The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1881-05-26
What Has Conkiing Done!

NOW UnaC all Un6 DldcKgUdrQS, dllu
almost every man who holds office, or
who is seeking office, join in the general
howl at Senator Conkling, fair-minded
men will be moved to inquire "what has
this man done, that is so terrible?
Conkling's offense is simply this-and
we give simple history: When the New
York Republicans selected delegates to
the Chicago Convention, those delegates
were instructed to vote as unit-and 1t
was universally understood that it was a
Grant delegation. Judge Robertson was
delegate, was instructed with the rest
of the delegation, accepted the trust, then,
seized with a desire to distinguish HIM
self, rebelled and refused to obey his
instructions, thus squarely betraying the
trust reposed in him.
After the Inauguration of Garfield, some
of his advisers succeeded in convincing
him that the treachery of Robertson
made the nomination of Garfield possible,
and the Judge should therefore be
rewarded. The President Immediately
sent in his appointment of Robertson as
Collector of the Port of New York. Sen
ators Conkling and Platt, Vice President
Arthur, Postmaster-Gener James and
Governor Cornell sent to the President an
earnest remonstrance-alleg that the
appointment of Robertson would disrupt
the party in New York. This remon-
STRANGE seemed to make the President
more determined in pushing the fortunes
of Robertson.
Unfortunately, many of the Presidents
advisers are of that class of Republicans
who have been coqueting around the
Democratic camp in the past, and from
these the President has heard nothing
but ill of men like Conkling and others
who have dared to be uncompromising,
radical Republicans. The President,
while having at heart the best interests
of the party and the country, has been
persuaded that it is part of his duty as
a Republican President to slap in the
face all the more influential of the Re
publica leaders. The only persons who
really rejoice over this state of affairs are
the Democrats. Every sane man knows
that without New York, Garfield could
not have been President, and without
Conkling Garfield could not have carried
New York. Is it the part of fine states
manship, now after having received the
vote of New York, for the President to
join in conflict with the man who, more
than any other one man, enabled him to
carry that State, simply because he is a
Republican?
1t seems to be fixed feature of politics
that the man who gets Office turns upon
his friends. The man who obtains
entrance to the public crib-to use slang
xpression-generally does so by climbing
upon the shoulders of his friends. And
in most cases he seems to regard it as a
part of his duty to throw rubbish at the
friends upon the outside. The men who
are assailing Conkling so bitterly know
full well that four-fifths of the Republi-
cans of the great State of New York are
at his back. They know that by a word
Conkling and his friends can give the
State to the Democrats, irretrievably, yet
they pretend to want Conkling driven
out of the Republican party. There is
but one rational conclusion to be drawn
Garfield desire to pave the way for Dem
ocratic success. 1t is high time for Pres
ident Garfield to discard the Wayne Mac
Veaghs, and all such political shysters,
and give the political adventures around
Washington to understand that he is a
Republican, and will counsel with Re
publicans. We have faith that the Pres
ident will do this.
The administration of President Gar
fields immediate predecessor left a four
years blank in the history of the country,
the monotony of which blank is only
relieved by a great black star. We all
expect-as we have right to expect-bet-
ter things of the present administration
If we regard it as a political crime for
one man to have more brain and general
ability than his fellows, then let us main
tain the war against Conkling. Heis the
ablest man, and one of the truest Repub-
licans, in Washington to-day.