Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1883-07-26

the Stalwarts everywhere were 80 frigiC
as TO send chill throughout the party
Dorsey never permitted himself 10 los,
courage or hope. Garfield's cOrrespon
dence with Dorsey at this time reveal
a state of mimi bordering on despair
and this embarrassed Dorsey not a lit
tie. Garfield bewailed the indifference,
of the Grani faction; Dorsey told hin
that 1t wOulI pass away. Garfield
could not see that way clear for cordia
corporation; Dorsey told him that tht
way lay with himsrlf Garfield asked
for light to show the way; Dorsey fur
nished 1t. .E.
IL was Dorsey who conceived and sue
cessfully managed the Fifth Avenue
Hotel conference, and he himself ha.
said that not even his recent trial as 1
criminal conspirator against the Gov
ernment gave him more anxiety, OF
more necessity for calling upon all hi.
resources, than did the arrangement.
for that conference. Dorsey had pre-
sented to the Republican managers, in
Guiding Garfield, his views respecting
the canvas. To his thinking there were
two necessities. One was money; the
other the cooperation of the New York
Stalwarts. The two were linked. Dor.
sey said that no money could be raised
without the cooperation of the New
York men; and on the other hand, with
that cooperation, combined with Ger,
tain honeyed inducements, any amount
could be raised.
Dorsey from the first urged the ne,
cessity of making the battle in Indians
in October. His correspondence with
Garfield will show that, and Garfield's
replies to him viii also show that the
candidate was of the same opinion
Garfield suggested some puerile plans
such as one to interest certain relig-
ious sect in Indiana, and also the edu-
cational interests. Dorsey pooh-poohed
these, and in plain terms said that the
influencing factor in Indiana would be
money. In this view Gen. Brady, who
knew Indiana from the lakes to the
Ohio, agreed. Garfield did not know
how the money was to be raised. Dor
sey did, and he told Gsrfield that he
must meet the New York politicians
He told him that when he met these
men, there must be no political diplo-
macy about it. The meeting must be q
practical business meeting. There must
be no general;ties, no vague suggestions,
positive pledged assurances. He told
him that the New York politicians
were ready to give, but that they were
business men, and would expect to re-
ceive. 1t must be quid pro quo meet
ing, and there must be no tritling, be-
cause the New York men could not be
easily persuaded.
Garfield held off for while from a
face to face meeting, and at length sug-
gested that he would meet certain in
tiuential New York Stalwarts in Mentor.
Dorsey told him in the&plainest terms
that he must come to New York; that
the New Workers would not run after
him, and that he must come to them.
So Garfield at last consented. The
Fifth Avenue Hotel conference was ar
ranged, Conkling had promised to be
present; but he was the only one of
those who were expected to take palt in
The conference kept away. Why he
did so viii appear later. .
y.-THE FIFTH AVENUE CONFERENCE.
The great Republican party had come
to this at last. 1t had nominated O
Credit Mobilier man for President, and
its candidate, to- win, was abliged to
meet with the representatives of a pow
erful faction, and dicker and bargain
with them for the price of their sup
port. Dorsey had told Garfield that
this Fifth Avenue Hotel conference
would be "the climax of the canvass. !"
Ii it was successful, Dorsey promised
success in November; ifit failed, Dorsey
said that they might as we'll close their
committee rooms and let the campaign
go by default. Time was pressing. 1t
wanted but few weeks to the great
preliminary contest in Indiana.
Garfield had been greatly impressed
by Dorsey's earnestness, and when he
met the representatives of the great
Stalwart faction in the Filth Avenue
parlor, it was noticed that the smiling.
hail-fellow-well-met manner was ab-
sent. He was most serious, and seemed
to be thoroughly in earnest. He made
q plain, seemingly frank statement to
the grim politicians. in front of him
who had his fate in their hands. He
acknowledged as much to them. He
said, as he had said before to Dorsey,
that New York had the right to expect
the largest recognition at his hands:
that it was his earnest desire to so shape
his course that all differences in the par
ty would be reconciled, and that no one
would expect that he would for mo-
ment entertain any idea but that of
learning what the wishes of the friends
in New York were and if they were
consistent what was fair, he would give
hearty assent to them.
But generalities We're not INDUCED in
very long. Facts and figures were nre-
sented as coldly and as free from hints
as a bargain for the sale of a railroad.
They told him first that he would agree
to as Secretary of the Treasury New
York man prominently identified with
the part OF the party that favored the
nomination of Grant. He said that the
demand was not only not unreasonable
but entirely proper, and when Levi P.
Morton was suggested as the man an who
was desired. Gen. Garfield promised
without further qualification, that, if
elected he would appoint Mr.. Morton
Secretary of the Treasury. He subse--
quently added that if Mr.. Morton pre-
ferred first-class mission abroad. he
should be appointed to that. Now
comes the humiliating part Of the bust
ness. The cool and determined politic-
ians with whom the candidate for the
Presidency was dealing kept up the
business aspect of this proceeding bv
making duplicate memoranda of What
had been promised. 1t was o formal
document, frigid as bill of sale.
But this was tritie compared with
that which followed. This only secured
the active support of the Stalwarts.