Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1878-01-25
BLAINE AND oOEKL1Ee.

lowing "reminiscences of Blaine and
Conkling:
Blaine and Conkling have be-
come reconciled about a most re-
markable quarrel, in a most remarka-
bic way, and the friends OF both,
who comprise the entire number of
true Republicans in this country,
are heartily glad. The quarrel came
about in this way:
During the debate in the House in
1865, Blaine made some charges
about Conkling having held retainer
from the Provost Marshal's Bureau,
and read letter to that effect. Con-
king desired to say thai no commits
sion, paper, or authority whatever
was issued to him, except the letter
of retainer which had beeen read.
If the member from Maine had the
least idea how profoundly Indifferent
to his opinion was the subject he
had been discussing, or on any 9th
er subject, he thought he would
hardly take the trouble to express it.
He apologissd to the House for the
length of time he had occupied in
consequence of being drawn into the
matter by an interruption which he
had before denounced to be ungen-
tlemanly and impertinent, and hav-
ing nothing whatever to do with the
matter.
Mr.. Blaine said,,he knew that this
was what they called down East
'running emptyings." The gentle
man from New York could not get
of on the technical pretense that he
did not hold commission of Judge
Advocate. Many an officer had led
brigade, a division or a corps with
no more of commission than such
a one as the gentleman from New
York beheld. sAs to the gentleman's
cruel sarcasm Mr.. Blaine contin-
ued-1 hope he will let me escape
his disdain, His lordly pomposity,
his grandiloquent swell, his majestic
overtowsring, his turkey -gobbler
strutting Qaughter) have been SO
crushing to myself and to all mem
bers of the House, that l know it
was an act of the grossest temerity
on my part to venture on provoking
them. But / knew who was respon-
sible for it all. know that for the
last five weeks an extra strutt has
seized the gentleman. 1t is not his
fault, it is the fault of another.
That gifted and satrical man, Theo-
dore Tilton, of the New York Inde-
pendent, was over here spending
some weeks and writing home let
ters, In which, among serious things,
he put some jocose things, among
the cruelest of which was that the
mantle of the late Winter Davis had
fallen upon the member from New
York. He (Conkling) took it as
serious, and has since strutted more
than usual. Well, the resemblance
is great. As striking as Hyperion
to Star, Thersltes to Hercules,
mud to marble, dung-hill to dia-
mond, a singed cat TO a Bengal IT,
ger. Shade of the mighty Davis,
forgive the proclamation of even that
iocose satire
As AR. Blaine resumed his seat
( the speaker statad that the usage in
the House has been whenever the
House grants consent for a personal
explanation, that if a member trans.
crosses the rules of debate he shall
be called to order by some member
not by the Chair. That was the
Z reason why the Chair had not check.
! ed the debate. The House having
6 granted consent for personal re-
D marks, it was for some member, not
the Chair, to rise to a question Of
order, where the limits of debate are
transgressed.
And the reconciliation came about
in this way. The President anG
Evarts were expecting Blaine to op
pose Conkling on the custom house
appointmentsi not because Blaine
loved Hayes more, but because they
thought he loved Conkling less.
The logic of politics, says Mr.
Evarts, will compel Blaine to. sus
tain the President.
And the result showed just how
much Mr.. Evarts knows about 'th'
logic of politics. Blaine not onl!
did not sustain the President, bu
made a speech in defense of Conk
ling's position, that was seoont
only in force to Conkling'
own. He was i'll and weak
! unfit to be in the Senate Chamber
vet he sat there six hours to vot
for his personal enemy. No maj
appreciates a kindness more thai
He and Blaine had not exchanged
word-not even the merest courtes
les of lite-for twelve years. The,
had not bowed, or recognized sacl
other in the remotest way for tina
length of time, but each had regard
ed the other with the haughtiest In
difference, and yet they sat no NOR
than six feet apart in the Senate
Hamlin and Howe sitting between
. them.
The great executive session owe
the New York appointments occur
red on Thursday. On Friday MI
Cohkling went to the Vice Presidsn
and asked if he had framed the com
mittee on Mexican Relations, pro
vided for Conkling's resolution
Mr.. Wheeler took the list fror
q Z among some papers on his desk an,
handed it to Conkling, who glance
t it oyer and asked:
;" will you permit me to sugges
an alteration, Mr.. PRESIDENT"
Certainly was Vice Presiden
Wheeler's reply.
q And Conkling scratched off hi
own name as chairman of the CON
mittee, and wrote the name of Blain
in it's place. Mr.. Wheeler, knowint
their long continued enmity, locke
! up with surprise. =.
4 wish it SO, said Conkling, wit
his characteristic breyity.
But the Vice President dsmurreo
He SAID that usage made it necessar
for him to appoint the man VIII
asked for the committee as its chail
man, and he would not consent t
the change, unless Mr., Conklin