In 1881 , he was appointed Collector of the Port of New York by President James Garfield whose nomination he had helped to secure by leading a part of the New York delegation at the 1880 Republican National Convention to desert the Grant column . Robertson 's nomination to the collectorship , made without consulting the wishes of the two Republican U.S. Senators , Roscoe Conkling and Thomas C. Platt , and , according to their claims , in violation of the President 's pledge , led to the resignation of the two Senators and resulted in a serious party split . In the bitter struggle between the Stalwart and the Half-Breed factions which followed , Robertson was active in the campaign that resulted in the election of new Senators in the place of Conkling and Platt . Robertson was a delegate to the 1884 Republican National Convention , and held the collectorship until 1885 . Afterwards , he resumed his law practice
1880 Republican National Convention
1880 Republican National Convention
William H. Robertson