San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-02-18
THE SITUATION.
Another Chap err on Be ssism--A
Eey ew OF the S.-va ion From
Al An i-Blaine - and ?ont
"A Call fof a New Cam
SAN ANTONIO, February II, 1888.

diQ~Se,
SAN ANTONIO, February II, 1888.
Df'y L6-':
Thanks for the insertion OF nv last in
your Tuesdays paper, now a VOID 10 IL
lustration:
In the year 1880. three great senators
undertook TO "bosso his state; 10 wit:
Conkling 10 boss New York; Cameron
10 boss Pennsylvani and Logan 10 boss
Illinois, In the interest OF General Grant
for the republican nomination that year.
They did not stop TO inquire what the
republicans OF their respective states de-
sired, they had their state convention
called and held, and sent q solid delega-
tion from each Of their states, instruct
ed to vote for Grant.
At that time IL had not been authori-
tative.y settled whether the district
delegates should be selected from their
respective districts, by the district, or
by the whole state, and the New York
Grant delegates, as we'll as the PenDsyl-
vania and Illinois delegates had Deen Sc
lected In the latter way. This was the
first error and the bosses should be held
responsible therefor. for bad the friends
of Blaine, Sherman and other aspIrants
been treated fairly in the stste conven-
lions of New York, Pennsylvania and
Illinois In 1880, then the national con-
vent,on OF 1880 would have been har-
mOniOus instead Of the bcGlaT II turned
out to be.
At the above course of the bosses,
Blaine and Sherman and other aspi-
rants aud their friends took great um-
BRACE and ofiense and speedily set about
TO right themselves.
In New York, one Robertson, q friend
OF Blaine, became the leader OF party
revolt, and he and Others caused about
fifteen congressional districts TO hold in
dependent district conventions, and Sc
leot Blaine delegates TO the national con-
ventioD. 10 Pennsylvania a similar
course was pprsued. and In Illinois q
like course, but the opposition delegates
In that state were Washburne men.
This was the second error: for, bow
ever. hu:tful had been the actions Of
Conkling. Cameron and Logan to the In
teres's Of Blaine, q revolt was not justi-
fable on any grounds, especially when
all men knew that Grant. and not
Blaine, or Sherman, or any her man
was largely the choice Of the three
states named and each enc Of them; aud
the revolt was not the action Of the rank
and file, but Of the bosses of the party.
When the Chicago national oonven-
lion met these district delegates from
the three states named appeared and
contes ed the seats Of Grant delegates;
and by q combination OF all anti Grant
delegates, the contested seats, not vot-
ing, got the seats. This was third but
great error, and had the effect to defeat
Grant, and Blaine, and Sherman, and
every man before the convention, and
the nomination o, Garfield.
This contest was long and bitter, IL
was a fight Of the bosses, and well nigh
wrecked the republican party, but Gar
field:was elected and the party saved.
But our evil day was to come yet.
When Garfield became president, he
committed the error OF his life, by the
appointment Of Blaine to the house OF
his cabinet; for had he left Blaine In the
senate and took no boss into his cabi-
net, today, he would be serving 2nd
term as president. with Blaine and
Conkling In the senate. Who doubts
thisP As soon as Blaine entered the
cabinet he commenced q war upon
COnkllng. He caused Robertson to be
appointed to the greatest patronage