Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-24
Fifty Years Ago
In The Star

On Monday, May 16, 1881, Senators
Conkling and Platt of New York threw
a joint bombshell into the
oenatoFS Senate. They notified the
Res;on Vice President, as presid-
ing officer of the Senate,
that they were resigning their offices.
This was their method of protesting
against the nomination Of Robertson to
be collector of customs at the port Of
New York. Their action created q
great sensation in Washington, and The
Star issued an extra edition to an
nounce it. It said:
About 10 minutes before the Senate
met today a prominent Republican said
to Star reporter, You'll get q sem
sation for The Star today What Is
it?' inquired the reporter eagerly. The
designations of Conkling and Plat, the
Senators from New York, will be read
as soon as the Senate meets was the
whispered reply. Immediately after the
reading of the Journal the Vice Presi-
dent handed the clerk a communica-
ton to be read, but it was only in re-
gard to the district attorney Inuddle in
the western district of Virginia. It was
evident that the coming event was still
secret, known to but few present. Sem
atorS were talking with each other and
general inattention was manifested.
Vice President Arthur directed the clerk
to read another communication, at the
same time handing him an envelope.
The chief clerk, Col. Shober. drew from
the envelope small sheet of note pa
per, apparently not being aware him.
self Of the startling nature OF the con-
tents. He read a letter to the Vice
President requesting him to inform the
Senate that the resignation of Roscoe
Conkling as Senator from New York
had been forwarded to the Governor of
that State, to take effect Immediately.
What's that?' inquired dozen or more
Senators inStantaneously. AS quick as
lightning the hum of voices ceased, ST.
lence reigned and several Senators. not
doubling but that they had misunder-
stood the document, called for another
reading of it.
1.-THE news Of the designations was re-
ceived at the White House about Is
minutes of / o'clock and it naturally
created quite a breeze Mr. Judd, the
telegraph operator, heard a dispatch
announcing the fact going over the
wire and communicated it to the Presi-
dents private secretary. OF course, he
was to an extent dazed. Soon there
after representative of the Associated
Press brought to Mr.. Brown a copy OF
the notification of the resignation in
manifold paper, which was at once
taken TO the President.
ION the streets or in the departments
the fact of the resignation was not
known until about ! o'clock. Once
started, however, the news spread like
wildfire and was an engrossing topic of
discussion. As in every thing, there
were two views of the case. On the one
side it was urged that Senator Conkling
could do nothing less and maintain his
self-respect. His admirers say that both
himself and Senator Plat will be tri-
reelected by the New York
Legislature and come back to Washing
ton with the Endorsement that both
have pursued right course in oppos-
ing the confirmation of Judge Robert
son.
THE rumor was also afioat about
O'Clock that Vice President Arthur also
contemplated resfgning as well as POST
master General James. These stories
were, however, promptly denied.
Since the controversy between the
began there has been no such excite
ment as in the city today
The next day the Robertson nomina-
ton was favorably reported from the
Senate Committee on Finance, and the
day following he was confirmed. The
scene Of the disputation shifted to Al
bany, where Senators Conkling and
Platt started their campaigns for re-
election by the State Legislature. They
were, however, defeated, and q rift in
the Republican ranks in that State waa
caused which three years and a naiT
later effected the defeat of Blaine for
the presidency and the election Of
Cleveland