New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-05-17
THE LETTER OF RESIGNATION.

ROBERTSON SHARPLY AssAILED-Iab UNI "O
RyAssERTED THE PRESIDENTS COURSE Al
Tackled. A.,
A,n.Sy Nav 1e.-Governor Cornell sent TO the
Assembly to-day the following let@r from nesSiS'
Conkling and Plat, announcing their resigna'l"hs
as United States Senators:
srR: Transmitting, as we do, our resgnatlonS'
respectiyely Of the great trusts with when New
York has honored us, it is fit that we acquaht you
and through you the Legislature ana peoPe VI 'O
state with the reasons which, in our Judgment
make such step respectful and necessary.
Some weeks ago the President sent TO the Senate,
IN a oroun the nominations of several persons for
public offices already filed. One of these offices Is
The Conectorship of the Port of NewYork. now held
NV General Merritt; another is the Consul General
sbin NJ London, now held by General Badeau
another is Charge d'Affarcs to Denmark, held by
Mr. Cramer another Is the mission 10
Secretary of State. Mr.. Fish had, In defer
ence TO an ancient practice, placed his posi-
fion at The disposal Of the new ADMINISTRATOR
tnt ike the other persons named he was ready to
rem in at his post IL permitted to do So. All OF
theee officers. save only Mr. CrameI are citizens Ti
not for any alleged fault for any aeeed need or
advantage of the public service, but IN order 10
give great ocs of Collector OIL the aos! OIL
for certain acts of his said to have aided in making
tho nomination Of General Garfield possible. Ihe
chain OF removals thus IfOpOScu was ONh-
srsl Badsan's promptly declining TO accept the new
place to which he was TO be sent. -.
These nominations summoned every member OF
the Senate to say whether he advised such trans
action. The movement was more than a surprise.
We had been told only few hours before that no
removals in the New-York Offices were soon 70 DC
made or even considered, and had been requested to
withhold the papers and suggestions bearing on tne
subject which had been sent 70 MS for presentation,
should occasion arise, until we had notice from the
President OF his readiness to receive them Hearing
that the Vice President was equally surprised and
bad been eaua!ly misled. we went to Mr. James the
nnrs he bad spen so%s %a s with the President
On the morning of the day the nominations were
sent in disclosure Of an intention to send them
had been made TO him, and that he first knew
* tho matter by hcarsay,. following the
svsnt. After earnest reflection and consul
and % wrong. M whether % Considered de- wholly IN relation
% tue pfeservation and integrity of the public
service and the public example 70 be set or in rea-
ton also to the integrity Of the Republican party.
A REMossTEASCE.
No public utterance Of comment or censure was
made by either Of u.s. in the Senate or elsewhere on
the contrary we thought that the President would
reconsider the action, 10 sudden and hasty, and
would at least adopt less hurtful and objection
able modes of reqniting personal or individual ser
yice In this hope the following paper was prepared
and signed and presented by Mr.. James to the Prcsi
dent, who was subsequently, informed that you had
authorized yonr name to be added also:
10 the President: beg leave demonstrate against
the change in the Coiecorshp at NewYork by the re-
moval OF Mr. Merritt and the appointment Of Mr. Robert
1t only when the several nominations involved IN the
plan were snnoanced IN the Senate nate We had had only two
IN the Customs 0hico at Sew-York was not CON
any action now We had opportunity Until after the
neninations to make the sugrestions we now present
We do not believe that the interests of the public service
viii he promoted by removing the present Collector and
putting Mr. Roecrtson IN his stead Our opinion is quite
Ss sST the Republican, party is p"
cples Besyng that no diyidua T. has Claims or on
earnestly and respectfully ask that the nomination OF
T. G. PLAT,
ROSCOE CONKLIsG
This paper was presented to the President by MIR.
James, on MondaS, the 2Sth day of March. Know
ing the frequency with which every one Of the
twenty Presidents of the Republic, and markedly
the present Incumbent had withdrawn nominations
ON less serious representations we did not ap-
prehend that such suggestion would be
prerosative Of the nominating power We were
disappointed. immediately the public press es-
peciay in articles aud dispatches written by those
In close and constant association with the President
and with an influential of his Cabinet teemed
With violent denunciations OF the Senators from
ksxYsh tns pspnns wo yste a9d
the Executive Mansion reported the President as
resentful and impatient Of hesitation to advise
and consent to what he proposed. We had made
3 we have made no assault upon anybody. We have
1T all times refused TO answer questions by represen-
tatyss Of the press TO make complaint or comment
ars;,st ne 10, the ofs;e;cns champioos of the Ad-
Hlnlstrationn Indeed, beyond confidential consul
tations with brother Senators and officials we have
soid nothing until now the subject nor have we,
q either al ms promoted the deadlock in the Sen,
sfs IN order TO prevent cr influence action any
Summation. nor have we ever so stated.
immediately after the nominations were published,
letters and kilograms In great numbers came from
ever mart of the State from it's leading
citszcns protesting against the proposed changes
aud coDdcnlning them on many grounds.