New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-02-25
OPINIONS AND SPECULATIONS AT WASH
INGTON.
,nr rnrIpGRArH To THE rRIBuNE.l

tpy TELEGRAPH THE rRIBuNEl
WASHINGTON, Feb 2i.-When the President seh'
% tbe Senate to-day the name of Roscoe Cohkhng'
" yoov.york for Associate Justice of the supreme
Conrt in pace of Ward Hunt, resigned. 1t was gen.
Iii flt tha, he exhausted the possibilities OF po-
,t;col snrprises The unexpectedntss OF the fresl-
5o,ts decisions is passing into proverD lhey are
mt 70 come at a time when they are not looheu
or or ond they are apt not to be what they are eX-
,octod 70 be- 1t is not known how old the rreSi-
5en,,s determination TO name Mr.. Conklmg tor TINS
n,ace is but some of his most intimate friends-nen
,bo yonld know his plans, if he were III the haoit
u,;,c any person to know them-were not
oro of il until this morning. The secret was so
u Kent that the first intimation that any senator
,rohaLlv had of it, was the receipt of the nomiha-
,ion What made it more OF surprise IMAM IL
might have been was the fact that within the laSt
two or three days the rumOr-mongers had revived
the old story that Senator Edmunds was 10 apahoon
his most of leadership in the Senate for one whlch
has been several times put at his dlspOSal ana as
often refused.
The expectation of the best Informed OF the
Presidents friends that Judge Blatch1ord woulu
receive the nomination, which has continued "ii-
broken until to-day has also heightened the sur
prise 1t was soon known through the Capitoi ana
made the chief sensation of dull session, though
- cannot be said to have caused anything like
excitement Members and Senators discussed IL
with much interest but quietly. There were al
most as many theories regarding the significance
and intent of the nomination as there are lheilpe'S
of Congress and in the absence OF real lllorhauoh
among the Presidents friends, as among those VINO
are not recognized his friends, speculation ran l's
fnu course The chief topic of these DISCUSSIONS
was the question whether or not the nomination
was one made to be accepted or was SIMPLY Ten
dered as a compliment great deal OF lncredui''y
was manifested as to the genuneness of the nom
ination by those who recalled the tact that MI
Conkling declined at for;y-three the nomination
for Chief Justice which was offered him
hv President Grant and who could not be-
Irve that at nearly ffty-three he would
accent the position of Associate Justice
a much less conspicuous place, involving hhuch
drudgery and an enforced inactivity IN pohtlcai
affairs. and carrying with it a salary OF only
$4,000 a year Mr.. Conkling, it was said had
devoted himself TO the practice OF the law iii
order TO better his personal fortune, which had been
neglected during long public career. Ii would DC
strange now if he should relinquish this effort TO
take a moderate salary with place which might
Interfere with the fu(lment of the one p0tlcaI am
hilton Of his Iife-to returned to his seat in the
Senate. 1t was thought that it was place which
would not only be uncongenial to him. but one
which he could gain nothing by taking
On the other hand Il was said that the President
conld not afford TO put himself in the attitude OF
rendering a nomination for SO dlgnllied and hOnor-
able a position as that of Justice OF the supreme
Court of the United States merely TO serve as po
ltical compliment. The President was so cautious
in all his actions regarding appointments, IL was
said that he wond not have made the tender of the
place without some assurance that 1t would DE
accented. The nomination of Mr.. COnkling for an
oO;oo he itself
some of the bitterness of tho controversy OF
last summer and if the people of this country
shonld become convinced that it had been mere
stage plava rehearsed performance for the sake OF
showing the country that the President retained his
former h gh opinion of ex-senator Conklng-there
would be a general resentment, which would nave an
injurious effect ON the Administration OF President
Arthur MANY ,-ere inclined TO think that for this
reason and because the President as a sagaclous
politician would this, the nomination was prob
ably made in good faith far as the President was
concerned.
The view that was taken by some Republicans
who have been opposed to the President
within the party was an interesting
one They said they were glad the
appointment had been made for the sake of the Re
publican party in the State of New-York. because,
to use the words of one Of them, :" it takes ghost
OUT of the way" These gentlemen believed that the
President had offered Mr.. Conkling the place with
the distinct intention of removing dis surbmg
cause from the politics of New-York.
They thought the President meant to
say TO Mr. Conlling that he could
have the Endorsement conveyed by an
appointment TO life Office of much honor, but that
ne was not 10 he the leader of the party In New
York. and his quarrels were not TO be allowed 10
disturb ITS future In short, President Arthur pro-
Iood 4bo rfv in Nork
Whether the place should be accepted or
declined, the offer was TO serve a notice
that Mr.. Conkhng 10 lead no longer. THIS is
the view of Garfield Republicans who feel
very kindly toward the Administration and is per-
haps as picturesque any one of the hundred spec
ulatiOns that current.
There are rumors aioat that Mr.. Conkling con-
sented to take the place ten days ago. but they
not be confirmed and do not find many
believers Ii is positively known that cx-
Senator Platt was strongly in favor OF the
appointment several days ago, and exceptionally
well informed Republicans say that il is his scheme,
though friends Of the President deny that ex-senator
Platt has any influence with him. At
the time Of the Albany contest the Iecl-
ing between them was far from cordial.
Two prominent New-York politicians who are
in Washington say they feel sure Mr. COnkling will
not accent Some shrewd observers incline TO the
belief that the nomination made with variety
Of motives in the hope that Mr.. Conkllng would
consent 10 serve but without any assurance that
he would do So If he should decline the President
can fan back Oh his original choice, which
was pparently Judge BlatcfOrd. One suggestion
is that as the next Senatorial election III Aew-fork
does not come until 1855, Mr.. Conkling could take
The place and have the prestige of serving for three
years before engaging in a struggle for reeiec-
tiOn.
The nomination of ex-senator Sargent to be