The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-08-28
MIR. COMBINES cAupAIoM
Edwin ID. Morgan and Roscoe cOnhnnr.

win D. Morgan was elected Governor OF Now
York. md at tho same time Roscoe Conkling
was sent to Congress from the Oneida District
Ia January 1859. Gov Morgan took ny his resi-
doncc In this city. and in duct no the young
Representative went TO Washington Neither
could then havo forcsccu Acknowledgment fricnd-
ship which should bind ihcm together. nor the
ultimate rivalry which should divide md es-
TRANCE them. Both had fulfilled the apparent
measure Of their ambition. Mr. Morgan had
hcen chosen Chiof Mig strrto Of his adopted
: lnto. anl to- Mr.. Conkling WIS given the oppor-
t nifty which he desired to deal with public
questions in tho halls Of national legislation.
Tho two men were 81 far auart. and 60 on
tiroly dlssmilar twenty years ago. that the sug-
gostion that ono might stand in the way Of tho
other would have been heartily rlliculol Gov.
Morgan WINS successful merchant iltty years
Of age. on Whereabouts. with dash Of gray In
his dark hair. and an oc asional wrinkle in his
strong. square face. He had boon educated to
business As n young man. in Hartford. under
the tuition OF his father and uncle. he had
learned the practical laws of trade. Whom ho
established himself In New York he brought
capital with him, and it was not until his pos
sessions had increased and multiplied that he
sought To- crafty his ambition in politics Ros
| coo Conklng WIS then young man. who had
JUST lNN"'N HIS lM'Hl1 ullllu bllihhNs ilf Nh5
poorer than tho proycrbial church mousse
though proudcr perhaps. in his poverty than
Morgan was in his wcnlth-and was striving by
the practice Of law In a small town to lift the
| load Of debt incurred in acquiring his profess
sion. He was called on to contend with older
| II not ablcr advocates and although his fame
| grew apace his cxcheuucr did not I'll rapidly.
| II was notable triumph for him 10 gain u sent
in Congress. hut tho struggle for recognition
| and reputation was still before him. lie counted
many among his possible rivals In fe's battle,
but hardly the merchant prince whose fortunate
| life seemed rounded when he took his seat in
| the Governors chair at the Capitol.
| In Albany a Governors social reputation out
lasts. in the memory Of the oldest inhabitant.
his political career. In that line Gov Morgan.
in tho language Of the markets. was quoted
| from fair to middlng. His immediate predo-
ccssor was John A. King an emincntly rcspecta-
| bic old gentleman from the shores Of Staten
| Island. who seemed 90 share the general Won
| der as to how he came 20 be- Governor. Before
King was Myron II. Clark who. TO make good
| his reputation as n prohibitionist. gayc a sort
of sunday school parties with co cream and
| lemonade in place Of the traditional roccp-
| lions. King was pronounced decided i'm
| provcmont on Clark. and Morgan cultivated
| Ahany'- bos, society much more assiduously
NiAti MUS '"' tN'A' N''7 a''' % ' " tiN
Ncnecrings in his occasional displays of wealth.
| 10 entertained tho Prince OF Wales In royal
style in 1850 hut he mnde scandal which il
not forgotten yet. by Withdrawing an invitation
which he had extended to a member ~ his own
stail-Gen. Mitchell then proprietor Of Con-
gross hall-bc'anse ono OF the frinecs suite
| had the audacity TO tell him that his Royal
Highncss could not consent to dine with tav-
ern Keeper. Ihat anair' though 1t belongs to
me realIn OF social me- mas hurt Mr. Morgan
politically not litte'
At the end Of 1862 Morgan voluntarily rcln-
pushed tho Govcrnorship to look for higher
| game. His ambition growing by what II fed
| on. had come 20 loo so large that nothing short
OF a seat in the Senate would satisfy II. At the
| election of that year Roscoe Conkling was in
I voluntarily returned 10 private life. llo was
beaten for Congress in the Utica District by HE
| present colleague in the Senate, Francis ker-
nan. II was sorc and bitter disappointment
! to the youthful statesman. hut the discipline II
! gave him was probably usn'ul in tho long run.
| 1 di-auuOiututut yet moro bitter threatened