my memories of eighty years-第23章

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stions　of　vital　interest；　while　the　opposition　presented　abundant　opportunities　for　attack。

After　the　presidential　election　came　the　meeting　of　the　New　York　State　legislature　for　the　choosing　of　a　United　States　senator。　The　legislature　was　overwhelmingly　Republican；　and　the　organization　or　machine　Republicans　were　in　a　large　majority。　　The　assembly　was　organized　and　the　appointment　of　committees　used　to　make　certain　the　election　of　an　organization　man。

A　very　unusual　thing　happened。　　The　forces　of　the　organization　were　divided　between　two　candidates：　　Thomas　C。　Platt　and　Richard　Crowley。　　Mr。　Conkling　had　not　declared　his　preference　for　either；　as　they　were　both　devoted　friends　of　his；　though　he　had　the　power　to　have　made　a　selection　and　have　that　selection　accepted　by　the　legislature。　　Vice…President…elect　Chester　A。　Arthur　appeared　as　manager　for　Mr。　Crowley。　　Platt　conducted　his　own　canvass。

I　was　called　to　a　meeting　in　New　York；　where　Mr。　Blaine；　secretary　of　state；　was　present。　　Mr。　Blaine　said　that　administration　managers　had　made　a　thorough　canvass　of　the　legislature　and　they　had　found　that　I　was　the　only　one　who　could　control　enough　anti…organization　votes　to　be　elected；　and；　therefore；　General　Garfield　and　his　friends　had　decided　that　I　must　enter　the　race。　　I　did　not　want　to　do　it；　nor　did　I　want　the　senatorship　at　that　time。　　However；　it　seemed　a　plain　duty。　　A　canvass　showed　that　Mr。　Platt；　Mr。　Crowley；　and　myself　had　about　an　equal　number　of　votes。　Of　course；　Mr。　Blaine's　object　was；　knowing　that　Senator　Conkling　would　be　hostile　to　the　administration；　to　prevent　his　having　a　colleague　who　would　join　with　him；　and　thus　place　the　State　of　New　York　against　the　policies　of　the　incoming　president。

After　the　canvass　had　been　going　on　for　some　time；　Mr。　Platt　came　to　me　and　asked　why　I　was　in　it。　　I　told　him　frankly　that　I　was　in　it　to　see；　if　possible；　that　the　senator…elect　should　support　the　administration。　　He　said：　　〃Very　well；　I　will　do　that。〃

I　immediately　called　together　my　supporters。　　Mr。　Platt　appeared　before　them　and　stated　that　if　elected　he　would　support　the　president　and　his　administration　in　every　respect。　　He　was　asked　if　he　would　vote　for　the　confirmation　of　appointees　whom　the　president　might　select　who　were　specially　in　disfavor　with　Senator　Conkling；　conspicuously　Senator　William　H。　　Robertson。　Mr。　Platt　said；　〃Yes；　I　will。〃　　My　friends　all　went　over　to　him　and　he　was　elected。

General　Garfield　was　inaugurated　in　March；　1881；　and　his　difficulties　began　with　his　Cabinet。　　Senator　Conkling；　who　saw　clearly　that　with　Blaine　in　the　Cabinet　his　organization　was　in　danger　in　New　York；　did　not　want　any　of　his　friends　to　accept　a　Cabinet　position。　　The　navy　was　offered　to　Levi　P。　Morton；　but　at　the　request　of　Senator　Conkling　he　declined。

When　the　time　came　for　appointments　in　the　Custom　House　of　New　York；　General　Garfield　sent　in　the　name　of　William　H。　Robertson；　who　was　the　leader　of　the　anti…machine　forces　in　the　State。　　Mr。　Conkling　at　once　demanded　that　Mr。　Platt　should　join　with　him　in　inducing　the　Senate　to　reject　the　nomination。　　Under　the　rule　of　senatorial　courtesy　the　Senate　would　undoubtedly　have　done　this　if　the　two　New　York　senators　had　acted　together。　　Mr。　Platt　told　Mr。　Conkling　of　his　pledge　to　the　members　of　the　legislature；　and　that　he　must　abide　by　it；　and；　as　he　told　me；　suggested　to　Mr。　Conkling　that；　as　he　always　had　been　his　friend　and　did　not　want　any　breach　with　him；　the　only　thing　to　be　done；　consistent　with　honor；　was　for　both　of　them　to　resign　and　go　back　to　the　legislature　for　re…election；　with　a　mandate　which　should　enable　them　to　reject　the　appointment　of　Judge　Robertson　and　all　similar　appointments。

