The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-06-29

paid the political work of his Secretary
of the TTeasury. 1t would be worth the
having OF Plat for Secretary of the
Treasury If only to read what the Mug
wumps would have to say about his APP
pointment and his administration.
Tt is impossible to write of Thomas
c. Plat without taking a glance at the
extra session of the United States Sen
ate convened in March, 1881. Gen. Gar
field had been elected President after
one of the most brilliant and desperate
battles the Republican party ever
fought. There were "Stalwarts" and
"Featherheads Conkling was the
leader of the former, and Blaine was the
leader of the latter Gen. Garfield was
one of the most accomplished men who
ever appeared in public life in this
country. In a parliamentary debate he
was Ajax; in the White House he was
Samson in wig" 1t was inevitable
that Blaine would dominate him. 1t is
long story-that campaign of 1SS0-and
a many-tOngued story; but there is as
little doubt that Conkling elected Gar
field as there is that Blaine nominated
him.
Grand and magnificent as was the Re-
publican party, there was not room
enough in it's front rank for Roscoe
Conkling and James G. Blaine. The is
sue was simple. Blaine was bound to
reward William Fl. Robertson for his
work at Chicago; but Mr.. Blaine could
have shown his gratitude without graft
flying his revenge. The appointment of
Robertson to the office of collector of the
port of New York was as much an as
sault on Conkling as it was a reward for
the service rendered Blaine at Chicago.
A dozen places could have been found for
Robertson, to either of which he might
have been appointed without serious de-
muir from Conkling. Giving him the
patronage of the New York custom
house was notice served on Conkling that
it was a fight to the finish. The tree of
hate planted in 1866 was yielding a har-
vest of revenge in 1881, a harvest that
was completely garnered in 1884.
The extra session of 1881 opened with
a tactical blunder on the part of the Re-
publicans. William Malone, one of the
fiefcest fighters of Lees heroic army
had been chosen Senator by the Demo-
Gratis of Virginia because he was both a
Democrat and a repudiator, for appear
ance sake styled readjuster. A Quaker
meeting would become hilarious hearing
the utterances of the Republican Sena-
tors in exposition of that term read
juster." The argument was that it was
bound to be respectable if opposed to the
nn1X
another name for repudiator. Had Han
cock been elected President Malone
would never have thought of becoming
a Republican The thing was a trade
and very bad trade for both parties
to it.
There were neutrality-suspicious. NUT
terings-in the great business circles
North and East. Conservative business
men did not look with favor on this
liaison with reputation. If the party
would go so far for the insignificant
patronage of the Senate, how far would
lit not go for the boundless patronage OF
the whole civil service?
Several sittings of the Senate were
spent in the attempt of the Democrats
to smoke Malone out. The party thai
should receive his support would gair
control of the Senate, and Malone had
not yet spoken. The Republicans conf
IDENTIFY announced that they would or.
ganize the Senate-that they had the re-
quisite votes-and this after David
Davis, of Illinois, had declared he would
not vote with them. Thomas F. Bayart
was the Democratic leader, but for this
occasion Benjamin H. Hill came for
ward, and never better man for such
work. Sir Walter Scott makes John
Balfour, of Burley, say that he had
never met his match in single combat
And of Ben. Hill it might be said he
never met his master in parliamentary
debate
That was a grandly eloquent grafton