Conkling--platt

When the Senate opened on Monday Vice President Arthur had read by the clerk a brief note from senators Conkling and Platt in whicli they Btated that their resignations had been forwarded to the governor of Xew York. Following is the ftill text of THE RKSIONATION. Washington, I). O, May 14, L8ftL Rib - TransmUting aswedo, our rts i:u:itions respectively of the great trusts witli wliii-h New York has linuored us, il in fit that we acqaalnt yon, and tlirouh you the legislature and pople of the atato, with the reasons wtikh in our jmliiiiHMit, niakes midi a step respeclTul and ueceesary. Some weeks ago the President sent to the senate in a croup, the numinations of scveral tersons for public offices already filled. One of these Aflices is the collectorehip of the ort or New torn, now held by neutral Heritt; uioiIiit is tbe consul-ReueralBhip at Don don; now lielrt by General Badeau; aiinthtv is the charge d' illairs to Denmark, held liy Mr. ! Cramer; another is the mission to Switzerlaud, held by Mr. Fish, son of tbe former di-ti: - guisliwl secretary of state. Mr. Fisli bad, in ilefttreuceto .ui ancient practico, placed bis DO. sitiou nt tlie disposal of tbe new aidmlnlstratlOD but like tlie othr porsonti named, be WM nvuly to remain at hia pcist if Mrmitted tu do go. All these ofllcers, save only Mr. Cramer, re citizeus of New York. It was propuse:! lo displace them all, not for anj alleged laults, or for auy alleged need, or for the adv.uitage ' of the public service, but n order to f?.w the i;reat oilice of collector oí the port of New York to Mr. Wui. H. Robertson, as a rewrd r r certain acts of his suiil to have "ail I in iiiiikiiii: tlie nominatiou of General Qflrfield Ios8ibie." rie chain of remováis thus ' posed was broken by Ueu. Badeau's proinptly IrliniiiL' to accept the new place to which he was to 1 in sent These uominations summoned every membat of the seaate to say whether he ui i ,■■! such a transaetion. The movemeut was nioi e than a surprise. We had been told only a few hours before, that no remováis in the New York offices was boou to be made or even considerad, and had been reque.ü;d 10 w.ttihold the papers and suggestions beariug on the bh bject wii di had been sent to ub for presentación Bhonld occasion arise, uutil w had notice Trom the President of his reailiness to receive them. Learning that the Vice President was equ;d!y surprised, and had been equally misled, went to Mr. Jamos, the cabinet ofticer bom our tate, and luarued that thoiih lie had spent some timo with the President on thu ! moruing of the day ou which the nQmlnatloDS were snt in, uo disclosure of an inteution to send tlitfiu had beeu Diada tohiin, and that he i first knew of the matter by hearsay foUowlDK the eveut. Aftr earuost reflection aud ! sultation we I elieved the procediug uuwise and wrong, whether cousidered wholly in the relation to tho presBivation and intejjrity of the public service aud the public example to be set, or in relatiou also to the integrity of Uie Republicnn party. No public uttcrdr.ee of commentor censure was made by eitherof us iu the seuate or elaewliere. Ou the eoiHran, we thought that the President would recousiler an action so sudden and hasty, and would ;ü leat adopt Whh hurtful and rbjectional.le modes of r(]uiting personal or individual serice. In thia hope the following paper w. s preiiarcil nnd Blgned, and preseuted by Mi1. Jainet to the President, who was siibseijuently int oniied that yoo had autliorized your name t bo added also4 "To tuk President- We beg leave to remonstrate agaiuat the cbange in the collectorship at New York, by th ramoral of Mr. Merritt, aud the appoiutmeut of Mr. KoberUon. The proposal was wholly a surprise. We heard of it only when the several nouiinatidiih involveil iu the plan were aiiDounrrd 111 thv senate. We had, ouly two days beiore this, li. im informed fioiu yon that a change in the DDJtoma offices at New York wan not contemplated, and wore quita gnorant of th' parpOM to take any actiou now. We had no opjior tunity until atter the uominatious to inake the suggestious we now preseut. We do uot beüeve that the iuteresls or the public servico will be promoted by removing tlie present coji lector and putting Mr. Bobertsou m liis t-trad. Our opiniou is quito Uit' reverse, and we believe that uo pnlitiral mlvautage cmn be gaine for eitbei tlie Upublican party or its prln dples. lielieving tlmt no individual has cimhm or obllgatinns whicli should be liquidated in Buch a uioile, we eai n.ie! j id respectfully