follow Conkling's lead.

On the other hand, Senator Conkling and his adherents declared
the issue to be simply whether competent public officials should
be removed to make room for factional favorites. This view of the
case was adopted by Vice-President Arthur and by
Postmaster-General James of Garfield's own Cabinet, who, with New
York Senators Conkling and Platt, signed a remonstrance in which
they declared that in their belief the interests of the public
service would not be promoted by the changes proposed. These
changes were thus described in a letter of May 14,1881, from the
New York Senators to Governor Cornell of New York:

"Some weeks ago, the President sent to the Senate in a group the
nominations of several persons for public offices already filled.
One of these offices is the Collectorship of the Port of New
York, now held by General Merritt; another is the consul
generalship at London, now held by General Badeau; another is
Charge d'Affaires to Denmark, held by Mr. Cramer; another is the
mission to Switzerland, held by Mr. Fish, a son of the former
Secretary of State.... It was proposed to displace them all, not
for any alleged fault of theirs, or for any alleged need or
advantage of the public service, but in order to give the great
offices of Collector of the Port of New York to Mr. William H.
Robertson as a 'reward' for certain acts of his, said to have
aided in making the nomination of General Garfield possible....
We have not attempted to 'dictate,' nor have we asked the
nomination of one person to any office in the State."

Except in the case of their remonstrance against the Robertson