The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1881-05-18
CONKLING-PIArT.
Con tinuation of their Letter Of Resig-
nation

Conkling and Platt the first part of which
wss printed yesterday:
This paper was presented by Mr. James on
Monday, the Goth day of March. Knowing
the frequency with which every one
of the twenty presidents Of the republic, and
markedly the present incumbent, had With.
drawn nominations for less serious repre-
sensations, we did not spprehend that such
sugy eston would DO treated a. an intrusion
of The nominating power. We were dsap-
articles and dispatches written by those in
close pnd constant association with the
president and with en- influential member
of bis cabinet, teemed with violent denuGcia-
lions of The senators from New York for
opposing the administration and debating
TO the president.
Persons who visited tho executive
man lou reported the president as re-
sentful and impatient, hesitating TO
advise and consent to tho whole. We had
no ssssul. to mako on any one. Wehsve at all
,lmes refused TO ans or questions by
representatives. Of the press or to make
complaint or CONNECT or even
denial of many truthless
charges agsins' Us by officers and champions
of the administration; indeed beyond
COT liential consultation with brother sena-
iors and oilicisls we have said nothing till
now on The subject, nor have we or either of
US promoted the deadlock in the senate in
order TO prevent or influence action
on any nomination, nor nave We
ever SO stated. Immmedistely alter the
nominations were published, letters and tele-
grams in great numbers came from every part
Of tho state, from its leading citizen, protest
ing against the changes and condemning them
on many grounds. Several thousand Of the
leading mercantile firms of New York con.
s,itutipg, we are informed, a majority of
every branch Of trade, sent ia
remonstrances, Sixty of the eighty-one
republican members of the assembly by
letter or memorial, made objections to the
republicans in congress. State officials, busi-
mes, men, professional men, commercial,
industrial and political, are among the
remonstrances. They speak from every
section of the state.
Besides thu nominations already referred
to there were awaiting the action of the
senate several citizens of New York named
for Office connected with the courts, district
attorneys and marshals. These were all
appointments. Most Of them had been
originally commissioned by Mr. Hayes and
were certified by judges Of the courts, ard
many other eminent persons who
pttoe,ed TO the faithiulncas
and worth Of the services, and recommended
,h. % cJntirusucos. They were not pre-.
scented by US. We have not attempted tc
dictate, nor have we asked the nomination O
enc person TO sny office in the state. In
decd. with the sole exception of tn,
written request we set forth above
opinion of the president in any case, unlesl
questioned in regard to 1T. Some days agt
the president abruptly withdrew, in one anG
the same act, the names Of Hon. MIR. Wood
ford and Mr.. Tenny for the two marshalships
This unprecedented preceding, whether
perm issible by law or not, WAS gravely
signiGcsnt-to prohibit tho nominations
of these officers after they had been weighec
in tho balance of official records which wer'
before him and had been fully scrutinizec
and approved. 1t must DO presumed that b.
thought the nominations 1T 10 be made an,
thst il was his duty to make them
There are no allegations TIA
no discovered unftness il
them afterwards. II could hardly be tina
he had discovered unftness in all Of then
alike. What, then, WAS tho meaning an
purpose of tho peremptory step
II was Immediately stated, y
. # b. authority, and seemed to b
: admitted tina. the purpose was to coerce tn
senate or senators to vote a' they would no
volc il left rom executive interference. Tn
design was to control the senators touchin
: matters committed by the constitution to tn
. sere'e, and to the senate exclusively. 1t hs
y belu suggested in addition tn,
|. BY recalling those nomination
aud holding them in his own hand tn
J president might in the event of failure @
, smother nomination, use them to compansa,
that failure. Can it DO supposed that u
these public trusts are to be or would in An
i event he made personal perquisites to b
| handled and disposed OF, not only I
:. punish tho independence Of the senators
votes or action, but to liquidsl
persopsl obligations Of any individual, how
.ver high in station? Ths conditions NJ
r equally obvious and degrading in their q,
, cep,pnce.and would compel representatives
. stasc 10 0ng aside their oath ard report f.
e dnN at the foots;ool of the executive powe
I Following this startling and sSeepin
: executive act, csmo ominous avowsla tn,
{ dissent or failure TO advise and consent woul
% DO held a. an act of offence, exposing u
=, senators from whatever ststo to the execu,i,
v displessuro. Thus wa 6nd ourselves cor
II frouted by tho question, which sha
= SURF nder, plain right and sworn duty
~ senators by consentiug tD what we believe
= DO vicious and hurlful, OF he assigned u pc
% silon of dslUyulty to tho administrslic
10 which we helped to bring in and the succe
o of which W. earnestly looked for ever
wldge and move which can enter tho c'se. "
now know M theory avowed by any pur'
" which requires such submission as is no
Ne eAac,ed, although the party service may
d fairly considered In making selections
public officers. II can hardly be maintan,
tia, the senate Is bound to remove wtho,
% cause, tho incumbents, merely to make plsc
for those whom M individual, even the pre-
=, ident or member of his cabinet, wishes
, repay for being recreant to others or servie
= able TO him. Only about two Years aso Il
s. senate was advised tha. Gener
v Merritt DO appointed collect,
e At New I,rk It's understood that ann,
tho senators who advised this was NJ
u Window, now secretary Of tho treasury, ~
IN Tao nesd of thc department, whose subort
" nate &c ersl Merritt lie. Another ser
"a tor, known to have given bia advice, WAS
=" Krkwood now secretary of tho interior.
is said that like the pos.msster'general fro
our own state these cabinet officers WE
Mt not taken into consideration touching tho l