aak that noiniuatiou i-l Mr. KoberUion be wilhdrawn. Chdstkk A. Ahthi'B. T 0. li Air. Thomas L. Jambs. UUüCOK CONKUMi," This paper was pretenttid to the president by Mr. James, on Mondny, Mreli 2K Know ing the freciueupy with wliicli every oue of the tweuty presidouU of the republin, and mark edly the preseut incumbent, had withdrawn nominations on lens serious representations, we did uot appiehend that such n sug);eHtior. would be treated as au intrusión or invasión of auy prorogative of the qniüinatlns; power. We were disappointd. Iinmediately th public presa, espeuially in arteles and dispatches I teu by those iu close and constant associatiqu with the President, and with an influcnliul inemher of his cabiaet, teemed with violent ! denunciations of the senators froni New York for "opposing the adminiHiiation" aud "dictating to the President" Pernoii9 who visited the execuüve mausion reported and represented : the President as resentful and itnpatieutof any ' hesitatiou to "Hdvise and cotiseut" to what he proposed. We had made no asnault upon anyhody We ! have at all limes icfused to answer urations bï lepresentatives of the pressor tomakeoomplaint orooinuie.it or even a denial of niany trutlili'ss Charge imtilished against us by cious champions of l-the admlnistratiou." Indeed, leyond oonfiileutial consultatioiiH with ■ brother senators ftinl oilioials, we have saiii : imtliinu iintil uow on the subiect. Nor have we, or either of us, "promoted the deadlock in the senate" in onier to prevent or influence aCtlOD on any noiniuttions; nor have we ever bo s'&'.fá. ImtnïdiaMy atter tho noiniuations were publiRhed, letter and telegrama n ereat numbera carne from every part of the state, from its lcirü:i„' citizens, protesUns Bgalült tlie proponed olíanles, aud condenmini; iheiu on niiiuy uroiiid. Several thousands of leadlng uiereamile firma of New York. conrtitutinjr, we are iiifornied, a majority of overy branch of trada, sent us remouatrances. Sixty of 81 Republican ïnwiib'Ms of the assembly, by letter or memorial, made objection. Representativos in congrega, state officials, business men, probnlooal ineu, commercial, industrial and political orgauizations are iiniuin the remonstrants, and they speak from every section of the gtate. Besides the nominallons already referred to, there were awaitint; the actiou of the senate sveral citizens of New York, named for offices connected witn the oourts, district attorneys and marshals. These were all re-appointmnnts. Most of theni had b n originally commiFBiniKvl bj Mr. Hayes. They were certifiini to hy jiidjres of the courte, and by many Uier eminent persons who attstd the fuiili ulness and merit of their service and recommended their continuance. They were not preseuted hy us. We have uot atteiuptei to dictate, nor have we asked the nomination of one person to any office in the state. Iudeed, with the solo exception of the written request set forth aimve, we have neyer eveu expressed an opinión to the President in any case, unless questiouel in recard to it. Semedaysago, the l'rcsident abruptly withdrew in oue and the same act the names of Uenèral Woodforil and Mr. ïenny, and of the two marshals. Th,is uH[irecedntd proceedine, whether permissllile by law or not, was gravel sijfnificaut. The President had noininated these officers after they had heen weighed in tli liahmce. Their oftioial recorils were lefor Iiíhi, and liad been fnlly sciutin'zed and approvel. lt must li presumtMl tlial h tbooght the nouiinatiuns flt to be made, and that it was hia duly to niake them. There is no allegatiou that he discov. red any uufitneas in them afterwards. It ould hardlv be that he had discovered aa mi fltnoss in all of thein alikc. What then was the meaniui;and purpose of this pereuiptory s"ep? ]t was Lmmediateiy statud, as if by authority, and seems to be admitted, that bis piirpn .i' was to coerce tlie seuate or senators to vote a they would not vote if left free from exocutive interference. The deaiun was to control the action of senators toucbine ('rn oommltted by the coiiNtituüou to tb,e seuate aud to the ü nate exoluHively. It has been suKKs'eil, in addition, that by recalüng these noniinatioiis, and holding them in bisown hands, thu president migbt, in the event of the failnre of another nomination, use ihem to compénsate thut fii ure. If ít can be suppoaed that all these public tiusts are tobe, ir woulil in any event he m .!.