my memories of eighty years-第21节

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me。　　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　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；　w