The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-03-07


ids. Mich, and in his absence. on the
/ I ,022d ballot, he was nominated without
his knowledge or consent Mr.. Plat
wrote from Michigan declining the nom
| ination on the ground that ne had been
/ chosen a delegate pledged TO an IN
wavering support" of Goodrich and the
nomination had been put through with
out his concurrence of that candidate or
of his friends. Il am of the opinion. >
Mr. Platt wrote, that political prefer
ment obtained at the expense of old
| friendship and personal honor must
prove hollow and unsatisfying. I also
/ believe that all good Republicans will
gree with me in the statement. Better
no nomination than a nominee tainted
even with suspicion Of treachery and dis
| honor
The convention was called together
again and Goodrich was nominated and
| elected.
Turns Around and Beats Him.
While In Congress. however. Goodrich
| became the opponent OF Gen. Grant,
whose stanch supporter Mr.. Platt was.
and In 1872, when Horace Greeley was
nominated for President by the Liberal
Republicans and the Democrats. he be-
came Liberal Republican and accepted
the nomination OF the combination forces.
Mr.. Plat, nominated by reclamation,
beat out Goodrich by s20O. Gen. Grant.
running for a second term, and John A,
Dix. the Republican candidate for gov
ernor, swept the State. and Mr.. Platt was
made a member of the Committee on
Post-offce and Post Roads.
For many years Mr.. Plat had written
for the Owego Times editorials, political
articles. and verses. He was particu-
larry incensed against Greeley for taking
the nomination against Grant. and fierce
| " attacked the editor of the Tribune in
these articles.
In an editorial article in the same news
paper Mr. Platt, writing under the head
The JEFF Davis Candidate, attacked
/ Greeley because Of the Southern support
which he was receiving.
/ In 1874 Mr.. Platt was renominated for
Congress and defeated Edward F. Jones,
of Broome. later lieutenant governor. In
the goyernorship contest that year sam
ueI ]. Tilden beat out Dix, who had been
renominated, the Democrats fighting on
a hard-money issue. Mr.. Platt's commit
tee this term was that on Pacific rail-
roads. He was also a member Of the Ma
tional Republican Congress Campaign
| Committee. He declined another nomina-
ton in 1876. One of his last acts IN Con-
gress-January % 1S77-was to make a
speech which favored the bin for the cleo
| toral commission that seated Hayes.
He stood by COnkIins.
Conkling and Plat and their friends III
New York state had trouble with Hayes
from the moment he was seated. Hayes
was a friend Of Garfield, and man who
listened to Blaine as against Conkling
Blaine. defeated for the Presidential
nomination. became a Senator and met
Conkling on the floor of the Senate. The
war between them was on at Cnce. ant
Plat all this time stood side by side witt
Conkling Conkling had insisted 10 Hayes
that Plat should be made Postmaster
General, and the unanimous support OF
the Republican machine Of New Yorl
state was behind him. But Hayes listened
TO Blaine and Garfield, who suggested
that it was time to down Conkling anc
Platt in the Empire State, and turned
down Plat. at the same time making
William NJ. Evarts. avowed enemy o.
Conkling. his Secretary Of State. Chester
A. Arthur, collector of the port Of New
York, and the man upon whom Mr. Conk
ling most relied in that eity-although HI
was not particularly friendly to Mr.. Plat
was removed by the Hayes administra
ton, and Conkling's other friends in tbs
Federal service also walked the planl
in due time
BY. direction of Conkling, Plat wal
made temporary and permanent chairman
of the Republican state convention a
Rochester in September, 1871, the frs
State convention held after the seating
of Hayes. The state ticket nominated
at this convention was beaten at tn,
polls. and the Federal Offices in New Yorl
were turned over to the Hayes-Garffeld
Blaine faction. But the Conkling- Plat
faction continued in control OF the Stat,
Republican machine, and in 1879 Conklins
1 was reelected to the United State.
Il Senate.
Turn Efforts to Grant.
II Blaine was working day and night fol
the Republican Presidential nomination
of 1880 Conkling and Plat. knowing
| that Hayes would be discarded. and thai
/ Blaine was very strong. began the move
ment in favor Of a third term for Z
/ s. Grant, almost from the hour thai
Hayes turned against ConkIing. Boti
Conkling and Plat were personal friends
/ Of Grant. and. moreover. both knew TIA