, 1877-12-16
WASHINGTON.
The Conkling-Cordon Mat
ter Brought to a Happy
Conclusion.
Friends Of Both Distinguished
Parties Consume Much
Midnight Oil,
And Finally Agree that the She'd
ding Of Blood Is Tn
necessary.
They Therefore Decide upon
a Statement Satisfactory
All Around.
Which Document Is Read in Exec.
utive Session and Re-
corded.
The Whole Trouble Said to Be
the Result Of Mutua! Mis-
apprehension.
Failure Of the Democrats to Set Their
Investigation Mill in
Motion.
Adjournment OF Both Houses
OF Congress Till Jan. 10.
Failure Of the Democrats to Set Their
Investigation Mill in
Motion.
Adjournment OF Both Houses
OF Congress Till Jan. 10.
CONKLING---GORDON.

WASHINGTON, D. C., Dec. 15.--The Gordon
Conkling difficulty Is settled without 4 duel,
but there arc many IN Washington who know
tile affair came yer? near having n serious ter
tnination. 1t seems impossible to believe it. but,
unless those vino should be best informed arc
mistaken, the National Capital las only escaped
scene which would have carried us back to tho
days Of tho chivalrv. Inas1nuch as the causc OF
the difference originated in secret session, tho
proceedings Of which Senators, bv their pledge
OF honor, are not permitted to divuge, thcru
can BE- no authoritative statement OF
the cause OF the difficulty, hut it
is well ascertained ano not denied BY the prin-
cipal actors, that the statement in these dis
patches last night represented in substance
TIE ACTUAL OCCURRENCE.
Careful inquiry to-day shows that the affair did
not possess those extra Senatorial features
which have been 2scribcd to it in many quar-
tiers. There arc differences as to the exact na-
turc OF the pyovocation. Some say that Senator
Gordon answered that he would settle the dif-
ficulty III the Senate Chamber Or elsewhere, and
said this in an offensive and excited tonc. Sey-
eral Senators say to-day, however, that Gordon,
in tone somewhat under his breath, simply
said that e We will settle it, at NIL events"
Senator Gordon and his friends consider TINT
an ai1ront had been put upon that Senator, aud
that, unless what.they tall rcp.ratiou due to u
gentleman should be made, resort would 1c
had
TO THE CODE,
unless it should he discovered TINT Senator
Conkling would not recognize the revival OF thai
monstrous system, and wonlu turn the chal-
lengcr over to the Police Court Negotiations
were on foot late last night Every
thing was very secret, but the following
is resume OF the current Cos
sip: Senator Gordon was closeted at
his hotel during the entire evening with Sena-
tor Lamar and other personal friends. 1t was
serious matter with them. There was no rapor
oi swagger or p]ay Of pistol about it. Senator
Gordon is man Of metal, bred in tie Southern
school OF honor, and it now seems probable
would have been very likely to have
SENT 4 CHALLENGE.
Senator Conkliug, meanwhile, ut his hotel, Vas
also engaged with friends, among whom aro
reported to have been Senator Jones, Of Ne
vada, IN intimate personal friend, aud Gen.
Phil Sheridan, as military expert, to-
gether with one OF two Southern gen
tleneu friendly both to ConkIius and
Gordon, aud familiar with the rules and c:i-
luctte which govern the code. This consu!ta-
+ion, Of course, was considered as tho most con-
idcntial. but it is reported that to ons of the
Southern gentlemen Senator Conkling said
that he did not believe in tho uccursed system
If duels or any OF the barbarisms associated
With slave Institutions, but that he had made it
! principle If be had put an afIront upon q man
lc should meet that man and answer him upon
lis Own ground Senator Conkling Is said to
lave caused it distinctly to be known that he
would
SIGN NO WRITTEN ACCEPTANCE
II any challenge, but that whatever obligations
lis friends might determine that the circum-
stances placed upon him he should, Us man.
meet. This communication to these Southern
was evidently satisfactory, aud was
doubtless communicated to Senator Gordon, or
o Senator Lunar, who acted Is Gen. Goruon's
confidential friend and adviser. The position Of
,onkIing was understood by the Gordon side to
,e tnat, protesting against the barbarism Of
II duels, he (Conkling) ii needs be, was not
he man to ehrink from any responsibilities
rhich his words had brought upon him. und
hat he would not avail himself
Il nDy technically: or, should any
be made to him turn tho
cndcr OF the bringer OF the message over to the
ministers Of criminal justice.
The runor circulated quite freely here to-day
hat Conkling sought the course of quarrel
To SECURE a CHALLENGE
nd turn the challenger over to justice, most
crtainlv had no foundation. Mr. Conkling's
ricnds claim for him that. however men may
ifIer from him politically, all must consider
i'm man OF courage and OF honor.
Meantime, Senators Lamar and Gordon
re represented to hare decided upon their
purse, aud Lamar Is reported to have
allied upon Senator Conklng, although
ais Is deuied, and to have handed communi-
alton said to be couched In the language Of the
,dc. 1t undoubtedly rcscmblcd preliminary
artel; but its existence is denied. It WAS not
challenge technically or legally, but it was q
riyate note stating that Senator Gordon felt
[lnself axgrieveu; that he could not ALLOW tic
latter to stop there, and that he felt it neecs~
Try to
ASK SOME REpAKATION.
as it intended as such, but IT. evidently
As Intended as the forerunner OF
ossiblc challenge. This morning there we're
lc widest rumors that Senator Gordon had
mt i note to Conklin1 telling him he was be-
ond the District, ready to meet him at Ger.
in place. The report was unfoundcd. 1t it.
:rtain that Gordon was in the Senate Cham
cr, as was Coukling. This mornin. tho
lends Of both PARTIES sought to effect coul-
romisc, aud Senators ua1nlin and Howe, rep