| − | Unfortunately, the new president was unequal to the task of composing the differences in his party. For his secretary of state he chose James G. Blaine. the bitterest political enemy of Senator Roscoe Conkling (q.v.) the leader of the New York “stalwarts.” Without consulting the New York senators, Garfield appointed William H. Robertson, another political enemy of Conkling's, to the desirable post of Collector of the Port of New York, and thereby destroyed all prospects of party harmony. | + | Unfortunately, the new president was unequal to the task of composing the differences in his party. For his secretary of state he chose James G. Blaine. the bitterest political enemy of Senator [[Roscoe Conkling]] (q.v.) the leader of the New York “stalwarts.” Without consulting the New York senators, Garfield appointed William H. Robertson, another political enemy of Conkling's, to the desirable post of Collector of the Port of New York, and thereby destroyed all prospects of party harmony. |