Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-10-11
~0OvKLISG AID GARFIELD.
Whas q Baptist Minister Knows
of the Inside History OfTheir
Relations.
a. a. aailnr Of tha Nsn YORK sun.

To the editor Of the New York suns
The charge made by the Rev. Way.
land Hoyt in the Baptist Ministers
Conference concerning the Hon.
Roscoe Conkling is so unjust and I'M
true that | beg permission to correct
it. First, it is known that Mr.. Conk-
ling does not, in any way, "incarnate
the spoils system" AS Mr.. Garfield
said to him and about him, Mr.. Conk-
ling was the one Senator that did not
ask any favors. The night they were
together. as Mr.. Conkling was goiHg
home, Mr.. Garfield said: +,
Mr.. Senator, you have not referred
to appointments.
mo, Mr.. President, l have not. AS
you did not ask advice, l did not
volunteer it; though, to tell you the
truth, my pockets are burdened with
petitions from the best men in the
city of New York, and l should be
! glad to unload them"
Mr.. Garfield said: "Mr. Senator
please keep them two weeks longer
In the meantime, nothing will be done
concerning the Offices in New York
at that time l shall be glad to consult
with you relative to the New York ap.
pointments to be made. Those
already made are believed to be salts
factory to you"
This was at twelve o'clock at night.
The next day Nh. Robertson was APP
pointed Collector instead of Merritt
made Consul to London. Mr.: Conk,
ling was surprised. Friends hurried
to Mr.. Garfield and told him he had
made a mistake little short OF a crime.
The Joint letter of protest was writ
ten and sent. Mr.. Garfield had been
influenced to pursue the course taken
by considerations which seemed to
him wise. He said, however; VI am
not infallible. | may have made a
mistake. Ask the two Senators and
Mr.. Arthur to come and talk it over"
1t is said that two of the gentlemen
we're ready to 60. The third got on
Ibis hat and received a telegram in
cipher, read it, took off his hat, and
said: ut is too late"
Then came the designations. Then
followed the RESERVATIONS Of the friends
on whom Mr.. Conkling had leaned.
Then the gong sounded for patronage.
and the hungry came leaping and
climbing over each other, putting
their noses in the trough, pushing IN
above the eyes and drinking through
the ears, and Roscoe Conkling be-
came the object at which all the
arrows Of disappointed ambition were
fred, until now he is called by a Bap-
fist minister the Incarnation of the
spoils system" when, to those who
know about it, Roscoe Conkling is the
one man who will not NEEDLE with
patronage. 1t is said that when the
deluge Of mud. throwing began there
was not in the customhouse or post
Office a nan who had secured his
place through the influence Of the
senior Senator from New York.
2. Mr.. Conkling is accused of being
mute concerning the assassination Of
the President. This is SO untrue and
SO unjust that l regret, for the sake Of
the one who uttered it, that it should
have been spoken. Think of the
facts, Messrs. Conkling and Arthur
were on the Albany boat when the
President was shot. 1t had been de-
laved nv the fog. On the landing the
telegram was handed them. Mr..
Arthur sank into a chair, over
come with emotion. That day Mr.
Conkling did his best to support hi
friend, and saw him in due time OF
the train for Washington.
The Monday morning after the as
sassination | passed one or two hour
with Mr.. Conkling, and a sadder ma
l never saw. The article, ITO Whom
! 1t May Concern" had been printed
New York boiled like a caldron. Mr.
Conkling had written a dispatch ex
pressing his sympathy. The pape
was handed him, charging the Grim
upon him. He tore up the dis
pdbcu duu Mcub W douluELuns OsliS
at the White House with Senate
, Jones, and left his message ofsympath
, for the President with Mrs. Garfield
From that moment on, all that vitupt
ration, injustice, malice, forgetfulne,
Of favors, and hatred because Of dii
, appointments in obtaining then
could do to injure the fame and bres
the heart of Roscoe Conkling has be-
done.
For myself, l am not in any vi
moved by favors shown me to wri
this letter. l have known and low
| Roscoe Conkling for years. / ha
) been urged by friends who knew
= this friendship to write and ask hi
4 for fayors. Not one such request W
ever granted. But l could not respe
my manhood if l did not cry 0
q against the injustice being done a m
who to-day must be mute, but "
c will yet be heard and honored By I
y American people as before. Wi
D. sincere respect, l am,
N JOHN D. FULTON
225 Carlton avenue, Brooklyn.