The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-12-13
new YORK STATE In CONGRESS.
OUR TWO SENATOR s.
Incisive Sketches Of FentOn
and COnkling.
The Influence Of the Empire
State Dissipated.

State Dissipated.
WASHINGTON, Dec. Q, 1871.
Perhaps there Is no subject which the people Of
New York little understand as the relative innu-
ence, personal relations and comparative rectitude
Of their two Senators in Congress.
Nearly all the republican papers OF New York are
cut up this question: and 1t Is Impossible to get
from them the right or wrong OF the issue. All that
the people know Is that the force dignity and ex-
ample Of our greas State are thrown away upon Q
series OF gutter squabbles, beginning In the merest
motives OF childish jealousy, unchrlstlan ambition
and reckless rapacity on the subject Of spoils and
Offices
WE ARE DIsGRAcED.
New York has less influence In the Senate than
Massachusetts. or Connecticut, or Maine, or Ver-
mont, or any Of the large Western States. Its two
Senators reside In the block Of houses and yet
they sustain no personal relations with
each other, never extending the hand or noddng
when they meet on the streets. Each Of them Is
attended when on public duty by set OF low-llved
runners. parasites ana scamps and two assassins
mutually laying IN walt for each other could not
enact Q more contemplate part than these two
well-bred, educated, and, In some sense, eminent
men. Some explanation Is needed ON this matter.
and venture to give 1t according to the best ad-
vices which have.
THE TWO FACTIONS.
Inside politicians describe the war now being
waged as the Morgan and Fenton war, substituting
for Conklings name that OF his senior the ex-
Governor. Morgan and Fenton are both 'Jockeys''-
that is masters OF the tricks OF politics and unre
liable as to their relations to other politicians when
any thing can be made by throwing OLD friends or
combinations aside and taking up new ones.
C0NKLING CONSIDERED.
Between these two old hands Senator ConkllnQ
stands in the position OF brilliant amateur, that is
no politician In the COOL gamblers sense Of moving
men and things about with secrecy deliberate FORE
thought ana Indifferent conscientousness. Conkltng
has all the aspiration to be this OF politician
but he does not possess the proper temperament he
Is too fond or having his will and his way instantly
and expressing himself as he chooses to feel, often
indicating by his behavior and expression that any
one, however worthy or Cancellation, Is bother.
and he, therefore, occupies the anomalous place as
o New York Senator OF man without party or o
faction behind him, but temporarily supported by
the Morgan party, who wish to claim him as their
Senator and do their work through him. II Conk-
ling has faction OF any sort 1t Is what might be
called the political S0pnomores, unworthy,
ideal, ardent young fellows like Andrew
White and many OF the better country
editors In the interior OF New York. These
responsibilities good at voting times; but they
have no influence In State legislatures with that
class OF organizations which set In motion the
sequences which put men In the Senate or Conk-
ling, considered without regard to the present
scrimmage the best Judgment here Is that he Is the
finest gentleman In appearance, breeding, chival-
rtc mot to say feudaD tone and eloquence, that
New York has HAD since William II. Seward. Before
the curtain ConklIng always makes a striking
figure and sometimes a splendid one. He Is q
aIYt m a rSran fhap
body since John Randolph, and that is what Fenton
has named II IN one or his soft sentcnccs-"the
fatal gift OF sarcasm, almost as dangerous as the
gilt OF beauty Conkllnys sarcasm Is not like
John RandOph's-the snrtll lean cyniclsm OF q
superior spirit; 1t IL compound OF personal
vanity, spirit, hate and contempt; and 1t Is
never directed at anybody but a personal or
prospective enemy. 1t therefore fails TO reach the
highest level even OF It's own quality, and 1t obtains
from the motive or the utterer added importance
Terrible and, as many thought, mean Instances OF
this sort OF sarcasm levelled Charles sumner
some months ago. in series OF speeches studiously
intended to wound and apparently Without any
other purpose. Conkng, Edmonds and Carpenter
spatter Sumner every time ne got up, and 1t was
supposed that In this way they might drive him or
his favorIte committee on account OF placing HIM
out or terms OF communication, ana making IL O
modification to sit socially with any OF them. Mel
ther OF the three, although Keen speakers, could
say so much TO give pain as Conkling nor SO little
as 10 do Mr.. Sumner any real injury.
COMBINES SARCASM
Some time later when the question OF the two re-
porters who refused to tell how they came by the
M,gh Joint Treaty was before the Senate, Senator
wilson entrapped COnkllnG into little Dit OF sharp
talk. COnklng had desired to have these reporters
sent to Jail when In the committee room, but he
papers, and he had the resolution offered by some
body else. Henry Wilson suddenly got up and ex-
in Conklings own Handwriting. At this the unbot.
tied temper OF Conkling came forth, and for a few
minutes ns1 made @ wnh mSt be syed
accompanied with good natural nD acting AI and
e row rho Of wS an Sad ns very
obnoxious paper TO which the chaps IN custody
belonged when ne gaveIt Kick win his loot and
was the condensed sc0rD and contempt OF a thou
sand years" However. we live In an age that can
read about these things without particularly admir-
Ing man much out OF control aud selr-restraint
as TO do and say them.
why FEHToN REFUSED TO SPEAK TO coSKIING.
The Immediate cause OF the cessation OF ali com
munication between Conkling and Fenion was
speech made by the former In executive session. lie
| must have been a hard man and have said haru
things to whom Fenton viii not SPEAK. Fenton mas
Ss Not m a n aea so
be pscea ne n S a co 80 hn e
to do SO, resume ordinary social relations.
| The speech which made Fenton feel that not even
sOrdid motives would permit him to exchange salu.
tati0ns with Conkng referred to the matter or
Thomas Murphy's appointment to the Cocctorship.
rcHtOH Hdu maui . bPCSCH iu ocHato uBtiHsL
Murphy, guarded In TERMS ana had got an exchange
shot from Conkling far more bitter. In executive
up again, and Fenton stated the points about the
straw nat contracts, the Olcott letters &C,
urged that the man against whom such things were
said should not have the highest ONCE the federal
patronage. Conkng replied with unusual, but easy
acrimony, that such things mad been said OF
Mr. Murphy, but That what was said was
not evidence. ''They do say" he remarked,
''of my colleague In the Senate, that he signed
bills Tor O money consideration while Governor;
the money OF the Tammany Ring, and that he mas
grown rich upon such Infamous processes; but, Of
course, do not believe thisn As the discussion
grew moro animated CnnklinQ Is eald L have toll