The Sunday tatler and Jersey City express. (Jersey City, N.J.) 1883-1886, 1885-01-18
GOSSIP FROM TRENTON.
NEW LIGHT ON THE REQUIREMENTS
OF LAST WEEK.

NEW LIGHT ON THE ExCTTEMENTS
OF LAST WEEK.
How President schenck's Success Failed
TO Bear Upon tine Organization or
the state Trsasurership.
TRENTON, Jan. 17.-No one knows what
to make of the political developments of
the past week for the reason that every
body suspected there was deal between
Senators Youngblood land Schenck and
the Democrats, when there wasn't any.
The whole explanation of it is that Sena-
tor Youngblood was himself playing for the
Senate Presidency, and trying to lake
cats paw of the Senator from Mi essex.
It may have been the fear that You flood
would fetch it, that prompted the emo
Gratis to turn in SO promptly u snator
Schenck's assistance. One thing IS GER
tain, neither Schenck nor Young.sod will
go into the Republican caucus, and the POI
litical legislation that the Republican ma
jority might have devised to annoy the
Governor and the Democrats will stand
little chance of going through.
But the lobby expected a more substan-
tial return Denny Mclaughlin rushed
over to the House as soon as Sehenck had
been elected in the Senate, to announce
that the next move would be to elect DEM
ocratic Secretaries AID Democratic Ser
geant-at-Arms. 'Jack' Laird, the Secre-
tary of the State Committee, would in that
event have sat where Secretary Stiles sits
now, and the Chester6eldan graces Of
Soon" Donovan would have smoothed off
- -
department. BY the time ssDenny" got
back to congratulate his friends on their
successes, every one of the minor offices
had been given away to the Republican
caucus nominees.
The State Treasurership was yet IN abey-
ance. AS the Democrats had got nothing
out of the organization, it was very patent
that the State Treasureship was the basis
of the combination. Governor Abbetts
appointment of Jonathan Blackwell, who,
tradition says, used to be a member of the
State Senate, had been looked upon by
Republicans with suspicion, that was not
banked by the fact that ex-senator Taylor.
John L. Murphy, County Clerk Moore and
one or two other Republicans of local
prominence were among his official bonds
men. The lobby could not desist. how
ever, from asking why, if the State Treas
urer was appointed to stay, Blackwell
had been selected. Blackwell is
only another term, in small way,
for Kelsey, and it was said that Kelsey had
declared that, if Blackwell were appointed,
he could hold Republican Senator against
Joint Meeting. Ex-Sheriff Toffey, who
made his headquarters in the rooms Gen
eral Sewell occupied when he was here as
Representative from Camden, and which
his successor, Merritt, for three years af-
forwards made fragrant with the aroma of
newly imported oranges and bananas. Elk,
Sheriff Totfey, I started out t aay, almost
had conniption when the news Of Black
wells appointment was coupled with
rumors of Schenck's detection. The only
ray of humor that momentarily drove
away the blues was the noisy impudence of
fellow from the clay pits, who, installing
Judge Hoffman for the Governor, chewed
his ear for time in the corner of the
room, and went away with the remark that
he wanted that place fixed for his brother
without any fooling, now, Cow"
Nor did the Colonel feel any the brighter
when Blackwell himself dropped in to as
sure him that it was all right, and that the
Joint Meeting would be held. But Mr..
Blackwell was right about it. If he could
however, have held over for year
with Mr.. Kelseys aid, the Demo-
Gratis might secure a majority on
joint ballot, and the Governor could have
put in the man of his own choosing; but
the Governor did not seem to have been
disposed to stretch out his arm to save Mr..
Kelsey's friend, and the result was that no
Senator was held against Joint Meeting.
And on Tuesday next Col. Toffey will be
installed as State Treasurer for term of
three years. I haven't the least idea
whether Governor Albeit could have
saved Mr.. Blackwell or not, but I am
pretty sure that he was not disposed to
exert himself in that direction, if it would
have accomplished anything This may
possibly account for the attitude of Sena-
tor Vanderbilt in Executive Session last
Wednesday, on the Governors first NOM
nation this year. Old Senator Doughty of
Somerset had been selected by Governor
Albeit for Commissioner of the Sinking
Fund, in place of Alva Clark, who has re-
signed. Senator Vanderbilt's ostensibIe
ground of opposition to the confirmation
was that Senator Doughty is too old. No
one believes that the reason assigned is
anything but pretext on the part of the
Mercer Senator, and his objection is re-
garded as declaration of war against the
Executive Department. Senator Wander
hilt is Mr.. Kelseys warmest friend in the
Senate, and his thrust at the Governor may
have been in retaliation for the Governors
failure to assist Mr.. Kelsey's next friend,
Blackwell, in the State Treasurership
fight.
Senator Schenck has had curses, and no.
thing but curses, heaped on his head by
the little partisans of the press and the
lobby since he became President. The
newspaper fellows, except your humble
servant, had been booming Griggs for the
Senate Presidency, and Jenkins for the
House Speakership; and they were elegantly
laid out in all their schemes. Naturally,
defeat has made them very sour Even
little Chamberlain made stir by refusing
to act as President Schenck's private secre-
tary. 1t is noticeable that his virtuous in
dignation didn't cost him anything. He did
not decline President Schenck's offer till
he had assered himself of a place at Speak
fault with Chamberlain for choking on
somewhere, but then it scarcely becomes
him to blow about a sacrifice that didn't
take penny out of his pocket, and was,
therefore, no sacrifice at all. In spite of
all the villifcation and abuse he has had,
Senator Schenck can easily justify his de-
lection. He says that the whole slate Of
the Republican caucus was fixed up with
out even paying him the poor compliment
of consulting him. Enough votes were got
for it to put it through the caucus. and he
was just expected to 60 in and vote for it.
He very wisely determined that il he was
not worth consulting, at least, his vote was
esteemed of little consequence, and he pro-
ceeded to show the boys of how much con-
sequence it might be made by breaking the