Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1881-05-19
ConkIing and PIatt.
Resignation of Both q.
S. Senators from
New York.

ell, accompanying their designations:
WASHINGTON, ID. c., May IA, 1881.
SIR-Transmitting as we do our resig-
nations, respectively, of the great trust
with which New York has honored us,
it is fit that we acquaint you,and through
you the Legislature and people of the
State, with the reasons which, in our
Judgment, made such step respectful
and necessary.
Some weeks ago the President sent to
the Senate in group the nominations
of several persons for public Offices al
ready filled. One of these Offices is the
collectorship of the port Of New York,
now held by Gen. Merritt; another is
consul general at London, now held by
Gen. Badeau another is charge d'affaires
to Denmark, held by Mr.. Cramer; anoth-
er is the mission to Switzerland, held by
Mr.. Fish, son of former distinguished
Secretary of STATE. Mr.. Fish had, in
Difference to an ancient practice, placed
his position at the disposal of the new
administration, but. like the other per-
sons named, he was ready to remain at
his post, if permitted to do so. All these
officers, save only Mr.. cramer, are citi-
zenS of New York. 1t was proposed to
displace them all, not for any alleged
faults or for any alleged need or advan-
tage to the public service, but in order
to give the great Office of Collector of
the port of New York to Mr.. VIM. Fl.
Robertson as a reward for certain acts of
his said to have "aided in making the
nomination of Gen. Garfield possible" !"
The chain of removals thus proposed
was broken by Gen. Badeau's promptly
declining to accept the new place to
which he was to be sent. These nomi-
nations summoned every member of the
Senate to say whether he advised such
transactions. The movement was more
than a surprise. We had been told only
a few hours before that no removals in
the New York offices were soon to be
made or even considered, and hads been
requested to withhold the papers and
suggestions bearing on the subject, which
had been sent to US for presentation
should occasion arise, until we had no
tice from the President of his, readiness
to receive them. Learning that the Vice
President was equally surprised and had
been equally miSled, we went to Mr..
James, Cabinet officer from our State,
and learned that, though he had spent
some time with the President on the
morning of the day when the nOmina-
tions were sent in, no disclosure of his
intention to send them had been made
to him, and that he first knew of the
message by hearsay.
Following this event, after an earnest
reflection and consultation, we believed
the proceeding unwise and wrong, wheth-
er considered wholly in relation to the
preservation and integrity of the public
service and public example to be set, or
in relation also to the integrity of the
Republican party. No public utterance
of comment or cenSure was made by Ell
ther of us in the Senate or elsewhere.
On the contrary, we thought the Presi-
dent would reconsider the action so sud
denly and hastily taken, and would, at
least, adopt less hurtful and objectiona-
BILE modes of requiting personal or indi-
Yidual service. -.--..- lHf.sfs 81
In this hope, the following paper was
prepared and signed, and presented by
Mr.. James to the President, who was
subsequently, informed that you had au-
thorized your name to be added also:
To the President i;fe-,
We beg leave to demonstrate against
change in the Collectorship at New
York by the removal of Gen. Merritt
and the appointment of Mr.. Robertson.
We heard of it only when several nomi-
nations, involved in the plan, were an
nounced in the Senate. We had only
two days before this been informed
from uou thaf a ohap0a in the oust0nc
officers at New York was not contem-
plated, and were quite ignorant of the
purpose to take any action now. We
had no opportunity until after the NOM
nations to make the suggestions we now
present. We do not believe the inter
ests of the public service will be promo
ted by removing the present Collector
and putting Mr.. Robertson in his place.
Our opinion is quite the reverse, and we
believe no political advantage can be
gained for either the Republican party
or its principles. Believing that no in
dividual has claims OF obligations which
should be hquidated i'm such mode, we
earnestl, and respectfully ask that the
nominated u Of Mr.. Robertson be with
drawn. . tt
3 [Signedl CHESTER A. ARTHUR,
lH+ i5si #. G. PLATT, .
.a;sa- THos. l.. JAMES,
Roscoe CoNKLING.
This paper was presented to the Pres
ident by Mr.. James,o ON Monday, the 2Sth
day of March.
Knowing the frequency with which
every one of the the twenty Presidents
of the Republic, and markedly the pres
snt incumbent, had withdrawn .nomina-
tions on less serious representations we
did not apprehend that such suggestion
would be treated as an intrusion or in
vasion of any prerogatiye the nomina-
ting power. We were disappointed. I'm
mediately the public press, especially in
articles and dispatches written by those
in close and constant association with
the President and with the influential
member of his cabinet, teemed with vi
olent denunciations of the Senators from
New York for opposing the Admins
tration" and "dictating to the President
Persons who visited the Executive Man
sion reported the President as resentful
and impatient of hesitation to advise
and consent" to what he proposed. We
had made no assault upon anybody. We
have at all times refused to answer
questions by representatives of the
press, or TO make complaint or comment
or even denial of many truthlcss charg
es published against us by officious
champions of "The Administration" In
deed, beyond confidential consultations
with brother Senators and officials we
have said nothing till now on the sub
ject, nor have we or either oflus promoted
the deadlock in the Senate in order to
prevent or influence the action of any
nomination, nor have we so stated. I'm
mediatelY after. the nominations were
published letters and kilograms in great
number came from every part of the
State from leading citizens protesting
against the proposed changes, and con-
demning them on many. grounds. Sew
eral thousands of leading mercantile
firms of New York, constituting, we are
informed, a majority of every branch of
trade sent LIS circumstances sixty ont