The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1881-06-02
Grant with Conkling.
He WRITES LETTER SUSTAINING THE NEW YORK
SENATOR AND cRITIcIsING THE PRESIDENT


SENATOR AND cRITIcIsING THE PRESIDENT.
The following letter from Gen. Grant to Senator
zones OF Nevada has just been made public. This
letter was accompanied by one from the ex-Presi-
dent to President Garfield, which was personally
delivered by Senator Jones. Its contents not
known, but it is doubtless of the same purport:
CITY OF MEXICO April "a, 1881.
My Dear Senator.
1 see by the latest dispatches received here from
the capital of our country that the deadlock in
ganizing the Senate is not yet broken, and that
nothing has been done by the Pesident TO ailay the
bitterness which must be engendered by his most
recent appointments. When the first batch of NOM
nations for New York was sent in was delighted.
1 believed then the President had determined to
recognize the Republican party and a faction.
But his nomination of the next day convinced me
that the first act was but part OF a deep-laid
scheme by somebody to punish prominent leaders
for being openly friendly to me- 1 cannot believe
that Gen. Garfield is the author of this policy |
give him credit for being too big man to descend
to such means for the punishment of men who gave
him a hearty support in his election and who are
disposed 10 give him the same support now, for the
onenSe of having had former preference for some
one else for the office which he holds. But
Garneld is President and IS responsible for all
acts of the Administration. Conkiing and Platt are
the chosen Senators from the great State of New
York, and that, too against all the opposition
Administration created by the same party that
elected them. This should give them ali the stong-
claim to be consulted In the matter of appoint
ments in their State When it comes TO filling the
most influential Office In their State without
sult1ng these Senators it is great slight. When
becomes an insult and ought to be resented to the
bitter end. sincerely hope the President Will see
this and correct his mistake himself and restore
harmony to the party. He owes this to himself and
to those without whom he could not have been elect
ed Nobody believes that he could have carried the
State OF New York without the active support Of her
present senators. Their passive support would not
have answered. Without the State of New York
Gen. GARFIELD would not now be President. His
wardfng Robertson is not only offensive to the New
York Senators, but is offensive to New York Repub-
ucans.
The change of Badeau and Cramer, the two ap-
pofntments in which felt strong personal inter
est, was very d1stasteful to me- the first because
our personal relations and my wish that he should
be kept where his office would support him until he
finishes some work he is engaged upon and which
he could do without interfering with his public
duties. The second, because ii was at the expense
of removing the son of my old Secretary of State
who probably never had his superlor-certanly
never for moral worth-in the Department. 1t is
true Fish resigned, but he did this from sense of
honor, supposing it to be the duty of representa-
uves abroad to give Administration the OPP
portunfty of saying whether they wanted or
not. Very truly yours
Z. S. GRANT.
Hon. J. P. Jones, United States Senator. Hash
fngton, D. c..