■ a perquislte, to w banilled and dlipoasd of, uot only to panull ;he independenre of senatorial vciIch ;md apion, hut to li(uidate the persOQAl ohliatlóhs f an imliyiilual howeyer bloS In station, tilt conditimis are tittnrly violou and deOfradiDff, and tbeiracceptaiice would cninpel the representativeti of the stüies to iliinr down their Mtli :uid ri'presentutive duty at tlie roi.stoul of execulve powtr, Following this sweeping and stirtlinji exl eoutiye act, carne ominoijsavowals tltat dissent ir failure to advise and consent, would be ie]il as au aot of oflence, expoHiug all the senators, from whatever state, to executlve displeasure. Thus we fiud ourselves confrouted Dy the question whether we shall surrender :he plain right and sworn duty of senators, by consenting to wlmt e belleve to be vlcious and hurtful, or be assigned a position of disloyalty to the admiuistration whicn we helped lrin(' in, and thesuecess of which 7e earnestly WHO for every reason aad motive wliicli can entor nto tbe case. We know no theory avowed by any party wbicli requiressuch subniission as is now exacted. Althnurh party service may be fairly considered in inaking selections of public officers, it can haniiy be inaiutaimül that the senate i bounrt to remove without cause tucumbents, increly to make place for those whom any iudlvidual, even tbe President or members of bis cabinet wishes to repay for being recreant to otliera, or serviceable to liim. ünly two years ago the senate arlvised that iienerai Merritt ln appointed collector at New ïork. [ï s uuderstood tbat among tlie senators who so advised was Mr. Windnm, now secretar? or the ireasury, and liead if this de;):irtim-nu wboBt subordiuate (ien, Merritt is. Another senalof knowu to have given tbis adyice was Mr. Kirkwood, now secreUiry of the interior. It is said that, likn tbe postuia-stereeneral from ooi own state, these eabinet oflicers were not taken int consultation toucbiug the removal of (en. Merritt; but their sworu and offldal action as senators is none tbe less iiiHtniotive. That the late secrelary of the treastiry and the late adniinistration, up to iU expiiaUOO less tban ten weeks ago, approved General Merritt as an officer, is well known, and it is uowhere suggested that any citizen had vetitioned for bis removal. or that ollicial iolinquency on lus part is the reas n of it. In place of au experienced ofticer in the luidst of liis term fixed by law, it is proposed Ruddenly ui put a inau, wlio lias liad no train mr for Lbo position, aud who cnnnnt lm nld u liave :my special fitness for its official duties. In the inaugural of President Garfield, delivered on Marcli Itb, stiunU these words: 'The civil service eau never be placed on a satisfactory basis until it íh regulated hy law. For the gooi! of the service itself, for the protection of those who are inotrusted w iih the appelnttng power, atrainst wat of time and oHBtructiiiii tn puhliï ImsineKS, caused hy inordinate pressure for place, and for the proteotion of the incuinbent agaiost intrigue and wriuiir, I shall at the proiier tiinn ask conress to fix the tanure of the minor offices of the several exerutiv) departiré its and prescribe the trnmiiils upon which reninviil shall be made, d'iriuü the tering for which the iucumbenU ba e been appointed. riow eood the üistinction is which woul make major offleen a prey to intri;ne an( wronK, and shiM minor offices from like hav oc, and whether the colleotorships of tliecmin try should Iwlonjr to the exponed or to the pro tected clnss, need not be decided here. ABsuming (eueral Merritt to be an office of average fitness and honesty, it might b roasonably arguetl that all senators shouh witU alacrity advise liis displacement by a man of obvious superiorily; porsibly it might be suid that all shouWl ad vise the seiection in (Jen eral Merritt's place, of a mau who, withou superior fituess, had reudered his country o even his party conspicuous and exalted service The case iu nano novs hoi rieiong to either or these classee. Thevocaton of Mr. Robertson, and his legislative and professioiml experiene and Burroundings do not denote superiority i Uit iiualitiesof knowledge, business habits, an fiuniliarity witli the reveuue laws Bystem o tlie Unitfd Staten, which mightuiakehiiiimor competent than General Merritt to collect th v.ist ï'fvcmu's aml admininter tlie vast busines uertainlog to the port of New York. Certain iy lie cannot, in Hi's respect, be held an excep llon to the rule of right and consisteney o which the constitution and lawB have plucec tlie public service. We know of no perf.ona or political service rendered by