The Evening critic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1881-1885, 1881-09-26

"a FRIEND or CoNKLING said to me to day:
Unless Arthur quarrcls with Conkling he
will never be able to escape his will,'" says
Gath In one of his cliervcsccnt New York
specials to the Enquirer. The impossiblity of
doubling Gath compels MS to distrust the
"fricnd of Conkling" He evidently Is not
well acquainted with either of the gen.
tlcmcn under discussion. Mr.. Conkling
has incurred during the last five years the
reputation of being quarrclsomc. But It
has not been altogether his fault, and pcr-
haps the time has come when this fact
may as well be admitted. Gen. Grant
was President eight years. Mr.. Conkling
never "quarrcled with" him. But we pre-
sumo nobody will imagine that Grant ever
tolerated much will in opposition to his own
in anybody. Mr.. Conkling began his career
Of pugnacity by quarrcling with Hayes. 1t
may be worth while to remember just at
this time that the bone of contention be-
tween Conlsling and Hayes was the person
of Mr.. Arthur himself, and that Conkling
was ON the Arthur side of the controversy.
This fact does not unavoidably argue any
thing, but it can hardly fail of suggestive
ness as an incident.
Subsequently Mr.. Conkling quarrclcd
with Mr.. Hayes successor, and in the
progress of that quarrel committed what has
always seemed to us the blunder or error of
rcsigning but here again Mr.. Conkling and
Mr.. Arthur were found in cooperation, not.
withstanding the fact, known to us, that
Mr.. Arthur questioned the expediency of
Mr.. Conkling's resignation as matter Of
strategy in such contest.
We hope no one will infer design on our
part to set up organship. Our aim is simply
to call attention to facts which seem to be
overlooked. The facts to which we call at
tcnton are matters of history. 1t requires
no unusual insight into the philosophy of
human nature to detect their significance
with respect to the future relations of the
to desert or "quarrcl with" Mr.. Arthur
in consequence of the latter's dis
placement from the New York custom
house by the faction opposed to him. Mr..
Arthur will probably not be observed to
desert or quarrel with" Mr.. Conkling in
consequence of the latter's displacement
from the Senate by the faction opposed to
him.
As for the rest, we venture to predict that
Mr.. Arthur will not find. it necessary to
escape Mr.. Conkling's will" as suggested
by the friend" who talked to Gath
The fact that Mr.. Arthur's sphere of action
has been, by an act of Providence widencd
vastly-widcned far beyond the bound
aries of Mr.. Conkling's sphere for
the time being-will bring him
in contact with many responsibilities
and invest him with many powers
which Mr. Conklng could have no reason
able wish or rational motive to desire to
share. Practically Mr.. Conkling's political
sphere, and with it the area Of his public
fortunes, is now, and must be for some time
to come bounded by tho State lines of New
York. 1t will be no less for his interest
than for the interest of Mr.. Arthur that the
internecine feud in the Republican party of
that State be terminated.
The future, in view of these facts, will
probably demonstrate three things:
First, that 1t is not Mr.. Conkling's policy
to quarrel with anybody, so far as New
York is concerned.
Second, that he will not attempt to quar-
rel with anybody outside of New York.
Third, that what has been known as the
"ohio idee" in Republican party manage
ment will at least temporarily disappear
from the face of affairs.