The New York herald., 1877-12-16
Details OF the Difficulty in
w the Senate.
ANGRY STATESMEN.
The Georgia Senator Hints
at a Settlement"
} Q H A LII f. N G. f.
How Mutual Friends Adjusted
the Quarrel.
rpx TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD


WARRINGTON, Dec Is, 1877.
There is no doubt that the difficulty between scna-
tors Conkling and Gordon greatly exaggerated in
the published statements The Senate has been In a
heated state Of mind Tor several days. and Is said
that Ia the executive session OF Wednesday
last. harsher words passed and moro bitterness
was diiplayed BY Senators toward enoh other than
passed yesterday. Il is also understood that Mr.
Conkiing was severely pressed on that occasion
BY several Senators, and IL Is generally be-
hsved TINS evening that tho dispute OF yes
tcrday was only a continuation, a conclusion OF
Arecurring ngh which had boon going ON in exccu-
two session for some days between Mr. conk,ng and
some Of the supporters Of tho President A demo.
cratic Senator. who sits near Senator Gordon says
that the actual language and manner Of tho
Georgia Senator was anything but provocative OF .
quarrel II was until Senator conkiing construed
10 40 angry tonc the tho misundersiand.
Ing was to be settled hereafter and had better DO
pettled now. that ths democratic Senators OBJ
iccted 10 turning tho Senate chamber into
prize ring. and II continued, II tho FREQ expressions
OF opinion which 90 frsqusntly made In executive
session aro 20 be the Of personal alterations
and provocasIons to quarrel. tho sooner executive
business 10 transacted with open doors the bottsr It
Will be for the good OF tho Senators tsa.a
sorH SENATOR'S RsrcgSr.
Tho most persistent attempts OF intcrviewers
whether in she person OF representatives or the prcss
OF senators, have ailcd tonight 10 obtain either
IRON Senators Conkline or Gordon any authorized
statement Of the Affair." From General Gordon In per
son n 10 learned ttat In wow OF she settlement he
considers that is would be improper for him say
anything on the subject than contained In the
paper made public bv the Senate today. An intimate
personal friend OF senator Conkllng states
shat he (conkliDg) entertains precisely tho same
view. From oical sources, therefore, tho public is
obliged 10 coutent itself with the agreement entered
into between the representatives Of she two gentle
mon spread upon the OF legislative proceed
ngs ana furnished TO tho pseas From other sources
which both friendly ssnator Gordon, and Just.
is said TO Senator Conkllng the following iniofma-
ton 10 obtained:-
HOW IT HAPPENED.
In executive session, alter the or the Georgia
Internal Revenue Collector Wade had bson confirmed,
General Gordon proposed to move that Mr.. spencer,
OF Alabama, report tho case OF Mr.. Smith, VINO was
nominated for Collector OF Mobile. In which case
there had been an adverse report which had been
assigned to Spcncer's charge. spencer Was holding
Tho report back while Gordon tho act OF speak.
Ing, and whilo asking this motion, Conkling called
out loudly sal at isse..Hr
"Go on with the calendar" naHlN
Gordon Immediately said ;-''ME Prssidsns, the
Senator from New York 10 nos IN the CHAIR, but he
orders the Char 70 10 on with The calendar"
Several names had been called for action when
Gordon made this remark Senator Conkiing spranx
TO his feet alter Gordon's remarks and asked what
Gordon had said about HIM. Gordon Immediately re-.
pcated tho language
Mr.. Conkling then said .If the senator from Geor.
gia says that ordered the chair to 20 with tho
calender ne states what Is not true."
Gordon replied, every well; We viii settle that
hereafter"
Conk!lng retortsd, "we will scsie Il here, /" and 70.
peaied what he said before.
Gordon then again sald ws will not settle 10 here,
but elsewhcre.r
SENATOR rHURnAs's MEDIATION.
A. . later stage in the executive session Judge
Thurman, speaking Of this unfortunate occurrence,
said that he hoped m could be settled
without further difficulty. Ho had no
doubt that tho harsh words by both
Senators from misapprshension OF each
others purposes He did not suppose there was any
Intentional affrons and hoped that each would mako
explanations and that nothing would DO hoard Of
it. Hanlin spoke in the same pacific direction, but
neither Gordon nor Conkling said anything ana 70.
manned In their seats. f..r... rl
THE sETrLEMExr
The following are the proceedings which followed
tho adjournment, 40 ascertained from an, at least
semi Official source -imme edatey after the adjourn.
with their principals, Gordon and Conkling, under
took, the .code says, to compose the aim-
Guilty. They met for that purpose at tho
Capitol These persons were Hamiin and Howe
on tho part Of Conkling, and Ransom
and Mcdonald on the part Of Gordon. They sat until
hour past midnight last night and agreed to meet
eleven this morning TO conclude the matter. They
reassombied at eleven, and worry adroit statement
was agreed upon, which entirely satisfactory
to the friends OF both Senator's This Settle
mcnt formally accepted by Conkling and
Gordon, and was brought into the scrate ana
read there Many OF the publications which have ap-
peared havo greatly exaggerated the scene and the
language OF tho executive session. Some OF them
regarded by General Gordon's friends very unjust
to him, but they do not deem any particular rcfu-
tation necessary tho matter having been settled. 1t
appears that IL would be against the etiquette OF tho
code 10 say anything now. l9.
.6 NO CHALLENGE oYpKRED
The friends OF General Gordon say that the reports
that any commun ication exchanged between tho
parties or sent or receivod by either, either
of direct indirect character,
are wholly unrounded. No communication passed.
Efforts for peace were Immediately begun by
geA.icmen whose character was a guarantee that a
settlement would be arrived at IL Is certain that
Phil sherdao and senator Joncs, OF Nevada, were
ihcse gentlemen will make any statements upon tho
subject
the rrHroISDExrER CASE IN 1884
Neither tho Congregational GLOBE nor National InteIf
oencsr OF February, 1884 have the details OF the mis-
understanding between Senators Forsyth and Poin-
dexter which led to proceedings somewhat similar TO
to-days The journal Of the Senate for February 20
has the followina:-
Ordered that the following DO entered on tho cgs-
Af ehU
having arisen between the Hon. George Poindextsf
tho Hon. John forsyth, In tho OF the pro-
coedngs OF tho senate this day. aer the cIosc oil the
business the Senate required the atteEdanco oil It's
absont members, whercupon. at the Instance OF Sow
erai mcmDers mutual, satisfactory ana honorable ex-
plantations took place ("
vsrsssiou with Senator. not long ago. alluded TO this
and the active part then taken Senator
Clay In cnscng the unpleasant words from the re.
mombrancc Senators and this preccdent led 10 tho