Mr. RobcrUo so transcendent that the collectorship of New Vork slmulil be taken in the tnidst or the term and fjivcn to him as a recoinpeme. Mr. Robertson is reported by the New Yor 1' ibuneto declare that iiB noininatiou was "i ward" for aetiou aB a delégate to the na 11 -nal Repuhlirau couvention. If Mr. Rober s:v.i in his action was influenced bya seose o diity, if be voted and acted bis honest couvic tn iH.it is d.fficult U seo what claim he ba tii auy rewrd, not to speak of such a grei re ward. The action of which an entiuuite thtis invited is uaderstood to be tbis: Mr. Rol eruou and sixty-uine other men accepted froi the state convention a certain trust Tbe po igbtand accepted the position of agents o d ■legates to the national conventiau. Tb titate conventioo declared that lts plainly aie Ju ilgment and poliey was to be observed an( flupportcd ly those it commisBioned to ttiii declaration. All selected asdtilegates gave an implied consent, imt twveral of thein in addl tiou made most speoifip personal pledges an( ( n lu't'inentB toexert ihemselves in good fait] througbout to secure tbe nomination of (}en I ir ;iit. ïhey made this pledffa a a means o (i!i;.iining theiv own appnintments as dele git.-s, ai)d !hi-,v did, as we both personally kuow, ubtain tbeir seats in the national con ? .Ion upou the faith of tbeir personal state n itHof iheirearnestnoss and fidelity. Th obügaUoB tluiB assuincd we uudeislood to in rolvsthell intesiity a uinch s tlie nhlii;atioD i f ihe one wlo reixrlves the proxy of a stock h(i' Ier In a Corporation upon a pledgeand pro mise to voto as bis pr ncipal would vote. Whettier M'-.Robertwn was or was uct bim elfbouud, iiQionly by honor aml Impllcatlo! bul by exprossly i iviug his word, tiecomes Immaterial in viev of tbe claim made lor Mm. It Is insisted tbat he "organized the bolt," or as it bas been somctimes stated, ' he was th! leader of be bolt." This ia to ea: tiii't he invited, perwiaded, Indaced other wbom !o knw dm EtTeotbelr word, aud ha. iliiained tbeir seats by doine bo, toyiolate tl:er word and betray not only the Republicana as sembled in state coiuection, but the Repuhli ni, s of their districts as well, who had truslet in their honor. Wboever oounselfl and pro euros another to do a dlshoneBt or dÍ6bonoia b!e act imiHt shire with that other the g.tilt and should sbare also tbe odium jusüy attach inji to it. We are therefore wholly unable, upon what vi , groand we put it, to see a justification of ourr.elves, Bhould we become parties to uning pulilic tnints wbrli bi'iong to tbe people, to r'i lite such service Ui buoIi modes. But the ai,lianc employed to effect thO resulta se up new BtaBdanisorreapouBibility, and invade U we lielieve, the trutbs and principies on wl ;ch the separate and coordínate branches or the government tand. A senator is amenAbla to liin Btate and to the body of whioh he r a member. He is boond by his oatb to "ad vi i' ,md conient" on bta conscieuce and ]odgui' nt before (ioj - Whatever or whoever ele mi:y constrain him, be is to be exeoipt from the executive menace or disfavor on the one band, and executive indiceineuts on the other. l-i ni; standing on the orders of the house of eo nmons has been the decl.iration that a membei 8hall8uner expulfioi whoever reports the hes of the executive head of the governiiiriit to influence the votes of members. The Brittsb constitution is uot more jealous Iban ourt in this regard. To giveadvice, aud honust, Independent adrice, as to an appointment propoeed b bj taacb tbe rlght and duty of a wnator as it is the rigbt or duty of tbe Presi(e it to propose the iiame. He his advice oue v, or the olher, it is no more an act of dise.spect or trea8ou te tbe uomiMatiuir power Hmn the verdict of a juror or the deokdOD of a judce. The idea that the senate is oimply to Bod out what is wanted, and tben do it, we ca mot believe safe or adniissible, and thus far no party bas dared or designed to set up such a test of party fidelity or allegiance. In Ihis instance, Biich prominence haB been KivBU to the subject and such distrust has been expressod of the conectuess of our poB!tions tbat we tbink it right nnd dutiful to Bubmit thn matter to the power to which alone we lire bound arn! ever ready to bow. The legisl-i ture is In s9ion. It is Republican in .'" : iiy, aun xtew imi atiouuü n sons n.ue as aileaswoto bear lier message aud commission in the seDateof the United States. Witli n profoand shush f the obUgaUun which we uwe, with a derotlOD t tlio Republicai party, m;d its creed of