my memories of eighty years-第24章

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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　was　past　master　in　all　the　arts　and　conventionalities　of　what　is　known　as　〃best　society。〃　　He　could　have　taken　equal　rank　in　that　respect　with　the　Prince　of　Wales；　who　afterwards　became　King　Edward　VII。

The　〃hail…fellow…well…met〃　who　had　been　on　familiar　terms　with　him　while　he　was　the　party　leader　in　New　York　City；　found　when　they　attempted　the　old　familiarities　that；　while　their　leader　was　still　their　friend；　he　was　President　of　the　United　States。

Arthur；　although　one　of　the　most　rigid　of　organization　and　machine　men　in　his　days　of　local　leadership；　elevated　the　party　standards　by　the　men　whom　he　drew　around　himself。　　He　invited　into　party　service　and　personal　intimacy　a　remarkable　body　of　young；　exceedingly　able　and　ambitious　men。　　Many　of　those　became　distinguished　afterwards　in　public　and　professional　life。　　The　ablest　of　them　all　was　a　gentleman　who；　I　think；　is　now　universally　recognized　both　at　home　and　abroad　as　the　most　efficient　and　accomplished　American　diplomat　and　lawyerElihu　Root。

There　is　no　career　so　full　of　dramatic　surprises　as　the　political。　President　Hayes　put　civil…service　reform　upon　its　feet；　and　without　the　assistance　of　necessary　laws　vigorously　enforced　its　principles。　Among　the　victims　of　his　enforcement　was　General　Arthur；　whom　he　relieved　as　collector　of　the　port　of　New　York。　　To　the　surprise　of　every　one　and　the　amazement　of　his　old　friends；　one　of　the　first　acts　of　President　Arthur　was　to　demand　the　enactment　of　a　civil…service　law；　which　had　originated　with　the　Civil　Service　Association；　and　whose　most　prominent　members　were　George　William　Curtis　and　Carl　Schurz。

The　president's　urgency　secured　the　passage　of　the　measure。　　He　then　appointed　a　thoroughgoing　Civil　Service　Commission；　and　during　his　term　lived　up　to　every　requirement　of　the　system。　　In　doing　this　he　alienated　all　his　old　friends；　and　among　them　General　Grant；　ex…Senator　Conkling；　Thomas　C。　Platt；　and　also　Mr。　Blaine；　whom　he　had　asked　to　remain　in　the　Cabinet　as　secretary　of　state。　　Among　them　was　also　John　Sherman；　whom　he　had　equally　wished　to　retain　as　secretary　of　the　treasury。

Arthur's　administration；　both　in　domestic　affairs　and　in　its　foreign　policies；　meets　the　approval　of　history　and　the　impartial　judgment　of　posterity。　　But　he　was　not　big　enough；　nor　strong　enough；　to　contend　with　the　powerful　men　who　were　antagonized；　especially　by　his　civil…service…reform　tendencies。　　When　the　Republican　convention　met　in　1884　and　nominated　a　new　ticket；　it　was　universally　recognized　by　everybody；　including　the　president；　that　his　political　career　had　closed。

President　Arthur　was　one　of　the　most　delightful　of　hosts；　and　he　made　the　White　House　the　centre　of　refined　hospitality　and　social　charm。　　He　was　a　shrewd　analyst　of　human　nature　and　told　stories　full　of　humor　and　dramatic　effect　of　some　of　his　contemporaries。

General　Arthur；　while　Republican　party　leader　in　New　York；　invited　me　to　a　dinner　given　him　by　a　friend　who　had　just　returned　from　a　hunting　trip　with　a　large　collection　of　fine　game。　　With　the　exception　of　myself；　all　the　guests　were　active　leaders　in　the　State　machine。

During　the　dinner　the　general　said　to　me：　　〃While　we　draft　you　every　fall　to　help　in　our　canvass；　after　we　have　nominated　our　ticket　we　miss　you　in　our　councils　and　we　need　you。〃

〃Well；　〃　I　replied；　〃I　do　not　know　what　the　matter　is；　nor　why　Senator　Conkling　should　have　a　continuing　hostility；　which　I　only　feel　when　the　time　comes　around　to　elect　delegates　to　the　State　convention。〃

The　general　continued：　　〃We　are　unable　to　find　out　either。　　However；　it　is　absurd；　and　we　are　going　to　see　that　you　are　a　delegate　to　the　national　convention；　and　we　want　you　to　be　at　the　State　convention　at　Utica。〃

I　went　to　Albany；　knowing　that　there　would　be　a　conference　at　the　Executive　Mansion；　with　General　Arthur；　Governor　Cornell；　and　Senator　Conkling；　to　lay　out　a　programme　for　the　convention。　　I　met　the　then　secretary　of　the　State　committee；　Mr。　Johnson；　and　told　him　about　my　conversation　with　General　Arthur。　　He　said　he　was　going　to　attend　the　conference　and　would　report　to　me。

