Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-02-02
Senator Conkling and the Presi-
dental fmbroglio.

dental lmbroglio.
The statement of Major E. A. Burke
of New Orleans that Senator Conkling al
the time of the difficulty last winter in re
gard to the Presidential count had q
speech all prepared in favor of throwing
out the vote OF Louisiana, in which event
he was to have been elected President OF
the Senate, and would have become Presi-
Diet of the United States, pending a new
election" receives but little credit. Com
ing from whatever source 1t might the
statement would require strong evidence
of its truth 10 give it credence, but COM
ing from Burke, whose worthless cbarac-
ter appears through his recent cores
pondence with W. Z. Chandler, il may
be dismissed AS purely sensational ru-
NOR. The only facts or circumstances upon
which such an improbable report could
rest al all, were the absv nee of Mr.. Conk-
ling from the Senate at the time the de-
cision of the Electoral Commission was
rendered, and some gossip about his posi-
ton on the question OF President pro tenn
of the Senate These The Albany Jour
nal notices and disposes OF in u recent ed
itorial as follows
"The essential facts concerning Senator
Cenkling and the L ,uisiana vote last year
as we understand them, are simply these ::
The decision of the Electoral Commits
/. i
dercd one Friday. Ii was expected THAI
the question would come before both
Houses ON the next day. Mr.. COnkllnE
had for that day an urgent engagement
out of the city and OF long standing. Bul
upon the expectation that the Louisiana
matter would be taken up in the Senate,
and though other parties 10 The engage
ment had come from distance, he
cured their consent that IL should be de-
deferred till the following Monday, and
was thus enabled to be IN his seat ready
to vote on the Louisiana question As he had
on the others. In the House, however.
the filibusters succeeded IN etiectlng All
adjournment and carrying the questions
over till Monday. When thus news reached
the Senate, that body, Hiding that 1t couiu
accomplish nothing by remaining in ses-
sion. also adjourned I'LL Monday without
any action. Mr.. Conkling had obtained a
postponment OF his engagement Tor III
express purpose OF being present when
the question should be Decided, But tn,
unexpected adjournment OF the question
brought the hour OF action on the very day
TO which the engagement had been de-
ferred. The other parties who. as already
indicated, had come from distance, Oh
jected to any further postponement, ana
Conkling kept his engagement.
As to the question vi President Pro tenn
of the Senate there was more or less vagu,
and indefinite talk. All sorts OF contiu-
gencies were considered aud all sorts ol
propositions made in the Imagination o.
the excited newspaper correspondents
There was the question in some mind,
whether Senator Ferry OF Michigan. th,
then President pro tenn aud Acting Vice
President, was equal To all the immedlat.
requirement OF the posllion-and We re
mark in passing That We are among thos,
who think he was. There was the ques
ton whether any eXigeDcy could proven
a declaration OF the Presidential result be-
fore the 4th OF March; and, whether il
such an exigency, the President OF the Sen
ate would become President OF the United
States and whether, III that case, II wOulu
not be necessary To elect another Pres
dent OF the Senate, since the term 81 aIr
Ferry would expire on the 4lh Ol Marco.
These questions were chiefly agltated oul
side OF the seuate, but in the general tut
MOL some OF them may very likely hav,
received a measure 0. consideration iusid,
though we do not believe there was eve,
any definite plan or purpose. In the tn
multuous currents OF suggestions aud pos
sibie emergencies which surged througl
the minds OF men at that time. vatlou
names were mentioned in case it shUun
seem expedient to elect new PiesIdeu
OF the Senate. 1t was all, however, vagu,
speculation. We do not believe Their,
was any serious movement for auy man
certainly not tor Senator Cunklng-auo
least OF all 10 his own thought. But W,
do strongly suspect that while this sort @
talk was going on, MIR. Conkling said |,
some OF his associates 10 the Senate that,
on an examination OF the.laws. he did no
find ii necessary that the President OF th
Senate should be a Senator; and that, II
there was going to be any II ouble requSr
ing President who should hold over, b,
for one was disposed to think the bes
thing TO do was to elect-General Grant /.
There wasn't much talk about new
President OF the Senate after that
In touching these points, we speak
for ourselves-not for anyone else. Blu
we only state what we have long known
Perhaps it wasn't worth while 10 state it
at all. The fictions will go on none Tia,
less. But the real facts may be OF som,
value to those who care TO know the
truth.