The Winslow mail., 1911-02-25
new NEWS OF YESTERDAY
Political Enigma That Probably
Never viii Be Solved.
Only One Man Now Living Can Tell
Name Of Republican Who Persuad-
ed President Garfield to Make
Judge Robertson Collector.
BY e. J. EDWARDS.

There is probably only one man
now living who is able to give au-
thoritatively the name of the Repub-
lican who persuaded President Gar
field, in March, 1881, to nominate
Judge William H. Robertson collector
of the port of New York-a nomina-
tion that brought about the dramatic
Joint resignation of Roscoe COtlkling
and Thomas G. Platt from the United
States senate, and in the opinion of
many, the defeat of James G. Blaine
as the Republican presidential nomi-
nee in 1884. The one man is J. Stan
ley Brown, who was private secretary
to President Garfield and who mar
ried the presidents only daughter.
Mr.. Brown, however, will never tell,
unless pOsthumously. He regards him.
self as under obligations to reveal
none of the secret history of the Gar
field administration.
I have been asked many times who
it was that recommended to Garfield
the appointment of Judge Robertson,
and could only say that in Washing
ton, at the time the appointment was
made, no one was found excepting
Mr.. Brown, who could answer the
question. Yet, it Is probable that the
late John H. Starin, who was in con-
gress with Garfield and was a close
friend of the latter, knew; and l base
this statement on conversation
had with Mr. Starin several years
after Garfields death.
"Mr. Starin" 4 said, "did you ever
know that it was suggested to Presi-
dent Garfield, after the designations of
Senators Conkling and Platt and the
confirmation by the senate of Judge
Robertson as collector of the port of
New York, that an ideal way out of
the difficulty would have been the ap-
pointment of you as the collector of
the port of New York and the nomina-
ton of Judge Robertson as United
States district Attorney"
mo, l never heard that" Mr.. Starin
replied Garfield and / were always
warm personal friends. My seat,
when l was in congress, was next to
him. When l found that General
president in $780, l was very much
pleased when General Garfield was.
But | never heard that anybody had
said to him what you now repeat to
me-"
WELL" l replied, President Gar
field was told that If he had appointed
you collector of the port the entire
l. h. nj
warts and the Half-breeds would have
ended. and when he heard this he was
silent for moment and then replied:
L never thought of Starin; l wish
had"
That was an extraordinary, I be-
lieve unequaled, irony of fate,' said
Mr.. Starin "See all the consequences
it has led to. For one thing, it un-
doubtedly paved the way for the elec-
ton of Grover Cleveland as president.
Il have sometimes heard it said
that General Garfield was persuaded
by Blaine to nominate Judge Robert
son for collector. Blaine, | know, felt
very grateful to Robertson, because
Robertson, through his leadership of
the bolt in the New York delegation
at the convention of 1880, prevented
the nomination of Grant.
But if Blaine did urge that nomina-
ton 1t was a fatal mistake for him to
make. You may remember that, al
though there were several incidents
which caused Blaine to lose the cleo
toral vote of the state of New York in
1884. vet the chief cause of his defeat
was the knitting of him by the friends
of Senator Conkling in the Utica
New York; district.
These friends we're firmly persuad
ed that it was Blaine who induced
Garfield to nominate Robertson for
collector of the port. They bided their
time. and when Blaine became the Re
publican candidate for president, they
determined to show their resentment
at the polls. Had Blaine received the
normal Republican vote in Oneida
county. New York, he would have OBJ
tanned the electoral vote of New York
state. Therefore, in the nomination
of Judge Robertson for collector of
the port lay the real cause for the de-
feat of Blaine for president in 1884
and T happen to know that Judge Rob
ertson was ambitious solely to be ap-
nointed United States district attor-
new. an office without much political
power"
And J. Stanley Brown is the only
living man who knows whether or not
if be true that Blaine persuaded Gar
field to nominate Judge Robertson
for collector of the port of New York.
/ hrrE E6War rda All