Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1879-08-27
ConklIng.Sprague.


Conkling is at present placed in re-
garding the little Rhode Island
scandal, seems to produce feeling
Of uneasiness among a few OF the
Republican papers, and they feel
called upon to appear before the
public with whitewash sufficient 10
cover up a scandal affair OF a larger
State than Rhody. 1t is truly sur
prising to see with what alacrity
some of the organs rush to the
front with their bleaching pre-
variations as soon as a hint is made
regarding such of their leaders
as Conkling, Blaine, Cameron
Chandler, Beecher, etc. But such
is life. "Our side is purity, while
the opposite is the reverse" IL
reminds one of man so full OF
liquor that 1t was necessary LOT SOME
one to hold him up, delivering a
temperance lecture.
In speaking Of the Conkling-
Sprague afrair,the Chicago Tribune,
Republican paper, says;
All good people will naturally
svmpathize with any reasonable
effort to put the best possible face
on the strengthening difficulty !;
but all attempts to screen either OF
the principal parties in the dis
graceful affair at Narragansett
Pier under the guise of partisan
ship, would be idle and foolish.
This whole business did not have
its inspiration in the fact that
Senator Conkling is distinguish
ell Republican, and conspicuous
and honored member of that party,
and its probable candidate for the
Presidency, nor because Mrs. Kate
Sprague is the wife of an ex-gov-
ernor Of Rhode Island and a
daughter Of the late Salmon T.
Chase. once Senator and governor
Of Ohio. secretary Of the treasury
AMI chief justice Of the United
States supreme court. Two parties
most monument in the affair that is
now a public scandal were not
singled out for political reasons 10
be sacrificed in this deplorable
style. bu; they find themselves the
uncomfortable subjects Of gossip
chiefly because their own indiS-
Greet and Dujustifsble conduct has
given rise TO il. Unless common
rnmor lies.-and il often does
the conduct Of these two person:
in Washington during the last three
wears has been such IS to attract
the attention sud provoke the IN.
favorable comments Of people gen
orally. and newspaper correspond
EMS in particular. The cir"um
stances under which they hotl
lived AZ the capital were particular
II adapted TO help Mrs. Grundy
in setting bad reports afoat il
regard 10 them. Gov. Sprague Wa
in Rhode Island and Mrs. Coax
ling was in Utica. Mrs. Kat
4 Sprague was keeping house an
the Senator was a constant visito
~ her mansion. When congre>
sional duties pressed upon hin
Mrs. Sprague was frequent visi
tor az the senate chamber. Tw'
such CONSPICUOUS persons in hig'
life in Washington, where societ,
is VIGOROUSLY corrupt, could no
deport themselves in the way the
did without arousing the suspicion
; Of the pure and setting all the idl
tongues to wagging. 1t is tru
that Mrs. Sprsgue in her girlhoo
DAYS was always the envy Of tn
{ Washington bellies, and she Away
gave them food enough for bot
their envy and their malice to fee
upon. Those who hated her the
will not pity her now, because !
both cases she has given theI
ample opportunity to talk. As ]
the Beecher-Tildon business, tn
public mind will be devided wit
respect to the guilt or innocenc
of the parties; but that either
them were ever brought TO thj
pass by the well planned conspirac
Of their personal and politics
friends is an absurdity too bald 70
logical persons TO entertain. A
bad as Washington society is I'D
United TO be, pure woman and
pure man may live in and defy IL.