De Alexander

Perhaps his nature required a relief from its high-strung irritability in some sort of violence, and resignation backed by the assurance that he would soon be restored to office and to greater power on the shoulders of the party offered…

It is high time that the false lights which Senator Conkling displayed to certain Democratic senators, and with the help of whom the nominations of President Hayes were thwarted, should be understood.

Such a rule substantially transferred the Executive power to one branch of Congress, making the President the agent of the Senate.

In other words, the caucus action practically notified the President that no nomination would be confirmed that did not please a senator, if a Republican.

That action came solely from the belief that Garfield, unlike Hayes, meant to defend his own administration.

On the other hand, he has only to stand firm to succeed.

If he surrenders now Conkling is president for the rest of the term and Garfield becomes a laughing stock.

I wish to say to the President in my judgment this is the turning point of his whole administration--the crisis of his fate.

It recalled the Arthur controversy, renewed the feverish energy of Stalwart and Half-breed, and furnished glimpses of the dramatic discord which stirred restlessly behind the curtains of Senate secrecy.

But Conkling, knowing that though the voice was Garfield's, the hand was Blaine's, quickly precipitated a contest in which the interest of the whole country centred.

It opened an old quarrel, it invited opposition, it challenged to battle.

Such action required the highest order of political courage.

More than that it was Blaine's long look ahead.

But for several years the reasonableness of his opinions had an unmistakable influence upon the judgment of men.

Perhaps in the end he fell short of realising the full measure of strength that his ardent friends anticipated, for he possessed none of the characteristics of the boss and seemed incapable of submitting to the daily drudgery that…

In whatever legislative body he appeared he ranked amongst the foremost debaters, generally speaking with an enlightenment and a moderation that did credit to his intellect and to the sweetness of his nature.

He exercised authority cautiously, marshalled facts with skill, and presented clear and enlightened reasons for his action.

But friend and foe admitted that he had shown real ability as governor.

Spurred to greater effort by this blighting disappointment, the Republicans regained courage by a spirited presentation of the industrial question, which was strongly reinforced by returning activity in trade and commerce.

The vote combined a compliment to Tilden and an official utterance against the action of his great enemy, and as the States, answering promptly and sharply, dealt death to bolting and paralysis to Tammany it became evident to the blindest…

The platform favoured a tariff for revenue only, exploited the election fraud, demanded honest money of coin or paper convertible into coin, and stoutly opposed Chinese immigration.

He was much too acute not to know that the cipher disclosures had robbed him of the rôle of reformer, but he seems to have been blind to the obvious fact that every one else was also aware of it.

Upon these reforms he rode into power, and upon the cry of fraud he hoped to ride again to success.

He attacked the Tweed ring after its exposure; he made war upon the Canal ring after its record had become notorious; and he reduced the State taxes after the war debt had been paid.

These were conditions, not theories, that confronted this hard-headed man of affairs, who, without sentiment, never failed to understand the inexorable logic of facts.