As　the　legislature　was　overwhelmingly　Republican；　and　the　organization　had　a　large　majority；　it　seemed　to　both　senators　that　they　would　be　returned　immediately。　　But　it　is　singular　how　intense　partisanship　will　blind　the　ablest　and　shrewdest　politicians。　　Senators　Conkling　and　Platt　were　among　the　ablest　and　most　capable　political　managers　of　their　time。　　What　they　did　not　reckon　with　was　that　the　people　of　the　State　of　New　York；　or；　rather；　the　Republicans　of　the　State；　having　just　elected　a　president；　would　not　view　favorably　the　legislature　of　the　State　sending　two　senators　to　embarrass　their　own　administration。　　There　was　hardly　a　newspaper　in　the　State　or　in　the　country　that　did　not　take　a　hostile　attitude。

Mr。　Blaine　again　came　to　New　York　and　insisted　upon　my　entering　the　canvass；　and　that　I　was　the　only　one　who　could　get　the　whole　of　the　anti…organization　vote。

With　the　Democrats　voting　for　their　own　candidate；　and　the　anti…organization　men　voting　for　me；　it　was　impossible　for　any　one　to　have　a　majority。　　The　fight　was　most　bitter。　　The　ineffectual　ballotting　went　on　every　day　for　months。　　Then　Garfield　was　assassinated。　　The　leader　of　the　Conkling　forces　came　to　me　and　said：　　〃You　have　a　majority　of　the　Republican　members　now　voting　for　you。　　Of　course；　the　antagonism　has　become　so　great　on　your　candidacy　that　we　cannot　vote　for　you；　but　if　you　will　withdraw；　we　will　go　into　caucus。〃

I　instantly　accepted　the　proposition；　saw　my　own　people；　and　we　selected　Warner　Miller　to　represent　the　administration；　and　Congressman　Lapham；　a　very　able　and　capable　lieutenant　of　Mr。　Conkling；　to　represent　the　organization。　　The　caucus　unanimously　nominated　them　and　they　were　elected。　　Senator　Conkling　immediately　settled　in　New　York　to　practise　law　and　retired　from　political　activities。

It　is　the　irony　of　fate　that　General　Garfield；　who　did　more　than　any　other　statesman　to　bring　the　public　from　its　frenzy　after　the　murder　of　Lincoln　back　to　a　calm　and　judicious　consideration　of　national　conditions；　should　himself　be　the　victim；　so　soon　after　his　inauguration；　of　an　assassin。

Lincoln　was　assassinated　in　April；　after　his　second　inauguration　in　March；　while　Garfield　was　shot　in　the　railway　station　at　Washington　July　2；　following　his　inauguration。　　The　president　was　removed　to　a　cottage　at　Long　Branch；　N。　J。；　and　lingered　there　with　great　suffering　for　over　two　months。

I　was　living　at　Long　Branch　that　summer　and　going　up　and　down　every　day　to　my　office　in　New　York。　　The　whole　country　was　in　alternate　emotions　of　hope　and　despair　as　the　daily　bulletins　announced　the　varying　phases　of　the　illustrious　patient's　condition。　The　people　also　were　greatly　impressed　at　his　wonderful　self…control；　heroic　patience；　endurance；　and　amiability。

It　was　the　experience　of　a　lifetime　in　the　psychology　of　human　nature　to　meet；　night　after　night；　the　people　who　gathered　at　the　hotel　at　Long　Branch。　　Most　of　them　were　office…seekers。　There　were　those　who　had　great　anticipations　of　Garfield's　recovery；　and　others；　hidebound　machinists　and　organization　men；　who　thought　if　Garfield　died　and　Vice…President　Arthur　became　president；　he　would　bring　in　the　old　order　as　it　existed　while　he　was　one　of　its　chief　administrators。

There　were　present　very　able　and　experienced　newspaper　men；　representing　every　great　journal　in　the　country。　　The　evening　sessions　of　these　veteran　observers　of　public　men　were　most　interesting。　　Their　critical　analysis　of　the　history　and　motives　of　the　arriving　visitors　would　have　been；　if　published；　the　most　valuable　volume　of　〃Who's　Who〃　ever　published。　　When　President　Garfield　died　the　whole　country　mourned。



IX。　　CHESTER　A。　ARTHUR

Chester　A。　Arthur　immediately　succeeded　to　the　presidency。　　It　had　been　my　good　fortune　to　know　so　well　all　the　presidents；　commencing　with　Mr。　Lincoln；　and　now　the　occupant　of　the　White　House　was　a　lifelong　friend。

President　Arthur　was　a　very　handsome　man；　in　the　prime　of　life；　of　superior　character　and　intelligence；　and　with　the　perfect　manners　and　courtesies　of　a　trained　man　of　the　world。　　A　veteran　statesman　who　had　known　most　of　our　presidents　intimately　and　been　in　Congress　under　many　of　them　said；　in　reviewing　the　list　with　me　at　the　recent　convention　at　Chicago：　　〃Arthur　was　the　only　gentleman　I　ever　saw　in　the　White　House。〃

Of　course；　he　did　not　mean　exactly　that。　　He　meant　that　Arthur　was　the　only　one　of　our　presidents　who　came　from　the　refined　social　circles　of　the　metropolis　or　from　other　capitals；　and