Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-05-11
1anrastcr frlteligerlrer.
WEDNESDAY EVENING, NAY II. 1881.
Williams OF Equal Degree.

WEDNESDAY EVENING, NAY II, 1881.
Williams OF Equal Degree.
The New York Herald comes to the
front as q vehement organ of the Conk-
ling side in the Republican feud. 1t
opens out to-day with slashing edito-
rial against the angry boy as it styles
Garfield, and against Blaine whom it
denounces as man without gratitude,
without convictionS, without friend
ships, without shame, who has risen to
consequence not " by lofty courage and
stately eloquence like Conkling, nor by
the prestige of an illustrious name like
Grant, but by impudent audacity." A
page of the same paper is filed with
what purports to be contribution from
an occasional correspondent at
Washington, that correspondent being
manifestly some one writing at the die
tation of Senator Conkling. 1t assumes
to describe the story of the consulta
tions, conferences, conspiracy and in
trigues that have led up to this singular
situation" which exhibits " the great
political duel now being fought out in
the United States between Senator
Conkling on the one side and Senator
Blaine on the other" Ostensibly"
says Senator Conkling' s chronicle, "the
president is the antagonist of the great
New York SENATOR" but it declares
him to be small and pitiable" figure
in the contest, and proceeds to uncover
his conduct during and since the presi-
DENTAL campaign, and to disclose his
unredeemed promises, his chickering's and
incessant wriggling. " The Wriggler''
is the title of the article, and it certainly
does not convey an elevated opinion of
Garfield as an honest, straight-fo forward
man.
But in this there is nothing very new.
Fresh facts are related by one cognizant
of inside history, but these facts do not
give a new impression of Garfield s char
acter, which was we'll known to all in.
telligent observers of his course during
his many years Of public life.
Conkling knew what Garfield was
was when he determined at the eleventh
hour to come into his support and give
him that help which he now declares en-
titled his faction of the Republican
party to three-fourths of the credit
of his election. He thoroughly knew
that not Garfield, but a stronger man
who would get possession of him.
would direct his administration. His
hope was that he would WELD this
power. The stalwarts long stood sui.
lenly by and let the election go.
They sought thus to bring Garfield to
terms. They let time pass on until it be.
came apparent to the Republican candi.
date that he would be beaten if the
party was not united. They brought
him down on his knees to them. Conk-
ling says that it was through Vice Presi-
dent Arthur that an agreement was
reached. Promises from Mentor were
abundant. Garfield was sick and sanity.
He never would be bad TO the Grant and
Conkling people if they would come
in and help him through. Hands were
struck over the alliance. There can be
no reasonable doubt that the situation
was just as it is declared to have been,
and that the Republican forces were
united, for combined effort, by the be-
lief of the stalwarts that they would be
amply paid for the victory which it was
conceded was theirs to give or take
away. The stalwart Morton was made
treasurer of the combined forces and
was promised in recompense his choice Of
the missions to France and England, the
control of profitable syndicate for
funding government bonds, or the Sec
retaryship of the treasury and
other like promises were profusely made.
Garfield covered himself all over with
pledges in his desperate strait: and this
Herald article aptly contrasts his con-
duct with that OF Hancock, who at the
same hour replied to those who sought
promises Of Office in consideration Of
contributions to the campaign. that he
would make no pledges and would 90
into the highest office ip the land, if he
was elected. free and uHtramelled.
This story of COnkling about Gar
fields duplicity. we say, is un-
doubtedly essentially true: but how
does it help Conkling: If Garfield
dickered. he dickered too. The differ.
ence is that Garfield got his goods and
the stalwarts were cheated out OF their
promised reward. They are angry ac-
cordingly. They are entitled to be angry,
but they don't mend their affairs by ex-
posing the cause Of it. Always, when
men find themselves cheated in disrc-
putable compact, it is good policy TO
pocket their chagrin, endure their dis
and promise themselves to
0e wiser next time. Conkling and
Blaine played for the sames stakes and
lost the game. Now he wants
0 make trouble for his successful
as men naturally but |
lot wisely do. COnkling thought |
hat he would manage Gar6eld's admin
stration because he had demonstrated
o him that but for the aid he gave him
e surely wOuld have haen dafaotnd If