e."

"Do you think the public will be likely to respond largely to his
efforts?"

"Yes, I have no doubt about it, unless an unforseen or sudden
revulsion occurs."

Mr. Windom demonstrated his ability, not only in the plan of
refunding the debt, but in the general conduct and management of
his department.

The administration of Garfield encountered the same difficulty as
that of Hayes in the selection of officers in the State of New
York. The question was whether appointments in New York should be
made by the President or by a Senator from that state. E. A.
Merritt, collector of the port of New York, having been nominated
for consul general at London, William H. Robertson was nominated
to the Senate in his place. When the Senate considered this
nomination Senator Conkling and his colleague, Senator Platt,
opposed it, not for unfitness, but for the reason that they had
not been consulted in this matter, and that the selection was an
insult and in violation of pledges given Conkling by the President.
When this opposition was known, the President withdrew previous
appointments from that state, in order that the Senate might act
upon the nomination of collector and definitely determine whether
he or the Senators should appoint United States officers in New
York. Finding the nomination of Robertson would be confirmed, both
Senators resigned on the 16th of May, and made their appeal to the
legislature of New York for re-election. If they had been returned
to the Senate, the President would have been powerless to appoint
anyone in New York without consulting the Senators, practically
transferring to them his constitutional power. Fortunately for
the country the legislature of New York elected E. C. Lapham and
Warner Miller in the places of Conkling and Platt.

How far, if at all, the excitement of this contest led to the
assassination of Garfield by Guiteau cannot be known; yet, this
tragedy occurring soon after the contest, the popular mind connected
the two events, and the horror and detestation of the murder
emphasized the rejection of Conkling and Platt.

The action of the President and of the New York legislature
contributed to check the interference of Senators in appointments
to office, which had grown up, under what is called "the courtesy
of the Senate," to be a serious abuse. The nomination of Stanley
Matthews, eminently fitted for the office of justice of the Supreme
Court, was confirmed by a majorit