liberty aud right, with a reverent attaehment to the reut state wbose imerc-t and honor are deer to uu, we hold it respectful aud beaoiuiug to inake rootn for those wlio may correct all the errorg which we have inade, and whomay intrri't ariht the duties Which we have niisconceived. We therefore endose our resieuatiop 1 liold f ast the privilege, as citiztins aud Kepublicaus, to stand for the constitutional rights of all men aml all ïepresentatices, whetber of tb.e statt-a, th nailon, er the "'o[ile. We liave th. honor lo 1m) very resuoctfully, your obedieut sorvantg Boaoai Cootukö, ■iHiuiAs l'irr. To hls Excellency (iov. Cornell. WBÁ.T coNiil.lNi; SAYS. Senator Conkling declined to Ulk wit li the reporters, saying that lie expressed hlmself i'iilly in his letter to the govemor bt Xcw York, but the trusted i'rien(ls of Mr, Conk ïiiig (üiiieilun hiin at bis roonu and he ialkwl freely to tlieni. He was scvere in liis stricturea upoii Uu administr&tion, and denounoed Mr. BobertBon as a traitot to Mis party. He went over all of Mr. Robertson'8 conduct in connection with the Chicago convention and said that he would neyer support aman vli l,a bflled and fought ;,eiiuhl ii is party organizatton as Air. lioln-ri.son did tlu'ii. .Mr. Conkling cnpressed to liis frienda his ev,ti cwiilj.li'pct' af the !v.cct.in af litith Mr. l'laii itnd liii.ist'.lf by the New Vork legislature. Mr. Conkling product u list ol' iiic.iubt'i's of Uit) lpfjisiatiin and ulassilicatio of thi'.ir olitios to show that liis rtï-election is certain anti also Mr. l'latt's, and said that he would not go nearer Albany than Xcw York city; íat he would be re-elected without aaking for it. He spoke in bitter v-Vma of the President, charging ltiin i tli liaving violated liis honor. Mr. ( onklingsaid that he would regard liis e-election asan endorsementof his light , gainst Mr. Kobertson and a rebuke to ue administration, but that what is more important, his re-election will be coramission to him as an indepenent anti-adininistration senator; that ie appeals to his party represen tati ves n the issue between him and the administration, and a re-election will mtliorize him to flght the administraion to the end of its term, and to trike it a blow wherever he can gct a hance. He declarad his puipose to nake war on the administration from he date of his re-election. He expressed a belief that the senate will remáis n session till he comes back. A friend remarked that the senate would adourn next week. Mr. Conklins Baid bat he thought not; that the Demócrata now in a majoiity would be shrewd enough to continue the session to give him a chance to open his jressive war against tlie president. Walking up and down the room, Mr. Conkling spoke of the president as motber Hayes, and said the Kepublian party was disgusled with tlüs sort f president; that the conduct of Mr. (arlii'ld in his "treachery" toward tlie Republicans would make the party BOlld for a stalwart like Gen. Grant, and would result in the next presidential convention nominating Graat or some man like him, who, as Mr. Conkling says, can always be found where waHted by the ïtepublican party on all occasions. He spoke of his fightas the beginning of a contest for the defeat in 1HS4 of Mr. Garfield and the nomination of some determined stalwart. Mr. Conkling referred with soire bitterness to the ection of the Hepublican senators in not standing by him. THE ADMINISTRATION SIDE. The President when spoken to about the matter, said that he was advised of the intended resignations, and was prepared for it. He said that Mr. Conkling's action did not in Uk; least disconcert the administiation; that the sun will rise and set the same as when Mr. Conkling was a ïuember of the senate. As soon as the news reached the departmenU, all the cabinet ollicers, except Secretary Ilunt, went to the White House and had a talk with the President. The nnanimous conclusión w.s that the resignation if it had hurt anybody, had not hurt the administratioïi. The President's opinions were that Mr. Conkling had found himself too weak to meet the final issue; that he had not found himself so powerful as he supposed, and that on resigning Mr. Conkling had avoided the light whlofa he brought on; that Mr. Conkling foresaw the overwhelming dofeat, and i)ieferred to temporarlly vacate his seat rather than meet it. The President feit satislied witli the position which he had taken, and that the country is with him. He had only maintalned a prerogatire of the President which is his under the constitution