New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-01-29
CoNKLING's GREAT EFFORT.

AN ELABORATE DEFENSE OF THE PRESIDENTS POLICY
IN LoUIsIANA-EXTRAORDINARY CARE AND PREP
ARATIoN APPARENT IN THIS sPEECH-THE MAIN
POINT AT ISSUE sMoTHHRED IN VERBIAGE.
lBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUEE.l
WASHINGTON, Jan. 2S.-The announcement extern
slvely made that Senator Conkling would to-day
make known in detail his views upon the Louisiana
question was sufficient to attract to the Senate
very large assemblagc, almost eQualing that which
honored Mr.. Schurz Mr.. C0nkling has been pre-
pairing for this occasion since the beginning Of
the debate and the extent of the notes which he has
taken betrayed a purpose of making of his
mastery efforts That his speech was an
interesting one cannot be denied that it
ingenious partisan plea, was to have been expected
and that it was worthy exposition of the Senator's
peculiar powers, the evident satisfaction amounting
almost on occasions to hlariousneSs on the part Of
his associates, amply testified. The reference at
the beginning to Senator Thurmans dramatic
illusions, was extremely amusing. Considering
the ostentatious dramatic display INDUCED
in by the courtly Senator his was not
the spontaneous utteIance OF the truth that
cannot be restrained, and that seeks only such lin
Rulstic aid as springs 10 his lips unsOu2ht On the
contrary the ideas were subservent to the words;
the matter to the manner and the sonorous periods
and iturgical intonings the postures the struttng
to and fro, the gestures, all gave EVIL
dence Of serious study and abundant self
observation. To such an extent were his endeavOrs
after effect carried that instead of bringing convic
ton to his hearers he simply rendered himself
ridiculous and brought ridicule upon the cause
which be pretended to represent.
The object of the argument was to defend the
President from any blame On account Of his utter
ignorance of what had taken place in New-Orleans
until he was informed through the public prints.
The weakness this defense has already been shown
by the fact that the President might have known
from preceding events, In connection with the use
of the military that trouble was to be apprehended,
and that the officers should have been warned
of their duties. Sherdan's instructions were. al
luded to- and he was also exonerated on the ground
that he was not il command at the Tune OF the dis
turbance The presence of the army in New
Orleans was explained and accounted for in two
ways the first of which was that the troops had to
be placed somewhere, and why not in New Orleans.
OF course this argument is unansweable. Secondly,
since Sept IA there had been for recalling
them, as the White Leaguers had not returned the
arms which they had stolen on that day.
Such matters as the act of the Returning Board i'll
leaving off names of members, the returns of whose
elections had been unaccompanied by any protest;
and the vital pOiut of the whole matter the action
of the military, were very lightly touched upon, and
clothed with such a mass OF yerbiage as TO be al
most hidden from sight. Great stress was laid upon
the action of Wilt in calling upon Gen. de
Trobriand to restore order in the lobbies,
and il was magniied to such extent as almost to
equal in importance the subsequent proceedings,
which were dwarfed into comparative insignlh-
canoe. 1t was contended that the civil authority
had power over riot and tumut wherever 1t ex-
tended, even in halls of Legislature knowing that
no riot existed in New-OrleaDs the law reports were
searched and the idea proclaimed that open
violence was not necessary 10 constitute a not,
Int that disorder which might lead TO riot was
sufficient cause for the interference OF the civil
authorities The Secretary of War was defended
for hs infamous telegram vOuchng for the opinions
of those whom he had not consulted, and Sheridan
WAS apostrOphized as the great phrase-monger,"
for his use of the word banditti" Rising to that
hight of eloquence demanded by the subject Conk-
ling declared that that degenerate race who should
declare Sheridan unfit TO breath the ar OF q Tree
Rcpnblic had better dance upon the tomb at Mount
Vernon and pull down the Obelsk on Bunker Hill.
terrible picture was drawn Of the action Of Witt
in endeavoring to restrain the Republican members
from leaving tire hall and of the efforts made to
bride aud kidnap them.
Az an argument Conkling's speech has been as
weak as those of Howe and Logan, but ar
a work of art it has been Incompatible. Although
much personal iuyective was INDUCED H. and
some very weak attempts at wit, yet as whole
it has been of lofty and dignihed character full
of the faults and cXcellencies 30 well known az De-
longing 10 it's author. The audience was patent
and decorous, and were evidently en- rapport with