New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-07-02
THE FRoPOSED CONFERENCE

Inc withdrawal or MT. Platt does not change
the political situation. Nearly all his friends
desert him ct the first opportunity, as if they
had been very willing to vote for somebody
else if permitted, but their votes indicate that
Mr.. Conkling has favored the desires of Mr.
Crowley. Whatever votes Mr. COnkling can
absolutely control have been cast for Mr.. Platt,
and will probably now be cast for Mr.. Crowley );
not perhaps in any hope of the election of
either, but i'll order to prevent the election of
any other Republican.
Ont of this difficulty, the proposed conference
of Republicans seems at present to be the only
escape. An ordinary caucus, in which members
would vote by secret ballot without any per-
sonal responsibility to their constituents, was
properly rejected at the opening of the session
by those Republicans who intended to respect
the will of the Republican voters, and they will
be sustained by those voters in refusing to par
ticipate i'll such meeting. The proposed open
conference will be of different character The
members who take part in it will know that
their action Will be known to their constituents
and they will vote with full sense of their re-
sponsibility. The members who pledged them
selves early in the contest not to vote for the
return of Messrs. COnklingq and Plat, or either
of them, in caucus or elsewhere, will have op-
pOrtunity to agree upon somebody for whom
they can vote without disregardng the will of
their constituents or their own convictions of
duty. 1t is thought probable that the confer
ence will be called by the assent of the requi-
site number of members to the stpulations
named in the agreement, and it ought to bring
about concert of action by all Republicans
who do not intend to betray their party.
Mr. COnklings position is in no way changed
by the withdrawal of his former associate
Both were opposed for reasons of public duty.
and Mr. Conkling more earnestly and positively
than Mr.. Plat. No vote can be cast for Mr..
COnklng, in a caucus a conference or i'm OMEN
Assembly, that will not be an insult to Repub-
lean constituencies, and an act of bad faith to-
ward the Republican party. There are many
able men who have been recognized as Mr..
COnklng's friends to whom these objections
do not apply. They have not declared war
upon Republican Administration, nor thrown
the Senate into Democratic hands by faithless
resignation. 1t may be presumed that they
would act, if elected, in substantial harmony
with the majority of Republican Senator's The
one thing certain, as to Mr.. Conkling, is that he
could not act in harmony with the Republicans
OF the Senate nor with the Administration, and
therefore he is the one man for whom Republi-
cans cannot consistently vote But no DISPOSE
ion Has DccH sllOWll, anu III II conference none
would be shown, to prescribe those members of
the party who were in sympathy with MIR. Conk-
ling mt Chicago, or who have since shown their
personal attachment to him. The controlling
object ought to be, and if conference is held
doubtless will be, to unite the Republican party
by fair representation of the different ele-
ments which are not conspiring with the De-
mocracy to defeat it.
Republican members ought to be prepared
for some sacrifice of personal preferences. 1t
is not important beyond measure to the State
or to the country that Mr.. Depew, or Mr..
Wheeler, or Mr.. Lapham, or any other individ.
ual, should be preferred. But it is exceedingly
important to the country that the Senate should
not be left, where Mr.. Conl<ling placed it, in the
control OF a Democratic majority. 1t is exceed
lngly important that the scandals and ISLANDERS
over which Democrats gloat should not be per-
mitted to divide and distract the Republican
party in the next State election Those Repub-
leans who stand in the way of an honorable
settlement, by which success fox the party may