When　Mr。　Johnson　returned　he　told　me　that　General　Arthur；　Governor　Cornell；　and　others　had　strongly　urged　my　being　a　delegate；　and　that　Senator　Conkling　became　very　indignant　and　said　that　he　did　not　want　me　back　in　the　organization；　and　that　it　was　a　matter　of　indifference　on　what　side　I　was。　　It　is　needless　to　say　that　I　did　not　attend　the　convention　at　Utica。

Mr。　Johnson　also　told　me　that　among　other　things　decided　upon　was　that　if　General　Grant　should　be　nominated　for　a　third　term；　the　old　machine　under　Senator　Conkling　would　be　made　stronger　than　ever；　that　the　men　who　had　come　to　the　front　during　President　Hayes's　administration　as　members　of　the　State　Senate　and　assembly　and　of　Congress　would　be　retired；　and　that　another　State　paper　would　be　established　which　would　wipe　out　the　Albany　Evening　Journal；　because　it　had　sustained　President　Hayes　and　his　policies。

While　the　convention　was　in　session　at　Utica　I　had　an　interview　with　Mr。　George　Dawson；　who　was　editor　of　the　Albany　Evening　Journal　and　he　became　convinced　that　he　had　nothing　to　lose　by　entering　at　once　into　an　open　antagonism；　if　there　was　any　way　by　which　it　could　be　made　effective。

I　said　to　Mr。　Dawson：　　〃The　only　salvation　for　those　who　have　been　benefited　during　the　era　of　liberty　occasioned　by　President　Hayes's　civil…service　policies　is　to　prevent　the　national　convention　adopting　the　unit　rule。〃

The　unit　rule　is　that　if　the　majority　of　the　delegates　from　any　State　make　a　decision；　the　chairman　of　the　delegation　shall　cast　the　entire　vote　of　the　delegation　from　the　State　for　the　result　arrived　at　by　the　majority；　whether　it　be　a　candidate　or　a　policy。　Under　the　unit　rule　I　have　seen　a　bare　majority　of　one　vote　for　a　candidate；　and　then　the　chairman　of　the　delegation　cast　the　entire　vote　for　the　candidate；　though　the　minority　were　very　hostile　to　him。

The　delegates　of　the　State　convention　at　Utica　returned　to　Albany　that　night。　　Many　of　them　were　State　senators　whose　decapitation　was　assured　if　the　old　machine　supported　by　federal　patronage　was　revived。　　State　Senator　Webster　Wagner　was　one　of　them。　　He　and　I　chartered　a　train　and　invited　the　whole　State　delegation　to　go　with　us　to　Chicago。　　In　the　preliminary　discussions；　before　the　national　convention　met；　twenty…six　out　of　seventy…eight　delegates　decided　to　act　independently。

Wayne　MacVeagh；　a　lifelong　friend　of　mine；　had　a　strong　following　in　the　Pennsylvania　delegation；　and　after　he　learned　our　position　brought　over　also　his　people。　　Emory　Storrs；　who　led　the　Illinois　delegation；　came　to　me　and　said　that　if　we　would　not　boom　Elihu　B。　Washburne；　who　was　a　candidate　for　the　nomination；　we　would　have　the　Illinois　vote。　　The　result　of　the　canvass　was　that　the　convention　decided　against　the　unit　rule。　　This　released　so　many　individual　delegates　to　independent　action　that　the　field　was　cleared　and　nobody　had　majority。　　The　leading　candidates　were　General　Grant；　James　G。　Blaine；　and　John　Sherman。

In　the　history　of　convention　oratory　the　nominating　speeches　of　Senator　Conkling　for　General　Grant；　and　James　A。　Garfield　for　John　Sherman　take　the　highest　rank。　　Conkling　took　a　lofty　position　on　the　platform。　　His　speech　was　perfectly　prepared；　delivered　with　great　dramatic　effect；　and　received　universal　applause　on　the　floor　and　in　the　gallery。

General　Garfield；　on　the　other　hand；　also　a　fine…looking　man　and　a　practised　orator；　avoided　the　dramatic　element；　in　which　he　could　not　compete　with　Conkling；　but　delivered　a　speech　along　the　line　of　the　average　thought　and　general　comprehension　of　his　audience　that　made　a　great　impression。　　It　was　a　common　remark：　〃He　has　nominated　himself。〃

There　were　among　the　audience　thousands　of　Blaine　enthusiasts。　No　public　man　since　Lincoln　ever　had　such　enthusiastic；　devoted；　and　almost　crazy　followers　as　Mr。　Blaine。　　These　enthusiasts　were　waiting　to　raise　the　roof　and　secure　the　nomination　of　their　candidate　when