St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-04-02
1T is ALL BOSH.
Timothy Griffith, Roscoe Con-
kings Old Private Sec
rotary,
GIVES SOME INSIDE HISTORY
or the Reasons Why Conkling
Resigned From the United
States Senate.
WAS NOT GUIDED BY PLATT
AS Ex-senator Pierce Is Re-
ported in the Dispatch to
Have Said.
GIVES SOME INSIDE HISTORY
WAS NOT GUIDED BY PLAT

Timothy Griffith, who studied law
in the office of Roscoe Conkling,
served as private secretary for that
brilliant statesman from the day he
first entered the United States sem
ate until he severed his relations
with that body, and was thereafter
associated with him in the practice
of his profession in New York, is
sojourning temporarily in the vicin-
ity of the Twin Cities. Mr.. Griffith
takes exception to the impression
conveyed by the following recently
published in the Dispatch relative
to the reasons that prompted Conk-
ling to resign from the senate:
"Ex-Gov. and ex-senator Gilbert A.
Pierce, of South Dakota, says that ex-
Senator Plat was not the me too of
1881, when he and Conkling resigned
in disgust on account of Garfields
disposition of the New York patron
age. Pierce relates that Conkling once
told him that after coming from an in
terview with Garfield, Plat declared
he would resign, and did resign. and
that he (Conkling) simply followed
, Platt's example. This story puts a
new face on the incident, and is in
harmony with Platt's subsequent dis
play of political nerve"
Referring to this item, Mr.. Griffith
says: 81 know ex-senator Pierce,
and I know that his statement is
in the main correct-that is, that
Senator Conking told him that Sen
ator Platt first said he would re-
I'm I TO
phatically that the inference that
Conkling simply followed Plat in
so doing
IS WITHOUT FOUNDATION
in fact. That Plat said he would
| resign because of the attitude of
the Garfield-Blaine administration
is undoubtedly correct.
II have heard him relate MANY
| times his experience with the incom-
ing OF the Garfield administration, and
| Especially the interviews then had
with Garfield. On the occasion of the
| last meeting he had with Garfield.
ConkliEg was at the White house UNI
| I'll late hour, when he was assured
| that no nominations disagreeable to
| MIN would be sent in, nor would any
be made without first consulting him.
Yet the obnoxious nominations were
sent in before 1 o'clock the following
day.
ut transpired that after ConkIing
left Garfield, on having received this.
assurance, Blaine came in after mid
night and demanded that Robertson's
nomination be sent in as the first and
foremost appointment as collector of
customs of the port of New York.
1T was not the selection of Robert
son for collector that made Platt re-
sign, for he had himself agreed when
selected as senator at Albany that one
Of these great places should be given
to the opposition-the Robertson fac
tion-not doubling but that he could
arrange 1t so as to get rid of them
with minor place.
When the designations of Conkling
and Platt took place, it was a finality
with Conkling, as 1 can personally as
sure you, and when he afterwards
went to Albany for a reelection. it
was at the earnest behest of his clos
est friends. He yielded, though it was
his own judgment, as L know, that he
should not do so''