New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-05-19

Senator RobertsOn's nomination has been
confirmed by the Senate. The Overwhelming
majority in his favor, Notwithstanding the re-
sistance made by Senators COnklng and Platt,
shows that the President was entirely JUSTIFIED
i'm not asking the permission of those Senators
before submitting the nomination to the Senate.
A large majority of tllc Republican Senators
sustain the President in this matter Senator
Conkling's insOlent protenSiOns are rcbukcd
most emphatically, both by the Senate and
by the Senators of his own party. No one
has ventured to deny that Senator Robertson
is abundantly able and worthy. only one
member of the committee disscntcd from the
report in his favor, and the opposition in the
Senate faded away 80 completely that the
friends of Mr.. Conkling did not venture to
expose their weakness 10y calling the roll. In
view of this remarkable unanimity, Repub-
licans In all parts Of the country will ask
what possible excuse Senator Conklng could
have had for his persistent. INSCRIPTIONS and
malignant opposition.
Yesterday, the question was whether Sen
ator Robertson should he confirmed To-day
the question is whether the Republicans Of
this State propose To make war upon the Re
publican party of other States by rejecting
Senator Conkling. MrM'latt does not count.
With Mr. ConkIng at Ms side, il has been the
delight of Senator Platt to play the humble
drpcndent and poor relation. He is in no dan
ger Of reelection unless Senator COnkling
should be elected, for the friends Of that Sen
ator know that .lcy could not trust Mr.. Platt
alone, and nobody else has any disposition to
trust or support him. The question is whether
Roscoe Conkllng can be elected to the Senate
openly avowing his intention, if elected
70 make war Lron The Administration ard
the Republican party. Though he were to
make very different professions, there would
br no doubt ms 10 his intention. Tn
happily, his vindicti,c spirit is too well
known, 10 other Senators and 10 the Re
publcans Of Ncv-YoTk. A certificate of re-
election he woIld regard as a privatccr's COM
mission to Iayagc and destroy at pleasure,
until the Republican party should sec fit to
submit to his will. The question is whether
the Republicans Of Ncw-IoIk wish 20 issue
letters of marquc to this political privatccr,
to make whatever mischief he can for the next
four years.
The past is past. Mr.. Conl,ling was a vigor-
GUS Republican leader, and there are many l,c-
publcans who were sorry to see him commit
political suicide by Causclcss resignation.
But his act was utterly without cXcuso. He
had right to vote as he pleased upon the
nomination of Mr.. Robertson. But he
had no right whatever TO throw up his
trust from the Republicans of New-York,
20 desert the Republicans and the indie
pendents of the South, and to leave the
control of the Senate in Democratic hands,
because he could not have his own way about
one Office One act of that sort puts n man
beyond the pale Of political usefulness TO n
party 10y which he has been greatly trusted
When he has gone so far without a decent cx-
cuse, his associates must realize that he is
liable at any time to go over bodily to the
Democratic camp if he can serve his personal
grudges only in that way. New-fork does not
wish to be represented by such a man. This
State ought to send TO the Senate two upright,
able honest and patriotic Republicans, who
will strive to act in harmony with the Repub-
lican Administration, and with the majority
of Republicans in the Senate.
Such Republicans can be found, and it is not
necessary 10 look exclusively among those who
have been termed Administration Republicans.
For example, it is not at all likely that Gov
ernor Cornell, if sent to the Senate, would
waste his time and fritter away great public
trust in prosecuting any small private quarrel.
Nor would ex-Secretary Eyarts, or exVice-
President Wheeler, or ex-Secretary Fish, or
Judge PierrepOnt, or any one of many distin-
guished Republicans who might be named.
There ia not the slightest necessity of selecting
the most quarrelsome, pugnacious, domineering,
revengeful, and self-seekng man in the party,
in order to have the Republicans of this State
properly represented. If the Republicans of
New-York want to break up and destroy the
Republican party of the Union, they will COM
mission Mr.. Conklng az their agent If they
desre harmony. peace and earnest effort for