The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-10-29
MIR. Combines CAMPAIGM
How Roscoe Conhiina was weturued 20 the
Senate six Yenre Ago.

ALBANY, Oct. 2s.-As election approaches,
II In. perhaps. proper to recall the successful
fight which Roscoe Conking made for his scat
in tho Senate in 1879.
Tho Greeley movement was cruelty bat not in
aptly, defined by Mr.. Ferry OF Connecticut as a
midsummer madness" The madness OF it
lay in tho folly Of its management. II attempted
TO unite discordant clements which had nothing
in common but tho hope of success yet its work
was 80 badly botehcd from first To last that this
hope was always disappointed In North Caro-
lima first then in Maine and finally In the De-
tober States. tho Liberal army was beaten in
soctions SO that. in truth there was nothing
left OF II whom tho November contest arrived.
But there was time. in 1872. whom the unor-
Rani8ed forces opposing Grant were strong
enough. II they had boon properly handled to
sweep him out VI political existence and to
carry two-thirds Of tho Union. Nowhere cleo
did this sentiment havo a stronger foothold than
In the state Of New York. II was not 80 much
friendship for Greeley as hostility to Grant and
II was not 40 much hostility TO Grant as TO his
appointeee and supporters. Foremost among
these supporters stood Mr.. Conkling To defeat
him was more clearly the object OF the Demo-
cratic-Libcral alliance. when It's strength was
grentcst. than 10 boat Grant or elect Greeley.
Mr.. ConklinR felt. rs never before or since.
that he had reached the turning point In his ca
rccr lie is strangely calm in the present can
vass and contemplatcs the possibility Of defeat
with unexpected equanimty. But six years
ago he was In a very different mood. To ap-
'proach him then ON the subject Of the Liberal
movement was 10 arouse tho deep wrath Of his
nature From his point Of view tho Rcpubll-
cans who had pronounced for Greeley were de-
scrtors. and deserved the desertor's doom. As
no other canvass in this country ever turned 80
l.tf
perhaps. that Mr.. Conkling took to calling
names. Ho voun,eol ell To mako the fight all
HIS own in this Stato-to bear the burden OF
Grantsm on his broad shoulders. and carry ii
through to success, or perish in the effort.
He found arraycd against him Mr.. Fenton
and Mr. Fcnton's followers-the faction that he
had met and defeated at Syracuse in 1871. But
they no longer represented beaten section OF
the Republican party. They had carried their
grievances and strength over TO the Democratic
camp. and formed an alliance from which enor-
nous results were confidently promised.
On the 9th Of July the Democratic National
Convention mot at Baltimore. and with only
twenty or thirty dissenting voices 1t nominated
Greeley and Brown and adopted the Cincinnati
platform. During the week that followed the
OBJECTIONS from the Republican ranks were
more frequent than they had been since the be-
ginning Of the Liberal movement. That was
the time which Mr.. Conking selected for tho
opening Of his campaign. With n courage
which seemed to SAVIOR Of audacity. he went to
the city Of New York and made IA speech 90 ng-
grcssivo and defiant that II fairly frightened the
politicians on both sides. and took away the
breath OF those who were straddling the fence.
Up To that hour tho Republican orators had
attempted to placatc the public mind by seeking
excuses for the cxcesses of Grants Adminietrn-
ton But they Immediately changed their tone
after hearing Mr.. Conkling. He declared that
there was nothing 10 excuse-that every act Of
the President from beginning to end was
praiscworthy. He sketched Grants career rs a
soldier and civilian. md presented a portrait
Of him which. while It bore little OF no rescm-
blance to the original. was unauestionably
work Of art. Then he turned with savage feroc-
ity on the opponents Of the Administrations
Greeley, Sumner. Schurz and ail-and held
them up 10 scorn and opprobrium.
Policy did not dictate Mr.. Conkling's course
in this matter. From the funess of the heart
the mouth spakc. II was no stage anger that he
vented on the Liberal leaders and no affected
fondness that he felt for Grant II would have
been quito impossible for him 10 tame his style
or moderate his norid eloquence in that cam
paign. He meant all that he said. and more.
But as il turned ont. his manner Of treating the
hh'ShphS Aifh ~ lSTu' WIS hlSp sdEAtlouS,
though II seemed To many TO be most impoltic.
Its first "irect was 10 rouse the dropping hopes
IT the Republicans IA this state. They felt that
! Mr.. Conklinr personally, had more at stake
| than any u them, and II he could afford 10 be
| bold. il hehoovcd them to pluck up courage
| But further, II had the effect 10 deter a number
| who We're on the point 81 declaring for the Lib
eral candidates. They We're frightened rather
than persuaded back into the Republican ranks.
| some Of them were prominent men. with rec
ords that would not bear the closest inspection.
aud they gathered from Mr.. Conkling's speech
that II they went over 10 the other side they
would be dealt with most numerically by their
| former associates. To use n 'imc-worn Illus
tration, Mr.. Conkling's aim was so accurate
that. ~ in the case Of Martin Scott. more than
one coon at which he had not shot came down.
The advantage thus gained was followed W
by the Senator. He made nm active canvass Of
the state. visiting many small towns whore lac
was personally stranger, and making
speeches which inspired his followers TO re-
newed efforts. lie talked freely Of the local