New-York tribune., 1875-12-24
FOE PRESIDENT ROSCOE CONKLING

ZOE PRESIDEN1, kOSCOE tONhLiNu'
1t being in order just now TO put in nomi-
nation candidates for the Presidency, we have
been gratifed beyond measure to observe that
the friends of the Hon. Roscoe COnklns are
bringing him forward with the zeal which be-
fits so great a work and the flowing language
which so largely and beautifully typifies the
man and illustrates his character. We should
not wish to see Mr.. Conkling presented Tor
onico in ordinary language. Everyday dis
course and commonplace phraseOlOgy would
be unbecOming and inadequate Tor such
work. We would have the offer of his
name made in something Homeric, with
rotuDd period, and in high polysyllablc
sesquipedalian vein. Failing these, we would
have it if possible in some great tigurative
way, with tropes and metaphors and hyperbolc;
in some large procession of words that relate
to wars and armies battle-felds and camp
fires, and drums and trumpets, and all the
things he so reminds us of. For We confess
we like them. The one thing we most admire
in our system of political caucuses and con-
ventions and campaigns is the grand and lofty
manner in which, when we nominate fence
viewer or a town constable, we describe it as the
choice of standard-bearer," the selection OF a
leader who is to be in the fOrefrOnt-fOre-
front We think is the word-the forefront of
battle. And we are always profoundly stirred
by the appeals of the village postmaster,
double loaded, in the local newspaper, to
"rally on the battalion" to inject the foe
"once more" to rise up to the Crisis" and
abe ready for the emergency" These are the
things that always rouse the patriots heart.
We cannot have too much of them. No mat
ter if the candidate for constable or fence
viewer is very ordinary person, who never
fred off gun or wore sword; he is on can
didate, and we idealize him, and that is our
way of conducting these great affairs.
And so, as we have said, we are glad to see
that Mr.. Conkling's friends in the rural press
are bringing him forward in language which
may be called eloquent, touching, and forcible.
We have been especially pleased with the man
ner in which an Emira newspaper has named
him. This newspaper says of him that he Is
ga Republican from conviction" and we take
leave to say that this is uncommon praise. il
might be said of one or two persons
in The Missouri Penitentiary that they
were Republicans before conviction and
after conviction but here is man
who has convictions and acts upon them,
and he is so rare bird that we ought GER
tainly to make him President of the United
States. Not only that, but he is man who,
we are told, can give reason for the Faith
"that is in him. And "if the future of pol
cities shall make him the subordinate defender
"rather than the chief bearer of the standard,
"no one need fear the attitude he will assume.'
Could anything be more beautifully stated7
No matter whether he is the "chief bearer
"of the standard"-how good that is too, the
"chief bearer of the standard'-or subordinate
"defender,n "no one need fear the attitude he
twill assume.n Mixed but well meant-never
mind his "attitude.n Need MT fearit. Then the
newspaper says-nOw read carefully and go
slow-"In the future as IN the past, he will
abe in the thckest of the fray, and his clarion
"voice will ring out the key-nOtes of the
"battle." That now is what We call proper
presentation of n candidate. There is no in
teligence 20 Obtuse as not to leap at once to
a glowing apprehension of the situation so
yividly portrayed. "In the thickest of the
"fray "-ah, how beautiful, how stirring, and
how true. And there is where we always look
for Conkling. The constituent who looks for
him in Washington is waved oil from the
Directory by the pale and thoughtful hotel
clerk who says, 'NOt there, not there-loOk
"for hln in the tlickest of the Fray"
Then too his voice, his "claIion voice :"
how graphic is this account of it. We do not
know precisely what "tho key-notes of battle"
are, but we are certain they must be pro-
foundly bass. and we should know that Conk-
ling, whenever he was lin the thickest of the
"fIay," would be ringing them out. So to an
emotional people, TO a country that yearns for
something grand and heroic, Conkling comes.
Comes with blare Of trumpet, beat of drum,
and shrill, strident piping of the fife. Comes
in martial array III the thickest of the fray,
sounding ont the key-nOtes of the battle, bear
ing the standard, sluDg all over with cOum-
bads, and brstling with bnyoncts, ready
never was man readier-tO be voted for
for President of the United States. Fifty
anl grandly introduced. We might have
wished perhaps that the martial figure had
been carried just a uile further and some
reference made to him rs an orfiamme. 1t is
word of which we are fond, and it would
have given us sincere delight to have been
able to think of Mr.. Conkling in the thickest
of the fray rs an orifiamme. And we do not
doubt that Mr.. Conkling himself would have
felt complimented by being mentioned a. an
Ori6amme. Politics has become 40 much de-
m0ralized Of late that we are almost out of
Orihammes, and We are quito certain that tho