Holbrook argus., 1911-01-10
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY Reason for Famous Political
 Quarrel of Long Ago.
Hitherto Unpublished Version of the Real Cause of Thomas c. Platt's Resignation From the Senate
 Given by E. J. Edwards.
By E. J. EDWARDS.

IeoSCOS COnhilnS JO resign rom 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 sena- tor says that when he learned that the man who had been instrumental in defeating the Grant movement for thtrd-term nomination had been fla vored of the president without the knowledge and approval of the New York senators, who had fought for Grants nomination, He, Platt, walked over to Conkling and exclaimed: T shall send my resignation. to Governor into conference, Conkling insisting that we should wait and fight it out in the committee to which the Robert son nomination had been referred" But, q finally induced Conkling, on May 14, to join me in offering our joint resignations
 Why did Senator Platt not desire to fight it out in the committee" 10 which this nomination, which was so distasteful to him, had been referred? Because i've have been so humiliated as United States senators from the great state of New York" is the req son he gives. That may have been the reason in part, perhaps, but as the belief is quite general in old-time na- tional political circles that Senator Platt did not reveal all he knew about the Robertson incident in his autobi- ography, l am telling today a hitherto unpublished version of the real reason Of Platts resignation, and I tell 1t on the authority of the late Col. John R. Van Wormer.
 "The real, and not the ostensible reason of MT. 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, a Democrat, in the United States sen ate,' said Colonel Van Wormer. That legislature was Republican by a safe majority, and, therefore, MT. Herman could not be reelected.
 Now, there was a strong element of the party in favor of the election of Richard Crowley, who had represented one of the New York districts in con- gress for number of years. Dick was a very popular man. He was very strong Stalwart, the name of the party faction headed by Conkling.
 But there was wing of the party, under the leadership of Chauncey De- pew, which, while not exactly opposed to Senator Conkling, was disposed to be friendly to Judge William H. Rob- ertson, who had taken such a leading part in blocking Conklings plans for third-term nomination for Grant. This Depew-led wing was rather favorably disposed towards the nomination of Tom Platt for senator.
 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 un- der Garfield, looked with favor upon Platt's candidacy, we at last had meeting with Platt. At that meeting we told him that if he would pledge himself not to make any war upon Judge Robertson for upsetting the Stalwarts' plan 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.
 Tt would be impossible to conceive of any more earnest assurances than MT. Platt then gave us. He declared he was sick and tired of factional dis turbance and wanted to bring about general reconciliation, and with that pledge made to us MT. Platt was able to secure sufficient number of votes to place him in the United States sen ate.
 "A few weeks after Mir. Platt had taken his seat, President Garfield, un- known to the senator, sent to the sen. ate the nomination of Judge Robert son as collector of the port of New York. The very same Robertson who had led the bolt of the New York state delegation at the Chicago con- vention which defeated the nomina- tion of General Grant, had been named for the most important political fed eral office in the Empire state,
 Tom Platt was in a fix. I have heard that the night following the an nouncement of the nomination he did not sleep wink. He had more to be worried about than Senator Conkling. even, for there was that pledge to us old Crowley men. It was that that bothered Tom Platt most, and it was that that finally forced him to reach his unalterable determination to re- sign. can't vote to confirm Robert sons appointment, was his coucm. sion. But, on the other hand. am under pledge to those who made my election as senator possible not to op- pose that appointment with my vote. I am between two fires. There is nothing left for me to do but to re- sign from the senate.