The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-05-21
SATURDAY MORNING, MAY 81.

ton OF Robertson had not been Surprise" to
Messrs. Conkling, Plat, Arthur and James,
and the fact remains which no fair man will
dispute, that surprise" furnished no legiti-
mate reason for resignation The Constitution
OF the United States does not provide that the
President shalhconsult with any member of
the Senate before making his nominations.
And SO, also, the fact tIat the President de-
clined the request that the nomination should
be withdrawn, is equally ridiculous when used
as justification for resignation. The Presi-
dent kept within the line of the functions of
his Office and his Constitutional rights, in de-
elining to withdraw the nomination. Because
he did so, Messrs Conkling and Platt had no
right growing out of reason, to resign. When
the letter comes to speak of the ''remonstrants"
against confirmation, 1t is guilty of as glazing
piece of disingenuousness-to call it 10y no
harsher term-as we ever met with. That is
10 say, Senators Conkling and Platt have the
colossal effrontery over their own signature, in
letter addressed TO the Legislature, to call
attention to the fact that 60 Assemblymen
have made objections to Robertson and entirely
suppress the fact Of much larger Signaf-
caHce; that the Senate and assembly undni-
faoasiy endorsed the nomination and urged
confirmation! Republicans of New York, what
Shall be said of case which is bolStered up by
such fragrant suppression of the truth? We
doubt if the annals of politics contain a more
diSgraceful instance OF SuppreSSio Ceri than
this. All the same, this reference to the 60
Assemblymen who recanted their endorsement
serves a good purpose. 1t enables the public
to understand what Conklng and Platt had in
mind in submitting their case to the present
Legislature. They hoped and believed that
they we're pleading for vindication to a jury
packed in their interest The hollowness of
their pretences, the arrant hypocrisy OF their
attitude is thus brought out in strong colors
The two remaining straws at which Mr.
Conkling and his deputy are clinging in their
inane attempt to escape the consequence of their
own folly and selfishness are of piece with
these we have been glancing at They cannot
condone the Presidents withdrawal of certain
nominations and they fear that Robertson is
not worthy of the collectorship! Drowning
men often catch at such things, but such things
never kept drowning men from going down
among the dead men. The Presidents right
to withdraw these nominations was absolute.
Nothing more need be said on that point. AS
for Judge Robertsons worthiness-what shall
DC said OF this attack upon him? 1t is the only
one, 50 far as we are aware, that has been
ELECTED since his name was sent to the Senate
two months ago. Political friends and political
hes alike have acknowledged and paid tribute
to bis exalted personal worth, mis- conspicuous
aai lies, his distinguished service for the par
" and this Commonwealth. Only these two
Senators, or rather only this one Senator and
his echo, can be found in the entire State to
speak evil of him. And this man who now in
dulges in envenomed criticism is known the
country over as having grievance against
Robertson, arising from the fact that the
Judge presumed to act with the majority at
the Chicago Convention. If Conkling's rea-
soEs for resgning were as legitimate as his
reason for not regarding Robertson as worthy
Of high official honors was patent and amusing
no fault could be found with his letter.
These are plain words, but no paper has
better right to speak plainly than the Albany
journal. Our newspaper brethren throughout
the State and the country will bear witness to
the fact that MORGAN of public opinion has
been more prompt or generous in acknowledge
ing Senator Conkling's merits and in advocacy
OF his fortunes than we. So long as he stood
for united party, so long as he worked for
Uncommon veal, so long as he was content to
be the exponent of Repnblicanism rather than
of self, we were behind no journal OF the party
in recognizing his abilities and in assisting to
strengthen and advance him. With the same
freedom, now that the mask has dropped off
and the man stands revealed in all his arrogant
selfshness, his inordinate ambition, his utter
contempt of the will of the majority and the
welfare of the party, we would be recreant to
our duty and unworthy of the confidence of
the party which the journal helped to organ
ize, and which it has ever labored to conserve
If we did not cut loose from him and hold him
up for the condemnation which he has so rich
ly earned. Between Conklingism and Repub
licanism is all the difference in the world. We
execrate the former, we are devoted to the lat
ter. Let the lines be drawn.