New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-01-07
THE pTrPPET" GARFIELD.


writes to The HeraM To vudicatc the memory
of the late President from criticisms on his New
York anpointmcnts by explaining that General
Garfield was not "A free agent in the matter,
bat "a pupDet" in the hands Of others. THIS
friendly defence he undertakes to establish
hv a private dispatch. from the Editor OF HE
TKKrNE, which he says the President pei
mtted INN to copy. The dispatch is given
with substantial correctness, and contains
great deal Of frozen truth, IA follows:
NKw-YoRK March 27-Midnisht.
Following points should reach President Monday
orpg: wond telegraph direct but that 1t seems surer
for Won to present them in person
senator PIatt came here SATURDAY very angry-is
reported talking to all with extreme bitterness
lie ,,,ld naturally nave come to see me, usual, but
ne iid not and did not think IT. wise yet 10 show
auxIely nv gong 10 Tim. For same reason ooth
Judge Robertson aud Chauncey Depew decided not 10
no To see him Those ala say he declared President
must oe forced to Withdraw nomination Of Robertson
He regarded It under circumstances under which II
WAS made an insult TO himself Conkling and James,
and u must be atoned for or President must
EXPECT war lie distinctly admitted that he was Hun
self under positive pledge 10 vote for Robers0ns con-
Irinatinn, given before his own election, but held
that way In which Robertson was appointed released
him from this obligation From this talk and other ind
stos here and at Albany we have concluded that the
,pkug plan is First. make tremendous pressure
President for withdrawal Of RobertSons name, under
threats from Conking and persuasion from James Sec
oDd If this ais then to maze their Indignation usetu
by extnrtlug from President as a means OF pacatlng
them the surveyorshp aud Naval Office. With these
two they think they could largely neutralize Robertson
Cornes candidate for Surveyor is Isaac V. Baker who
IA bad lot Cornell is violent Plat, and u.s. In
fact believed willing to aquiesce in Robertson hopngto
get the other oihces
wish to say 10 the President, in my Judgment this is
the turning point OF his whole Adminstratonthe crisis
~ his fate If he srrendrs now COnkng President
for the rest of the term and Garfield becomes laughing
stock On the other hand he has only to stand firm to
succeed With the unanimous action OF the New York
legislature COukling cannot mako an ehcctual hgnt
That action solely from the belief that Garfield m
like Hayes meant TO defend his own Admnistra-
ttou Tae Assembly ls overwhelmingly COnkling,
but they did not dare 90 the record against Rob
er,son 80 long they thought the Administration meant
business Whenever the time comes Patt can either be
forced TO support Robertson badly damaged by pro-
ducng proof of his pledges Then we can surely get
en0ugh Democratic Senators 10 Offset anythins Conk
linz can do In word there is safe honorable
way ont now blt to go straight on Robertson shoud
he held firm aud II change is made in the Surveyorshp
the new man sh0uld suit Robertson Merritt would do
perfectly that place since he good subordinate
| or some other good could be found. But 1t Is
mds pensabe that the Surveyorship should be kept In
our OVID Hands.
Bodness and tenacitY insure victory not merely
for this wear whole The least wavering
would be fatal Whenever pressure Plat James Is
wanted let us know OF Jamess soft insiuuatng
way He is again wholly under Conking's influence.
but stern sharp admOntion Will bring him instantly to
his bearings He Ough 10 have had that the morning
after his serenade speech. WHITELAw REID.
OF course, this was never intended for the
public but the writer sees no occasion to
modify or regret it, Its aim was, in answer
to the repeated written requests of General
Garfield, to give him the exact facts of the pot-
ical situation here, at that moment, as the writer
understood them. In answer to similar requests,
he sent General Garfield a number Of other
equally confidential communications on this
and kindred subjects, and if some friend" of
the dead President has been "allOwed to
copy" any more of them, the writer will be
extremely glad if they should be found equally
vindcated by the facts of the past ten months.
Obviously, this clumsy attack on Garfield az
"a puppet is really intended to strike Blaine
The persistent charge that Blaines meddling In
New-York politics led to the lunacy of Messrs.
Conkling and Plat, and to all the troubles
that followed that affection, may as well