Page:Cambridge Modern History Volume 7.djvu/681

 1878-85] Renewed diplomatic activity. 649 continued to be concluded, the most important being that made with China in 1880, by which the treaty of 1868 was considerably modified, at the demand of the Pacific Coast States, so as to limit immigration. Treaties indicating a new tendency were those of 1878 with Samoa and of 1884 with Hawaii for coaling-stations a provision not thought necessary in Seward's time. The United States also showed a willingness to act in international affairs, ratifying conventions for an International Bureau of Weights and Measures in 1878, the Geneva Convention of 1864 with amendments in 1882, and conventions for the protection of industrial property and international cables in 1883 and 1884. A still more significant innovation was a tendency shown by Congress and by Secretary Elaine to assume an aggressive policy with regard to the interests of the United States in Central and South America. Elaine endeavoured to interpose between Chili and her defeated enemies, Bolivia and Peru, with an offer of arbitration ; but Chili resented the attitude of the United States; and the proposal was dropped by Elaine's successor. At the same time Congress took a lively interest in the Panama projects of De Lesseps and his company, and revived the scheme of a purely American Nicaragua Canal by requesting the President, in 1880, to secure the abrogation of the Clayton-Bulwer treaty. Elaine undertook the task, and entered upon a correspondence with the British government. He also called a pan- American Congress for 1882. But neither of these efforts succeeded, the British government showing no willingness to consent to an abrogation, and the pan- American Congress being abandoned as impracticable. A treaty, however, was actually concluded with Nicaragua in 1884, acquiring for the United States the right of a protectorate over a canal. These movements, although unproductive at the time, were evidently fore- runners of a new departure in foreign policy. The time was foreshadowed when the quiescence of the years after 1865 would be abandoned for greater activity in foreign affairs. The matters of domestic interest confronting Congress were revivals of questions temporarily settled a decade earlier. The reform of the Civil Service had been an issue in 1874 and 1876; but, although Hayes had by executive order subjected to examination candidates for appointment to certain offices, the Democratic Congresses of 1875 to 1881 took no action. With the accession of President Garfield, the pressure for partisan removals and appointments became severe. Before the new Administration was three months old a public quarrel about patronage broke out between the President and the New York Senators, Conkling and Platt, who wished to dictate all appointments in their State. Both senators resigned, seeking re-election from their State legislature as a personal vindication; but they miscalculated their strength and failed to be returned. Almost immediately afterwards the disgust of the country over the affair was turned to horror, when