The Portland daily press., 1881-05-06
CONKLING CHALLENGED.
The President Throws Down the
Gage Of Battle.
ALL THE NEW YORK NOMINATIONS
BUT ROBERTSON WITHDRAWN.

Especial Dispatch to the Boston Journal1
WASHINGTON, May 5.-The President has
sent to the Senate message Withdrawing all
The New York nominations excepting that of
Robertson'to be Collector at New York. This
withdrawal includes Woodford, to be District
Attorney. aud of Payne, to be Marshal. This
act will undoubtedly be considered as direct
challenge from the President to Senator Conk-
ling. 1t created profound impression in
the Senate. 1t Of course means that if Robert
son is not to be confirmed the Grant-Conkling
officials shall not be. The report first reached
the Capitol that the President had decided to
withdraw Robertson. This created great ex-
citement but this excitement was Intensified
when it was discovered that the contrary was
the fact, and that all except Robertson had
been Withdrawn. The line between Admins
tration and anti.Administration Senators will
now be sharply dawn, and this act of the
President will undoubtedly precipitate the
tight which it has been the purpose of the Re
publican Caucus Committee to avoid The
residents backbone has been found. He is
determined to he President. The message
seems 10 have Jacksonian flavor about it.
The step of course was as great a surprise to
the Senate as 1t will be to the county. The
PRESIDENT, recently commenting upon the at
htude OF Mr.. Conkling, said that while he
wished no contest with the New \ ork Senator,
that II the issue should be insisted on he would
use all the powers of his great office to vindi-
Cate the constitutional authority of the execu-
i've. 1t IS already aScertained that some of
the Presidents friends are disturbed at this
new departure and greatly regret it. But
whatever may be thought about the wisdom
OF the police, there can be little doubt that
open war between Conkling and the President
can now with difficulty be avoided. 1t is
scarcely possible that it can be averted. The
next step will evidently be to force action up
on the nomination of Robertson. Whether
II will be Conkling's policy to attempt to keep
ROD0rtSOn'S name in the com m ittan rptnajnS m
be seen.
The withdrawal of the New York nomina-
tions except that of Robertson is certainly
dramatic surprise. The best friends of the
administration in the Senate do not approve it.
One of them who had not been in the Senate
Chamber. upon hearing the rumor, said "If
that report is true it is a terrible mistake. 1t
is an act that does not come within the province
OF the executive. The President has had bad
advisers" There is of course no longer any
talk OF compromise. The gage of battle has
been laid down.
ITO the Associated Press.l
WASHINGTON, May 5.-The President sent
message to the Senate Withdrawing the New
York nominations for United States marshals
and district attorneys and collector IF Buffalo.
The nomination of Judge Robertson for col.
leclor OF customs was not withdrawn.
The message is simply formal message of
withdrawal containing no explanation or COM
ments. The nominations withdrawn are as
follows: Steward L. Woodford, United States
District Attorney for the Southern District Of
New York; Asa w. Tenney, United States
District Attorney for the Eastern District of
Marshal for the Southern District of New
York; Clinton d. McDougal, United States
Marshal for the Northern District of New
York; John Tyler, Collector of Customs for
the District of Buffalo.
Senator Dawes has telegraphed the follow
ing to New England newspaper:
Please say tomorrow that all statements
that L or any committee of which ain one
have advised the President to withdraw the
nomination of Robertson or have recommended
to him or to the caucus that action on the
nomination be postponed to another session
are false. Fabricators of facts at this end of
the wire and those at the other end who use
the fabrications as true beat themselves, not
ma >,