The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-01-28
Our New York Letter
nlr. ConkIing's Re-election-A Review or
his Political Career-A Tribute 20 his
Integrity and Ability.
NEW YORK, January q, 1879.

Aishousn tne re-electl0n OF ROSCOE C0nkIng
70 the United States Senate by the vote Of
every Republican member of both houses Of
the Legislature was foregone conclusion, the
event was not allowed to transpire without .
very general and hearty manifestation Of
enthusiasm. There was perfect unanimity In
the caucus. as predicted last November that
there certainly would be, and every man, as
the roll was called. rang out the favorite name
with an emphasis that left no doubt bu. that
his lips and his heart were In complete accord
In the expression of his preference.
Mr.. Conkling enters upon his third Senatorial
term at exactly the same age that Mr.. Seward
was when he first entered upon the same of.
tice. He was originally elected to the House
OF Representatives twenty years ago, and was
thrice Reelected, the last time, In 1866. He
was chosen Senator the winter following and
took his place in tho Senate on the 4th of
March, 1867. In the early part of his congress
sional career he evinced no taste nor irclina-
tion for political leadership. A Iipe scholar,
busy lawyer, his predictions ran altogether
10 the direction of study and culture. Shortly
after Gen. Grants advent to the Presidency
the unity and harmony of the Republican
party in the State of New York were impaired
by the strife of factions which imperilled its
ascendency. Mr.. Fentou was chosen Senator
for the term beginning March 4, 1869. He began
at once to lay claim to the disposal OF
an undue share Of political patronage.
This was line Of procedure In which his
colleague had no aptitude for contending with
him. He had things entirely his own way for
syear or two. The President good naturedly
gave him great many Of the places which he
solicited for his followers. II was not until
Gen. Grant discovered that he was forcing
some extremely Objectionable men into the
public service that he withdrew his confidence
from him. When he did make up his mind
that Mr.. Fenton's fliends were not the kind OF
people he cared to invest with official functions
he closed the account very summarily. Then
there was trouble. The new Senator coaxed,
threatened, stormed, sent ambassadors to the
President with intimations that If his demands
we're not complied with he would precipitate
divis oas that would rend tho party and make
Gen. Grants Reelection impossible. The i'm
perturbable soldier listened to these fulmna-
tions with provoking indifference. They failed
to move him hairs breadth from his resolu.
tion Hs refused the proffered terms Of con-
clliaton, although they We're greatly moderated
during the progress of the negotiation, If that
can bs called negotiation In which only one
side participated. With characteristic firm
mesa and foresight he repslled the association
and adhered to his position.
At this juncture 1t became imperatiyely nee.
essary that the party 10 New York should have
leader. In virtue of his office, his high char
acter and his rare attainments Mr. Conk ing
was the one man to whom all eyes and thoughts
were directed as the person to whom the direc-
siou Of affairs should bs confided. He was ex-
tremely averss to accepting the responsibility,
but circumstances impelled him with force
that was stronger than his reluctance, and he
finally yielded to the importunities of his
political associates. Having oncs undertaken
the trust 1t was not in his nature to neglect any
OF ths duties entsiled by it, and from that
time to this he has been the recognized and
honored chief of the Republican party of New
York. Under his able guidance II has achieved
many splendid victories and preserved gallant
and stainless record. Wisdom and courage
have always characterized his counsels, and
while in many instances he has taken such ad-
vsnced positions as to subject him to great
deal Of acrimonious criticism, he has invariably
proved in the end to have been more sapiens
than his censors, and the results have uni
formly demonstrated the sagacity of his judg-
ment. He declined to tsmporize with the fac
tion represented by Mr. Fenton and supported
by Mr.. Greeley, and it was speedily annihi-
lated. He gave Gen. Grant vigorous support
in 1872, and had the satisfaction of seeing him
carry New York by great majority and the
electoral college in the proportion of five to
one.
OF course man who is placed In SO conspIcu-
Gus and commanding an attitude is necessarily
exposed to great deal of envious detraction
and persistent Misrepresentation. The news
papers as general rule, particularly those
published in the metropolis, have battered
away at him with perseverance worthy Of q
better cause. But the fippant and frivolous
tone OF their attacks upon him have deprived
their diatribss of any psrcsptible effect.
Ii is doubtful indeed whether his enemies
of this class have not enhanced rather than
impaired his fame. Their querulous fashion
of writing about him, their utter inability to
present any argument calculated to impress
the public with distrust of his integrity,
sincerity and manliness, the pueriity Of their
comments upon his acts, have all combined to
destroy the force of their assaults and to inten-
sify the popular confidence in his purity of
heart and fidelity to principle. They have
been exceedingly prodigal in proffering their
advice to him; he has been contemptuousy To-
different to it; the unvarying success of his
public career would seem to bsa tolsraby con-
elusive illustration of cause aud effect.
The boarding school misses and even some
OF the college freshmen worked themselves up
into frame Of mind because he did not orate
against the Silver Bill; they had evidently
never stopped to consider how effectually the
journals whence they derived their inspirations
on the subject had barred the door to all tenn.
perste discussion of that measure by their de-
auncistion Of its projectors as knaves and
swindlers. 1t was a great misfortune of course
shat the theme could not have been debated in
q broad and statesman-like spirit But the
blame of making this impossible rests upon the
newspapers who would insist upon substituting
scoldiDg for argument till they wrought a de-
gree Of evaporation in the tempers Of the sill
yer men, that nothing short of an actual trial
of the experiment could appease. BY and BY,
when there is q return of reason and calmnsss
on both sides, there will be an opportunity for
the friends of q sound currency to OBTAIN
hearing, and then the public may depend upon
the Senator to declare his sentiments with his
accustomed vigor and potency. Nobody knows
better than he when to speak and when to keep
silent. His constituents have signifed their
appreciation Of his course with unsnimity
which shows that they have not the slightest
sympathy with the crude structures which were
passed upon him for having discreetly refrained
from tanning flame which circumstances had
placed it out of the power of any man to sub
due or check.
The little knot of persons who busted them
selves in trying to prevent the reelection of the
Senator failed utterly to make any impression
upon the people. They had types at their COM
mand in ilimitable profasion bat no votes.
They were scarcely strong enough to carry o
primary. When it came to coDtesting an
Assembly District they turned up among the
Scattering" And yet they kept up their dis
play of Chinese fireworks to the very last mo-
ment. This was amusing to those who knew