Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1888-01-20
SOME INSIDE HISTORY.

secretary of the United States senate.
secretary of the republican national
committee ana chief editor of the Wash
inSton Republican,, No one but \ man
close to, and in the confidence of the
great leaders could command the details
of the interesting events. Here is what
he says of the Planned Knight"
Mr.. Blaine was, soon after the election
installed ss the chief adviser of the presi,
dent-elecV, Satan in Paradise was not a
more sctive and viSilaut enemy TO peace
than he Immediately proved himself to
be. He did net wait for the 4th of
March. He had buta single object in view.
and that WAS, at sill times and seasons
and by whatever means it could be done,
70 war upon and diminish the influence
OF Grants friends in the republican par,
~. This he appeared 10 deem iudis.
penSible 10 the maintenance therein of
any influence of his own. His first stap
was to play upon Gen. Gartield's natural
desire to serve second term. The election
attendant upon success has n tendency 70
cause the latter to forget how helpless he
had been during the preceding summer
until Grant and Conkling came to his re-
lief. Blaine constantly held the Grant
men up to view, especially IN New York
and Penusy ylvania, as the only obstacle III
Gsrheld's road to a second election. lie
did not wait for Garfold's assent. but
counting on his scqmescepce rushed with
headlopg speed into the republican
chlna-saop, paving and roaring as be
came the brute selected as his model.
The first and most expensive article of
party crockery which presented itself to
his intamod vision was the regular nom
inatiou, by the Legislative republican
caucus of Pennsylvania, of a caadIdate
for the United States senatorship. 1t
was Mt once broken, and, TO prevent
fusion between the democrats and the
Blaine minority, the republican majority
submitted TO this gross and iusCluut ex-
hlbitiou Of bOssiSm, and set aside their
regular nominee to make room for a man
dictated 10 them by resident OF the
state of Maine, ON whose behalf no voice
in Pennsylvania had been heard.
Gen. Malone, then an independent
from Virginia, having determined to act
with the republicans, the senate was
evenly divided botwt en- the two parties.
with the casting vote in the hands of
Vice President Arthur. This placed the
confirmation of the new presidents nom
nations beyond the reach OF democratic
objections end gave the dominant party
both houses of congress for the first time
in six years.
This did not suit the plans of MIR.
Blaine. He had work in hand which
would be pleasing TO the democratic
party, and which he could only aucomp-
lIsh by the aid of democratic senators.
The latter were delighted to aid him. IL
was To force Mr.. Coukliug into opposi-
tiou to the president by the nomination
for the coNcctorship of the port of New
York of n man for whom he could not
have voted had he been his adhcrCut, aud
who, in addition 10 that, had been guilty
of the hGsCncss of accepting an election
as a Grant delegate to Chicago, aud then
voting against him, and, 10y methods best
known 10 himself, inducing some eighteen
others, in violation of their most
solemn public pledges, TO do like
wise. He was accordingly uomin-
ated, after the president had
vount sGred to Senators Conkliug and
PlHtt and Vice President Arthur the as-
surance that no collector would be uomi-
mated until they had approved tho seloc-
ton. The senators opposed the nOmina-
tiOn, as they had perfect right to do,
and as it was their swwrn duty to do,
knowing what they did of his character;
whereupon they were subjected TO the
viest denuncIatiOn by every newspaper
to which Mr.. Blaine was known To have
access, and their adverse opiriou as to
the fitness of William Ii. Robertson 20 he
collector of the port of Now York WAS
proclaimed to be such an ahan donment
of republican principles that all who de-
Tended them III the senate or out of il
must expect the hostility of the admins
tration, and to feel the power of its
hand.
The democrats halted Mt first because
they regarded the admission of Malone
into the republicans circle rs IA brcuch of
faith with them. Mr.. Blaine was called
upon to rectIfy this error, and he
promptly pledged the whole power of
the administration against Malone as
earnestly rs the president had pledged it
to him. The conspiracy being now com
pleted by the union between the demo
cratic senators and the senatorial crea-
tunes of Blaine on the republican sIde
Conkling and Platt resigned their seats
in the senate. The New York legislature
was republican, and then in session.
THE assembly" said Whitelaw Reid in a
| private letter afterward published,
was overwhelming Conkling, but
| changed when it found that the
administration meant business. And so
| it did. The orders weut out from Blaine
| that the friends of the administration
must remain ont Of the legislative caucus
and they obeyed. The majority of the
| republicans desired to re-elect Mr..
| Conkling, but were thus prevented not
being allowed to prevail by the usual
method of out-voting the minority in Il
| party eaucus. The awful tragedy of tho
| presidents assassination intery"ned and
made some changes, but not enough to
| terminate the struggle. Guiteau, the
| assassin, had short time be
| ing his friendship for him and his
hostility to Mr.. Conkling. The power
| of money and offices finally prevailed.
| Robertson, although confirmed immedi-
dately after Conkling left the senate, re-
NAMED in the state senate TO the end of
| the senatorial contest, with his thirteen
| hundred places in the custom house all
| unbestowed. Mr.. Blaine selected the time
well for his war on Conkiing. IL was when
a new administration had its offices al! TO
give. The ins Who wanted 10 stay in and
the outs who wanted to get in were n
great army, good for service until the
| president should disband it by empty
| ing his grab bag. It lasted long enough
! to give the kites and buzzards of the
| party the control of the New York legis-
lature, and TO give that state the senator
| ial presentation she has since had.
Mr. ConkIing applied himself TO the
| practice of the law, and Mr.. Blaine TO
the business of making himself president.
| Mr.. ConkliDg has met with great success.
Mr.. Blaine mas not yet been elected presi-
dent. He probably will not be. The
republican party can not be harmODized
| by honoriDg the only men who have
created disturbances within IL. There
can be no monopoly of bolting. They
who draw the sword shall perish by the
| sword.
PERSONAL MENTION.
Daniel Marning bequeated all his
| property to his family.
The estate of the late Gov. Boz veil, of
Maine, is valued at 100000.