Evening journal., 1914-05-25
New News Of Yesterday
A Political Incident of the
Hayes Administration
BY Holland.

In the recently published reminis-
censcs of Theron G.. Strong, a leading
member of the New York bar and son
of one of the most eminent New York
judges the author feels justified in
stating that he had reasons for be-
lieving that William NJ. Evarts was
greatly disappointed because Presi-
dent Grant did not nominate him as
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
of the United States to fill the va
cancy created by the death Of Chief
Justice Salmon p Chase.
Mr.. Strong intimates that Presi-
dent Grant would undoubtedly have
nominated Mr.. Evarts as the success
sor of Chief Justice Chase had IL not
been for the fact that Senator Roscoe
Conkling, who had no fOndness for
Mr.. Evarts, persuaded the President
not to make the appointment.
In 1877, Roscoe Conkling, then Sen
ator from New York, made an excur-
sion to Europe. His friends chartered
a steamboat so that they might make
him their guest until a point was
reached in the lower bay in New York
where the Senator would be taken
aboard the steamship upon which he
was to make his passage to Europe.
Among his hosts were Gen. Chester
A. Arthur, who three years later was
TO be elected Vice President and to
succeed to the Presidency after the
death of President Garfield; Alonzo
b. Cornell, who two years later was
to be elected governor of New York,
and General George II. Sharpe, who
two and one-half years later was to
be speaker Of the lower house of the
New York legislature.
These three men had been removed
from office by order of President
Hayes for the good of the service, as
was alleged. Gen. Arthur was the
collector Of port, Mr.. Cornell, the
naval officer, and Gen. Sharpe, the
surveyor. This action of Hayes
created a great division in the Re
publican party, which was afterward
intensified by the resignation Of
Senators Conkling and Thomas b.
Platt, from the United States Senate.
The factional rift was so great as to
make il possible to elect Grover
Cleveland governor of New York, and
then President of the United States.
After Senator Conkling's hosts had
hidden him adieu and had watched
him as he stood upon the captains
bridge until he was out of sight, l
had some conversation with some of
the gentlemen, including Gen. Arthur,
who were members of this party.
Cen Arthur said to me: 81 suppose
that IL President Grant had nominated
William NJ Evarts as Chief Justice of
the Supreme Court of the United
States, we should not now be in the
midst Of factional disturbances.
have no justification in the way of
actual fact for my understanding OF
the situation. but / believe that Mr..
Evarts attributed to Senator COnk-
ling's appeal to President Grant, the
refusal Of the latter to nominate
Evarts for Chief Justice of the United
States Supreme Court. Mr.. Evarts
did not know, presume, that Presi-
! dent Grant first offered the nomina-
ton of Chief Justice to Senator Conk-
! ling. who declined It. / have been
! told that this was the only case on
record of a declination of the Office
of Chief Justice.
After Conkling declined the offer,
Grant decided to nominate as Chief
| Justice one of the three men who
represented the United States before
the Geneva Arbitration Tribunal
which passed upon the so-called Ala
bama claims against Great Britain
| He first decided to appoint Evarts
who would have been obliged to give
up his practice, worth at least
$4,000 a year, in order to take the
Office.
Senator Conkling had what h'
/ .1,o,,c,ht GOOD reasons for oOpOsins
this nomination. Then Presiden
Grant nominated Morrison R. Waite
who was esteemed a junior represen
tative of the United States before TIT
Geneva Tribunal.
After President Hayes went int
Office there was strong reason TO
presuming that influences were i'm
mediately established for the purpos
of securing John Sherman's nomina
tion in 1880 for the Presidency. Bot
Sherman and Everts, as you know
we're members of Hayes administra
ton. The first steps toward Sher
mans nomination we're taken whe
Cornell, Sharpe and / were remove
from the custom house.
"Now, we shall see whether tn
capture of the custom house in tn
interest of John Sherman is to b
followed by securing the New Hor
Republican organization in favor {
Sherman's nomination. We sha
see"
Copyright. 1914, by E. J. Edward
All rights reseryed)
Tomorrow-Mr. Edwards will te
"Whv Commodore Vanderbilt Sol