misgiving, that the last caucus
had been held and the last obstacle to Robertson's confirmation
removed.

The position of Platt had at last become intolerable. Mindful of the
promise to Depew and his friends he had tactfully and patiently sought
to avoid a contest by satisfactorily arranging matters between the
President and Conkling. Now the end of compromises had come and a vote
impended. At this critical if not desperate moment he suggested
resignation.[1756] The Legislature that chose him in January was still
in session, and the combined votes of the Stalwarts would be
sufficient to re-elect them. This would liberate him from a promise
and strengthen both with a legislative endorsement. It was neither an
intrepid nor an exalted proposition, but Conkling accepted it.
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 the seductive form which
that violence could take.

[Footnote 1756: "I walked over to Conkling and said, 'I shall send my
resignation to Governor Cornell to-night.' Conkling turned to me and
replied: 'Don't be too hasty about this matter, young man.' We then
went to the rear of the Senate Chamber and talked it over. Conkling
insisted that we should wait, and fight it out in Committee. I
replied, 'We have been so humiliated that there is but one thing for
us to do--rebuke the President by immediately turning in our
resignations and then appeal to the Legislature to sustain us.' I
induced Conkling to join me in offering our joint resignations, and
that night the papers were forwarded to Cornell by special messenger."
Platt's Reminiscences.--_Cosmopolitan Magazine_, April, 1909, p. 516.

It was at this time that Platt's opponents gave him the sobriquet of
"Me Too," meaning that he merely followed Conkling's lead. This was
unjust to the junior Senator, who at least took the lead in suggesting
and insisting upon resigning.]

Before the Senate reconvened on Monday (May 16) the resignation of
Conkling and Platt was in the hands of Governor Cornell. It came with
the suddenness of Robertson's nomination. Neither Vice-President
Arthur shared their intention, nor did Cornell suspect it. The first
intimation came in two brief notes, read by the clerk, informing the
Senate of their action. But the crash--the consternation, if any