Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-05-16
PRESIDENTIAL GOSSIP.
A Startling Rumor That Conkling and
Grant Are to Join the Democrats.
d


Washington Cor. Philadelphia Press, 18th.
Westinghouse never so dull that it,
pubic men lose interest in the checkereC
game OF politics. At present there is 3
great deal Of talk regarding the Presiden
tial outlook. with reference, particularly
to the Republican nomination. There arr
two men at the capital about whom
gossip runs riot, and concerning the
plans and purposes of these gentlemen
the greatest curiosity is telt. These are
/ President Arthur and James G. GIBIaine.
The friends of the former aver that he
has no idea of being the Republican can
dldate and Will not enter the race. 1t is
/ quite as confidently asserted that the
President has an eye at all times upon
| the Presidential goal, and that if he sees
] he cannot get the nomination himself he
/ VIII use his influence to nominate a
! friend. Mr.. Blaine's most intimate friends
assert that he Will not under any circum-
/ stances be candidate, one of the reasons
! given for his determination on this score
/ being that, if nominated, he could not be
/ elected. On the other hand, one of Mr.
Blaine's warmest Pennsylvania cham
piOns informed his friends here this week
that the talk of Blaine being out of the
race was nonsense, and that he knew Mr..
bIalne would be, at the proper time, a
candidate.
For several months past the supporters
OF the eX-Secretary of State have regarded
I Senator tdnunds as the probable choice
OF the stalWart faction for President Ii
Is observed that in the recent poll made
of the Pennsylvania House of Representa-
tives the twenty-One Republican members
VINO declared themselves against Blaine
voted for Edmunds. That the Senator
from Vermont would be an acceptable
| candidate to Republicans. irrespective of
| faction, cannot be gainsaid. 1t will. of
course, be charged that as the first choice
OF the stalWartS. he is training with that
faction, While Ostensibly in svmDatbv
with the anti-machine element.
Judging from the attention paid by the
politicians to Secretary Chandler, he is
one OF the most important factors in the
Presidential contest. A New York Dem
cratic paper has, in its Washington cor
respondence, persistently asserted that
Mr. Chandler is in the Cabinet to do the
| bidding of MIR. Blaine; that, while SEEM
ing TO be the friend of the administration.
he is, in political sense, its deadliest foe.
Mr.. COnkling, in private conversation in
New York few weeks ago, said emphati-
cally that Mr.. Chandler remained true in
his allegiance to Blaine, and that the ad-
mlnlstration would find, to its cost. that
it had serpent in its breast. The fact
that Governor Butler and Colonel George
Bliss each worked industriOusly to secure
the appointment of Mr.. Chandler as Sec
retary of the Navy possibly tends to allay
these apprehensiOns.
A Republican Senator, who was in
Washington few days ago, laid down
the law to the Press correspondent as
follows:
''NO one can tell whether President
Arthur will be a candidate for the
nomination or not. 1t depends entirely
upon circumstances. A great deal of
work is now being done on the inside,
which may or may not result as expected.
One thing YOU may be sure of, Chandler
is done with Blaine and he is in full
sympathy with the administration. |
know that before he was aDDOinted
Secretary of the Navy there was a full
understanding on this point. There was
conference between, say, c., L. and H.,
at which Chandler was present, and he
gave unequalitedly his allegiance to
Arthur and renOunced his former assOcia-
tion with Blaine"
"What persons do you mean were pres
ent at the conference when you use the
letters c., F. and H?' asked the CORES
pOndent. ,'Were they COnkling, Frve and
Hale, or Cameron. Frye and HaIe?''
81 am not at liberty to tell you who
who they were," said the Senator; ''but |
know what l am talking about when
say that there was such a conference, and
that the result was the formal abandon
ment by Mr.. Chandler of his political al
leglance to Blaine. An attempt was made
about the same time to lead Senator Alli-
son, of Iowa, away from the Blaine col
umn, and, as he is known to be friendly
to the administration, | will assume that
1t was successful. l do not think, how
ever, that he made any pledges of the
character given by Chandler"
''The position of the President in this
matter is easily understood. He expects
to be able to control the delegates to the
next convention from Maine, New Hamp-
shire, Iowa, Indiana, Illinois, Virginia
probably, New York, and undoubtedly
those from majority of the Southern
States. 1t may be that public affairs will
so shape themselves during the next year
that President Arthur will think it wise
to contend for the nomination. He also
may see that it would be impracticable
for him to attempt it. In the latter event
he can handle his forces to nominate the
strongest candidate, and his friends will
undoubtedly be cared for by the nominee
II the Republicans would win, That
Senator Edmunds may be his choice is
not improbable, but know nothing about
that. OF one thing you may be sure, if
the President does not get the nomination
he will help to make the nominee"
"What does the President think of
to the Saturday Night Club in New YOrk?''
81 don't know; | have had no cOnversa-
ton with him upon the subject" said
the Senator, ''but | feel confident that the
President is delighted with any abuse
that Mr.. COnkling may have the kindness
to heap upon him. The greatest service
Mr.. COnkling could render the Republi-
can party would be to leaye it and join
the Democrats. He is mad because he
n frn bo
did Grants. The country Republican
voters are afraid of C0nkling and the pov
litical methods which he represents, In
the cities, where there is organization,
the voters may growl and grumble
under the leadship of bosses, but
in Presidential election they will,
as a rule, fall into line and vote
for the candidate. In the country it is
different, The farmers won't stand the
dictatiOn imposed upon city politicians.
The experiment has often been unsuccess-
fully tried. In proportion as men of Mr..
Conkling's stripe abuse the President
confidence will be gained for his admin
istration throughout the country. Gen
eral Arthur understands that his policy
is to win the support Of the faction that
has always been opposed to New York
machine methods. He can slap the stall
warts in the face with the certainty that
though they may snap and snarl, in the
next great election they will be true to
the party and its candidates. The indie
pendents, boilers and kickers are the
ones to be treated with kindness and con-
ciliatedr
There are rumors in circulation here of
a great impending and political revolu-
tion, which is to be led by Senator Conk-
ling and General Grant. These, one of
the gossips says, will, if nominations un-
satisfactory to them are made, Join the
ranks of the Democracy. They expect
to carry with them many of the great
capitalists of the East, whose confidence
has never been possessed by the Demo-
Gratis.
MURDERED FOR MONEY.
Two Americans Shoot Contractor Near