The daily gazette., 1877-12-29
The Reconciliation.
HOW CoNKLING AND BLAINE BECAME
FRIENDS ONCE MoRE-CoNKLING
AT HOME
From the Inter Ocean.

From the Inter Ocean.
The President and Evarts were ex-
pecting Blaine to oppose Conkling on
the Custom House appointments, not
because Blaine loved Hayes more, but
because they thought he loved Conkling
less.
''The logic of politics." says Mr.. Evarts
will compel Blaine to sustain the Presi-
dent"
And the result showed just how much
Mr.. Evarts knows about "the logic of
politics." Blaine not only did not sus-
tain the President, but made a speech
in defense of Conkling's position that
was second only in force of Conkling's
own. He was i'll and weak, unfit to be
in thetSeg &c chamber, yet he sat there
six hours to vote for his personal enemy
No man appreciates the kindness more
than Conkling. He and Blaine had not
exchanged word-not even the merest
courtesies of life-for twelve years.
They had not bowed or recognized each
other lin the remotest way for that
length of time, but each had regarded
the other with the haughtiest indifference
and yet they sat no more than six feet
apart in the Senate, Hamlin and Howe
sitting between them.
The great executive session over the
New York appointment occurred on
Thursday. On Friday Mr.. Conkling
went to the Vice President and asked if
he had framed the Committee on Mexi-
can Relations, provided for by Conk-
ling's resolution. MIR. Wheeler took the
list from among some papers on his desk
and handed it to Conkling, who glanced
it over and asked:
"Will you permit me to suggest an
alteration, Mr.. PRESIDENT"
"Certainly," was Vice-President
Wheeler's reply.
And Conkling scratched off his own
name as Chairman of the Committee,
and wrote the name of Blaine in his
place. Mr.. Wheeler, knowing their long
continued enmity, looked up with sur
prise.
81 wish it so;" SAID Conkling, with his
characteristic brevitv.
But the Vice-President demurred. He
said the usage made it necessary for him
to appoint the man who asked for the
committee as its Chairman and he would
not consent to the change unless Mr..
ton of it in the Senate, suggesting as
the better way that he announce Conk>
ling as Chairman, and that he resign,
and move the appointment of Mr.. Blaine
in his place.
"Very WE'LL" replied Conkling, "I
will do so if the Senator from Maine will
~Anontn -
And Conkling asked Senator hoa1, ~,
invite Mr.. Blaine to act as Chairman in
his place. Howe delivered the message
but Blaine declined, saying that he in
tended to go to Arkansas for his health,
and feared he would not return in time
to act. But Mr.. Blaine appreciated the
courtesy, and through him the matter
got into the newspapers.
There had been handsome conces-
sion on either side, and the next day,
Saturday last, when Conkling was stand
ing in front Of the Seeretary's desk in
the Senate. Blaine approached him
aud offered his hand. Mr.. Conkling ac-
cepted it With great cordiahty, and Mr.
Blaine thanked him for his courtesy.
There was no mention of the long teud
there was no "making up" but merely
an acceptance, not spoken, but implied,
of the olive branch OF peace.
Now that Morton is dead, the strength
of the Republican party must be led by
these two men. The most serious weak
ness that existed in its ranks consisted in
their personal enmity; but that is healed,
and both will take care that there shall
not be another rapture.
Since Morton died, Conkling Is the
hardest working man In the Senate.
Since the session of Congress began he
has given eighteen hours out OF every
tw enty-four to labor. His correspond
ence is more voluminous than that of any
public men except the President alone,
and besides the hundreds of letter that he
answers with his own hand every week,
he employs two private secretaries, who
are both continually busy. AT his seat In
the Senate Conkling is almost uninter-
ruptedly engaged in answering letters.
He generally comes into the cham ber
with his hands full, and while business Is
progressing, he reads them one by one.
and as each is finished makes a memoir
andum on the back for the use of his
secretaries in framing the reply. When
the Senate adjourns he gets into his buggy
generally alone, and enjoys short but
rapid drive after his horse Douglass, a
large black gelding with a coast like
mirror, and OF this animal Mr.. Conkling
Is very fond. He returns to his rooms,
dimes about o'clock, and works till long
after midnight.
He lives this winter in a couple of
rooms in house, adjoining Wormley's
HOTEL which he formerly owned. His
quarters are neither sumptuous nor
spacious, and merely come under the
term comfortable. Here he spends his
evenings, debating to shorthand writers,
writing himself, and entertaining COM
pany. He is quite exclusive, as SO busy
a man must be, and it is difficult to see
him; but an hour in his society is plea
sure that great many people envy. AS
a conversationalist Mr.. Conkling has no
equal. His recent visit to England made
him famous there, and the London papers
were full of his brilliant bon mots and re-
partees. In his habits he is as temperate
as a monk making tea his only stimulant,
AID eating only the plainest food. He
uses tobacco only In the fern of what Is
known as ga dry smoke"-that is,
chewing the end of an unlightad cigar
a habit Gen. Butler is also noted for.
During the midst OF his writing at night
he often stops to swing pair OF SO pound
dunn b-bells for few moments, aud will
put on PAIR of boxing gloves Whenever
he can find an antagonist willing to stand
up with him. At Utica, his home, he is
a frequenter of gymnasium, and has
great reputation as an athlete. If Gordon
had challenged him, and if Conkling had
accepted the challenge, the choice of
weapons would have been his, and he
..,o,,td bova choSau small awOr6S Uith