, now almost
assured, would put an end to all their pros
poets that they could by no possibility
re-elect Conkling; and that, in fact, all
they could do in the last resort would be
to go over to the Democrats.
The programme became daily more dis
couraging, and letters poured in from their
constituents demonstrating, denouncing,
exclaiming against their obstinacy. Last
week it was evident that the end was ap-
preaching, when Speaker Sharpe, who had
been the most staunch and active supporter
of Conkling, left him and voted for the
regular Republican nominees. For time
the stalwarts tried to ease themselves
down by demanding caucus and pretend
that the nominations of Miller and Lapham
had not been regularly made, but they had
no ground to stand on, and at last they
found it necessary to abandon their false
position, or make up their minds to leave
the Republican party. They could not af-
feet to remain loyal members of that OF.
ganization while they were supporting
man who was VIGOROUSLY obnoxious to the
party, and they could not make anyone
believe that they were the party. So they
have, after all their brag and buster, been
obliged to give up the contest, and the sue
cessors of Conkling and Platt are at length
elected.
Mr.. Conkling's caprice and conceit have
not only cost him dear in this struggle, but
they have cost the State of New York
dear. Fifty thousand dollars will prob.
ably not cover the expense of the pro-
tracted legislative session protracted for
no other cause than his stubborn refusal
to recognize the facts of the situation.
There has of late been some talk of his
political programme for the future. The
presumption, however, is that his political
career is closed. The exhibition he has
made of himself through this contest, and
particularly his course since the attempt
upon the life of the President, has dis
gusted even his own former admirers. So
utter and conspicuous lack of magma.
nimity as was shown in his first public
utterance after the assassination has sell
dom been witnessed. 1t was painfully
apparent that he could not even affect
generous spirit toward fallen opponent.
He hated General Garfield alive, and he
was prepared to hate him dead and he
had not even the modesty TO conceal his
exultation at the prospect of Arthur's ac-
cession to the Presidency, though he knew
that in such an event he himself would be
the new Presidents chief adviser and right
hand.
He resigned without the remotest justi-
fcation, and he decided upon renewing
his candidacy with as little warrant.
When it became apparent that he could
not be reelected he still refused to with
draw. Chauncey Depew, after obtaining
more than half the Republican vote,
generously sacrificed his own ambition to
the good of the party, and retired. But
Conkling, though he never had third
of the votes of mis- party, held on to the
fight with blind stubbornness, Indifferent
to the injury he was inhicting upon the
party and the expense he was entailing
upon the State, and conscious only of his
own selfish desires. No man in public life
has ever shown SO intense and consuming
a selfshness as Conkling, in fact. His
whole career has displayed him in the
light of a man wholly wrapped up in
visions of his own greatness, and strong in
the belief that he was indispensable to the
party Unless he could have
everything he asked for-and he usually
asked for everything in sight he
was always ready to sulk. He
only came forward to help Gar
field when he saw that Garfield would
be elected without his help. When he
found that he was not to be allowed to
control every Office in New York, he
made war upon the Administra-
ton, and he was prepared to carry that
war to all lengths. He refused to with
draw when success was seen to be hope
less, and now he has been thrown over
board. If he thinks this more satisfactory
and dignifed mode of exit than a volun-
tary surrender, nobody will dispute the