Year: 1877

produced more luuulSeuI icciiuS So"oiu


the President on the part of the Senators
1t is safe to assume that the imminent dam
ger Of rupture is past, and that Mr.. Hayes
will hereafter have no great difficulty IN
maintaining amicable relations with the
republican party. While ostensibly yielding
nothing he has really conceded all that has
been in controversy between himself and the
republican Senators. The President has
shown himself an astute, dexterous politi-
clan and great master in the art OF dis
guising retreat No military commander
ever maintained bolder front with his rear
guard while executing change Of base.


The danger of an embodiment between
the President and the party that elected
him seemed formidable by the attitude Of
the republican Senator from New York.
Since the speech of Mr.. Conkling in the
Rochester Convention he has been every
where regarded as the leader of the republi-
can opposition and his course has been
watched with active curiosity. He has
played his cards with skill which does
not discredit his reputation as o shrewd
political manager. Mr.. Conkling has been
too wary to exhibit himself in Washington
as a sorehead or politician with personal
grievance. He artfully sunk his individual
grounds of complaint, making no allusion
to them in the caucus Of Saturday week.


when there was SO much plain speaking


He aimed to protect himself against
political isolation, knowing full we'll that
his opposition to the President would be
futile unless shared with other republican
Senator's With the proceedings Of the
caucus he had no reason to be discontented.
They attested strong dissatisfaction with
the President on the part of a large majority
Of the republican Senators 1t was only
necessary to keep the Senators in this atti-
tude to enable Mr.. Conkling to prosecute
his war with the seeming support OF the
party. By putting his personal grievances
out of sight and encouraging opposition on
grounds upon which majority OF the re-
publican Senators were willing to stand, he
evinced the dexterity of an astute politi-
clan and made tacit confession that he
could not conduct successful campaign
against the President without republican
allies Mr.. Conkling had no reason to be
dissatisfied with his success when the first
Senatorial caucus adjourned, but the sequel
shows that, rs mere politician, he has
found at least his match in President Hayes


It is the interest of the President to put
the hostile New York Senator in that state
of political isolation from which he SO care
fully tries to escape. Mr. Hayes understands
perfectly we'll that the deepest wounds of
this Senator are those which he is most
reluctant to exhibit, and that no other prom
inent republican is SO certain to prove in
tractable and irreconcilable. His real griev-
ance being different from that Of the other
republican Senators the President has only
to satisfy or disarm them in order to put
Mr.. Conkling in the state of isolation from
which he shrinks. The particular grievance,
on which the Senatorial caucus of tho 10th
of democrats to federal Offices in the South
ern States, but the chief personal grievance
OF Senator Conkling is of very different
character. 1t consists in the appointment
OF anti-Conkling republicans in the State of
New York. It has been the aim Of Mr.
Conkling to organize an opposition to the
President on some broader ground, and in
order to foil him the President has only to
satisfy the other republican Senator'S on tho
broader ground and leave Mr.. Conkling to
"paddle his own canoe" in the narrower
waters of his own special discontent. This
is what Mr.. Hayes has attempted to do, and
his success is sufficient to put him in the
foremost rank Of cunning politicians. He
possesses one great advantage for playing
such game in the imperturbable evenness
of his temper. His easy suavity, invincible
good nature and ready command OF the
.ssoft answer" which ''turneth away
wrath" were conspicuously exhibited in
waited on him in behalf Of the Senatorial
caucus. He so smoothed them down that
their report to tho adjourned caucus on
Saturday had sedative and pacifying
effect The Senators have become 50 mol
lifted by Mr.. Hayes bearing and assurances
in the interview that they consent to
truce, and in quarrel of this kind truce
is pretty sure to result in peace and recon-
ciliation. But the effect Of a cessation Of
hostilities between the republican Senators
and the President will be to isolate Mr..


Conkling and 'leave him out in the cold"
The other Senators take no stock and feel
no interest in his special personal quarrel.
A peace or even truce between them
and the President in the wider
sphere of party politics leaves Mr..
Conkling with no other ground of hostility
than the personal snubs which lie has re-
cevcd from the President in relation to
New York appointments, and that is a
battle which Mr.. Conkling will have to fight
alone. When Mr.. Blaine RECEIVERS from his
illness and returns to the Senate his quick
appreciation of the situation will make him
very lcnicnt toward the administration.
His courteous invitation to the President
lact eummer during the tour to the White