The Washington herald., 1907-01-20
ARTHUR And NAST'S CARTOON
President Much Hurt When He Was
Caricatured as Bootblaek.
Political Bargain Which Led to His
Call on COnI<Iing and PIatt-SOme
Inside History.

In the campaign of 1850, Mast refused
10 introduce Garfield into the pictures,
though he did not hesitate TO satirize
Hancock with telling effect Mast was
never satisfied with Garfeld's Credit No
bilier explanation. and he did not then
highly regard Arthur. After the election.
when the Garheld-Conkling feud seemed
about 10 disrupt the party. and Vice
President Arthur made a trip 10 Albany
to confer with Senators Platt and COnk-
ling. supposedly for the purpose Of win
ming them back 10 the administration.
Mast cartooned him as n bOotblack polish
ing the disgruntled Senators shoes. The
artist lived TO regret deeply that cartoon,
for when Arthur succeeded to the PTesi-
dency he proved so noble a Chief Execu-
tive that be wen the respect and even the
love Of his enemies.
The sequel Of the Albany incident oc-
CURED on the eve Of the national con
vention Of 1854. Arthur had become Nasts
candidate for the nomination, and he
Was also favored by certain members Of
the Harpers' firm. With J. Henry Har-
per. Mast called on President Arthur at
urging him TO make more definite per
sonaI effort 10 win the nomination. They
believed that a combination might be
made which would defeat Blaine. whom
they bitterly opposed. and leave the vic
tory in Arthurs hands. The President
listened 20 their suggestions and admitted
that he greatly desired the honor Of the
nomination. yet he would make no spe-
cial effort to obtain It.
Il viii accept il. OF course. If 1t falls
10 me-" he said. but I can do no more.
I ought not 10 do that I am far from
well man, and II IS likely I shall not
survive the administration. No, I can't
do any more. I can't do ity'
Nobody spoke for several seconds; then
Arthur regarded Mast gravely.
DO you recall that once you caricatur-
cd me as a bootbiack," he asked pol
ishing the shoes Of Plat and Conklngg'
Mast nodded unhappily.
Il do, Mr. President" he said.
1T hurt me-" continued Arthur. 1T
hurt me terribly. Yet you were quite
right-far more than you knew-though
not altogether in the way you thought"
Then he related the circumstances Of a
political bargain whose harvest had been
national tragedy.
with the Maine election Of 1850" he
said. matters began TO look bad for our
ticket. and Mr.. Garfield agreed with me
that We must in some manner enlist
COnkling and P!att in our cause. I ad-
vised that we come TO New York to see
them, and we did 50. Meantime they
had heard we were coming. and had
taken train for Albany They refused to
meet Garfield, who then suggested that
see them and make any arrangement that
would bring them into iiae / saw them.
and they at first declined to believe in
my assurances Of Garfeid's good faith.
Gentlemen. I said. pledge you my
word as a man OF honor that Mr.. Garfield
made me that promise, and I viii under
take to see il carried out
1T was then understood among US that
Conkling and Platt should control the
New York patronage. and il was with
this assurance that they worked for the
ticket. Plat came back from the West
and took the stump with Conkllng, and
everything was done by Platt and Conk-
ling as agreed. You know what happened
after the election. But there is one thing
you do not know. 1t is true I went 10
Albany again. did so far descend from
the dignity of my Office as to go 10 see
Plat and Conkling-bUt I did not go 20
cOnCiliate them. Ii was worse than that
much worse. I went to Albany that last
time because they sent for me 10 come
I went on their order 10 come and explain
why I had not made good my pledge
They knew ] would not refuse to come,
and I did go, and I humblcd myself for
not having been able 10 keep my plighted
faith. Now you understand why your
picture was even truer than you could
know
During the final sentences the Presi-
dents voice had broken. and when he
finished, the tears were streaming down
his cheeks. a gentleman of gentlemen
III and already nearing the doorway OF
dcath-the memory Of his broken pledge
and his humiliation he could not calmly
recall.
CoukIing and Piatt had resigned from
the Senate when the President had failed
20 accord them the State patronage, and
Mast had recorded the episode in the
famous set of Lost Head cartoons.
President Arthur's revelation had Hooded
the matter with new light. To Conkling.
at least. the cartoonist was more friendly
from that day.