The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-12-17
CONKLING.GORDON.
A Quarrel in the Senate.
How it Originated aud How il
was Settled.

New YORK, Dec 15.-Sharp words passed
in the executive session yesterday between
Senators Gordon of Georgia and Conkling, and
Senators Hill and Blaine.
Mr.. Conkling characterized a statement of
Gordon's that he (Conkling) was ordering the
Vice President to Ego on with the calendar"
which several others had also done, as false:
and in response to Gordon saying, "We will
settle this elsewhere" Conkliug more impress
sively and decidedly said that Gordon's state
ment was false, and that he (Conklinp) was
ready to settle it there and then, or any-
where.
Mr.. Hill referred to Mr.. Wade as one who
has furnished information about Southern out.
RACES to Northern newspapers, and was couss.
quently unfit to hold office in the Soutb.
Whereupon Mr.. Blaine stated that the outrages
would always be heard from SO long as they o.
Cured.
Considerable excitement was occasioned in
the Senate by these passages, and Just before
the adjournment, Mr.. Thurman partially ex-
cused Gordon, and Mr.. Hamlin responded for
Conkling, but neither Gordon nor Conkling
took any part in the effort for Cancellation.
:, The Times says of the debate, that it was the
crack OF the slave drivers's whip again"
The Sun said that Gordon appeared to be the
mouthpece of the administration.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 15.-Dnriug the secret
session of the Senate, Mr.. Hamlin offered the
following which was unanimously agreed to:
Whereas, A Misunderstanding having arisen
OouWOCh hOus IeUSCOo OOAhluS duu IlUu. JUN
B. Gordon. in the course of the executive pro-
ceedings of yesterday, and a mutual under
standing thereon having been arrived at, as set
out in the following paper, it is ordered that
said paper be entered &C large on the legislative
Journal Of the Senate:
During an executive session of the Senate, held
yesterday, words were uttered both by Senator Cor
don Of Georgia and by Senator Conkling of New
offensive. Reports of the incident appeared IN the
papers Of this morning which inaccurate and un-
just to both speakers. Upon careful inquiry to
what was SAID by ecah speaker, and what was I'M
derstood to be SAID by the other it is certain that
the first offensive words were inspired by honest
misunderstanding of what had been nnocently said
by the other speaker, one harsh remark provoked
another as too often happens but all that often
sive was the outgrowth Of Misrepresentation. Since
Senators, of the opinion that it is due alike to the
Senate and the speakers, that whatever felt to
be unkind or offensive il the remarks OF either
should be treated as if never uttered, and we are
now authorized to state are mutually and simulta-
neously Withdrawn. III. HAMLIN,
M. w. RANSOM,
TIMOTHY o. HOWE,
j. e. MCDONALD.
This settlement was the unanimous conclu-
sion of the gentlemen who signed it, and was
approved cordially by the friends of the Sena-
tors. 1t was read in the Senate ip the presence
of all the witnesses to the transaction and met
so completely the appreciation of all the Sena-
tors that it was ordered unanimously to be en-
tered upon the records OF the Senate. This is
the first entry of the kind since like action in
regard to an affair between Senators Poindexter
and Forsyth, which was similarly arranged by
the agency of Henry Clay over forty years ago.
Senators Conkling and Gordon, ever since the
difficulty occurred. have declined to converse
on the subject. No communication. either YER
bally or in writing, has passed between them
Certain Senators Immediately after the event
commenced the business of adjustment.
Among them prominently, Senators Hamlin
and Ransom, who were especially judicious and
effective in arranging the matter satisfactorily
on both sides. Senators Gordon and Conkling
were not in the Senate when the settlement
was reported.