Evening journal., 1910-08-30
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
A New Reason for a Famous
Political Snarl of Thirty
Years Ago
Nv 0H0IIaud.0
BY "HoIIand."

In a recent number OF a popular
magazine the late Thomas c. Platt
tells, in his autobiography, his YER
sion Of the situation that led him and
Roscoe Conkling to resign from the
United States Senate few weeks
after President Garfield had sent to
that body the nomination of Judge
William H. Robertson as collector OF
the port OF New York. In one place
the Senator says that when he learn
ed that the man who had been in
strumental in defeating the Grant
movement for a third term nomina-
tion had been favored by the Presi-
dent without the knowledge and ap-
proyal Of the New York Senators. who
had fought for Grants nomination, he.
Platt, walked over to Conkling and
exclaimed; II shall send my resig-
nation to Governor Cornell tonight" /"
Then the two went into conference,
Conkling insisting THAT we should
wait and fight it out I'm the committee
to which the Robertson nomination
had been referred" But, Il finally
On MAY II 10 JUN
me in offesing our joint designations"
Why did Senator Platt not desire
to fight it out in the committee" to
which this nomination, which was so
distasteful to him, had been referred
Because 1--WE have been so humiliated
as United States Senators from the
great state OF New York" is the rea-
son he gives. That may have been
In INF a q
the belief is quite general in old-time
national political circles that Senator
Rlatt did not reveal all he knew
about the Robertson incident in his
autobiography, / am telling to-day a
hitherto unpublished version of the
real reason of Platt's resignation, and
] tell IL on the authority of the late
Colonel John r. Van Wormer. who
was long closely associated, political
ly with Senator Conkling; for years
exercised considerable political infiu
ence in New York state, and also for
years prior to his death, about year
ago, was prominent in banking circles
I'm the metropolis.
THE real, and not the ostensible
reason of Mr.. Platt's resignation from
the United States Senate dates back
to the closing days of 1880 and the
first days of 1881 when, prior to the
Republican legislative caucus at. AL
bany, the party leaders were busily
engaged in trying to determine upon
the man to succeed Francis Herman,
Democrat. I'm the United States Sen
ate" said Colonel Van WOrmer. THAT
Legislature was Republican by a safe
majority, and, there fore, Mr.. Herman
could not be reelected.
Nov, there was a strong element
Of the party in favor of the election
of Richard Crowley. who had repre-
scented one OF the New York districts
i'm Congress for a number of years
Dick was a very popular man. He
was a very strong Stalwart, the name
of the party faction headed by Conk-
ling. He had been an enthusiastic
supporter of a third-term nomination
for General Grant. And he was
close friend of ce-President-elect
Arthur.
but there was wing of the party.
under the leadership of Chauncey
Depew, which. while not exactly op-
posed to Senator Conkling, was dis
posed to be friendly to Judge William
H. Robertson, who had taken such a
leading part in blocking Conkling's
plans for a third-term nomination for
Grant This Depew-led wing was
rather fayorably disposed towards the
nomination OF Tom Platt for Senator.
It held the balance of power, and
knew it, It's votes could have nomi-
mated Dick Crowley, and for a time
We we're led to hope that its votes
would do.so.
But when We who were backing
Crowley heard that Levi p. Morton,
who. it was thought at that time,
would be Secretary of the Treasury
under Garfield, looked with favor
upon Platt's candidacy, we at last
had a meeting with Plat. At that
meeting we told him that If he would
pledge himself not to make any war
upon Judge Robertson for upsetting
the Stalwarts' plans to nominate
Grant-if he would not encourage any
further factional disturbances in the
party-we would throw the Crowley
support to him, and thus assure him
OF the Senatorial nomination and
election.
'It would be impossible to conceive
of any more earnest assurances than
Mr. Platt then gave us. He declared
he was sick and tired of facticnal dis
turbance and wanted to bring about
general reconciliation. and with that
pledge made TO us Mr.. Platt was able
to secure a sufficient number Of votes
to place him in the United States
Senate.