Arthur Quotes
After James Garfield became the Republican nominee for President, the defeated Conkling, refusing to run for Vice President, was asked whom he personally favored to run as vice-president with Garfield. Conkling replied:. President Garfield was assassinated six months later, and Arthur became the 21st President, to Conkling's dismay and chagrin. Compare Lyndon Johnson's "Power is where power goes."
Conkling the boss of New York politics had designs on the Presidency. However, when the President was assassinated, the murderer claimed to have acted in favor of the Conkling political views as Vice President Chester Arthur was a Conkling political soldier. Although Conkling had nothing to do with the assassination, he left politics and returned to private law practice. He also refused an appointment to the Supreme Court.