rged the departure of the delegates before
dark, and upon their arrival at Jersey City the next morning the local
police made indiscriminate arrests and locked up large batches of
them, including a Commissioner of Charities and Correction.[1244]

[Footnote 1241: The _Nation_, September 29, 1870.]

[Footnote 1242: _Ibid._]

[Footnote 1243: _Ibid._, October 6.

The following officials were nominated by acclamation: Governor, John
T. Hoffman; Lieutenant-Governor, Allen C. Beach; Comptroller, Asher P.
Nichols; Canal Commissioners, John D. Fay and George W. Chapman;
Prison Inspector, Solomon E. Scheu.]

[Footnote 1244: The _Nation_, September 29.]

CHAPTER XVIII

CONKLING DEFEATS FENTON

1870

The Republican State convention which assembled at Saratoga on
September 7 was not so harmonious as the Tammany body. For several
years Senator Morgan and Governor Fenton had represented the two
sections of the party, the latter, soon after his inauguration on
January 1, 1865, having commenced building his political machine. As
an organiser he had few equals. One writer declares him "the ablest
after Van Buren."[1245] At all events he soon became the head of the
party, controlling its conventions and distributing its patronage.
After entering the Senate he paid assiduous attention to the
President. The repeal of the Tenure-of-Office Act and an effort to
secure the confirmation of Alexander T. Stewart for secretary of the
treasury opened the way to Grant's heart, and for these and other
favours he received the lion's share of appointments. In the meantime
his opponents insisted that under cover of loud radical professions he
had relied wholly upon trickery for success, banning able men and
demoralising the party.[1246]

[Footnote 1245: Charles E. Fitch, formerly editor of the Rochester
_Democrat-Chronicle_.]

[Footnote 1246: _Harper's Weekly_, June 24, 1871.]

To these criticisms and Conkling's advances the President presented a
listening ear. Conkling had not thrust himself upon Grant, but the
more the President tired of Fenton's importunities, the more he liked
Conkling's wit and sarcasm and forceful speech. As patronage gradually
disappeared Fenton redoubled his efforts to retain it, until in his
desperation he addressed a letter to the Chief Executive, referring to
his own presidential aspirations, and offering to withdraw and give
him New York if the question of offices could be satisfactorily
arranged.[124