The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1881-05-20
As Set Forth in Their Communication TO
Governor Cornell.
A CONTAMINATION FROM cONKLISG.
Full Text Of the designations OF the Ne'
York Senators.


D. c. May 14.-Sir: Transmitting, as
We do, our designations respectively of
the great trusts with which New York
has honored US, 1t is fic that We acquaint
| you, and through You, the legislature
| and people of the state, with the reasons
which in our judgment make such a
step respectful ana necessary. Some
| weeks ago the president sent to the SEN
ate in a group the nominations of sever
al persons for public offices already
| filed. One of these offices is the collect
/ orship of the port of New York, now
held by Gen. Merritt; another is the
consul generalship at London, now held
| by Gen. Badeau; another is charge
d'ahaires 10 Denmark, he'd by Mr. era
mer; another is the mission to SwitZer-
land, held by Mr.. Fish, son of the FORM
er distinguished secretary of state. Mr..
Fish had, in Difference to ancient prac-
tice, placed his position at the disposal
of the new administration, but like the
other persons named he was ready TO re-
main at has post if permitted to do
SO. All these officers, save only
| Mr.. Cramer, are citizens of New
| York 1t was proposed to displace
them all, not for any alleged faults or for
any alleged need or advantage of the
public service, but in order to give the
/ great Office of collector of the port of
| New York to MIR. VIM. Fl. Robertson, as
n reward for certain acts of his, said to
have "aided in making the nomination
of Gen. Garfield possible" The chain
of removals thus proposed was broken
| by Gen. Badeau's promptly declining
TO accept the new place to which was to
| be sent. These nominations summoned
every member of the Senate To say
4 whether he
| ADVISED SUCH TRANSACTION.
| The movement was more than sur
prise. We had been told a few hours
before, that no removals in New York
| offices were soon to be made or even con-
sidered, and had been requested to with
hold the papers. and suggestions bear
ing on the subject which had been sent
to US for presentation, should the occa-
sion arise, until We had notice from the
| President of his readiness to receive
| them. Learning that the Vice-PTesident
| was equally surprised. and had been
equally misled. we went to Mr. James,
the cabinet officer from our state and
learned that though he had spent some
time with the President on the morning
/ of the day the nominations were sent in,
no disclosure of an intention to send
| them had been made to him, and that he
first knew of the matter by hearsay. AT
| ter earnest reflection and consultation, we
believed the proceeding unwise and
wrong, whether considered wholly in re-
lation to the preservation and integrity
of the public service and public exam
pie to DO set, or in relation also to the
Integrity of the Republican party. No
public utterance of comment or censure
| was made by either of US, in the senate
or elsewhere. On the contrary we
thought the President would reconsider
an action so sudden and hasty, and would
at least adopt a less hateful and objec-
tionable mode of requitting personal or
| individual service. In this hope the
following paper was prepared, signed
and presented by Mr.. James to the Pres
ident, who was subsequently informed
that you had authorized your name to
be added also.
THE APPEAL TO GARFIELD.
| To tie President: We beg leave to re-
| lectorship at New York by the removal
of Mr.. Merritt and the appointment
of Mr.. Robertson. The proposal was
wholly q surprise. We heard of it only
when the several nominations involved
/ in the plan were announced in the SEN
ate. We had only two days before this
been informed from you that change
| in the custom Office at New York was
not contemplated, and quite ignorant of
| the purpose to take action now, we had
no opportunity until after the nomina-
lions TO make the suggestions we now
present. We do not believe that the in
terests of the public service will be pro-
| NOTED by removing the present collec-
tor and putting Mr.. Robertson in his
stead; our opinion is quite the reverse,
and we believe no political advantage
can be gained for either the Republican
party or its principles. Believing that
no Individual has any claims or Obliga
tions which should be liquidated in
such a mode, we earnestly and respect
fully ask that the nomination of Mr..
Robertson be Withdrawn.
(Signed) CHESTER A. ARTHUR,
THOMAS L. JAMES,
ROSCOE CoNKLING.
This paper was presented to the Pres
ident by Mr. James on Monday. the 2Sth
! day of March. Knowing the frequency
with which every one of the twenty
Presidents of the Republic, and mark
edly the present incumbent, had with
drawn nominations on less serious rep
| reservations, we did not apprehend that
such suggestion would be treated as an
intrusion or invasion of any prcroga-
tives of the nominating power We
were disappointed. Immediately the
public press, especially in articles and
dispatches written by those in close and
| constant association with the President,
AMI with an influential member of his
cabinet, teemed with violent denuncia-
tiOns of the Senators from New York
for
Opposing THE ADMINISTRATION
and officiating to the President" Per
sons who visited the Executive Mansion
reported the President as resentful and
impatient. We had made no assault up
on anybody. We have at all times re-
fused to answer questions by representa-
tives of the press, or to make complaint
or comment, or even denial of many
truthful charges published against
us by officious champions of the
administration" Indeed, beyond conf
Dental consultations with brother Sen
atOrs and officials, we have said nothing
until now on the suiect, nor have we, or
either of US, promoted the deadlock in
the Senate" in order to prevent or in
fluence action in any nomination, nor
have we ever so stated. Immediately
after the nominations were published,
letters and kilograms in great num-
bers came from every part of the state
from its leading citizens protesting
against the proposed changes, and con-
demning them on many grounds. Sever
al thousands of the leading mercantile
firms of New York, constituting, we arc
informed, a majority of every branch of
trade, sent US circumstances. Sixty or
eighty of the Republican members of
the assembly, by letter or memorial,
made objections. Representatives in
Congress, state officials, business men,
professional men, commercial, industri-
al and political organizations are among
the remonstrants, and they speak from
every section of the state. Besides the
nominations already referred to, there
were, awaiting the action of the Senate,
several citizens of New York, named
for offices connected with courts, district
attorneys and marshals.
THESE WE'RE ALI RE-APPOINTMENTs
Most Of these had been originally COM
missioned by Mr.. Hayes. They were certi-
fed by judges of courts and many other
eminent persons who attested the faith
fulness and merit of their service, and
recommended their continuance. They
were not presented by US. We have not
attempted to dictate, nor have we asked |
the nomination of one person to any Of |
flee IN the Senate. Indeed, with the |
sole exception of the written request set |
forth above, we have never even express
ed an opinion to the President in any
case, unless questioned in regard to IT, |
Some days ago the President abruptly |
withdrew in one and the same act the /
name of Gen. Woodford and Mr. Tenney, /
and of two marshals. This unprecedent- |
ed procedure, whether permissible by
law or not, was gravely significant. The /
President had nominated these officers /
after they had been weighed in the bal
ance. Their official records were before
him, and had been fully scrutinized and
approved. 1t must be presumed he
thought the nominations f1t TO be made,
and that it was his duty TO have made
them. There Is no allegation that he
discovered any unfifness in them after
discovered unfitness in ali Ofthem alike.
What, then, was the meaning and pur |
-Ar,,,