The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1879-07-12

From the Capital.
A mans courage is very Ike his
digestion, in the fact that when il Is
good it is never thought Of. A
brave man is not aware Of his
courage until il is put to the test,
and until tried be goes his way, a
very quiet, inotiensive citizen. 1t
is on this account that d braggart
aud a bully is instinctively regard
cd by the mass NJ people as a
coward. ue assumes tho virtue
he does not possess, aud ovcraces
the assumption.
This has been The popular be-
lief in reference to Senator Conk-
ling. His dreadful exhibit, on oil
occasions, OF plantation manners
was forced. The swell aud insc-
lencc were Ike the late Mr. Gree.
lcy's profanity, SO out Of place that
they were simply ludicrous. Aud
SO no one was disappointed or sur
priscd when, after Senator Lamar's
deadly thrust, the ovorbearng
bully OF the Senate collapsed,
The fall was so sudden aud COM
pletc, the lately arrogant lecturer
of better men presented such q
pitiabIc spectacle, that people who
never respected him felt sorry
for him.
We refer Of course to what
actually occurred; for between the
partisans Of the press, who con.
ccal all the unpleasant facts that
they may, and the sncak-thievcs
about Washington, who have
mado an honorable profession a
stencil IN the nostrils of tho pco.
pie and who lie from forco Of
depravity, the accounts Of the
transaction, with a few exceptions
wcro wide Of the truth.
That Conkling's bearing was
that of a bully suddenly brought
to taw no Senator present doubts
or questions. III the dead silence
TINT followed Lamar's subtle and
fatal stab Conkling was to the last
extent unncrved aud confused. His
assumed nonchalance cfrcposc and
swaggcr Of acting both deserted
him, and looking wildly about hin
ho stammcred, hcsitaicd and lost
control o! both thought aud voice
This was evident, not only from
his vulgar rctort, after being pro-
nounccd a liar, of "you'rc
another but in committing him.
sell to line he has not since had
the courage TO carry out. lii
served notice on Lamar that IL
soalc other l'lac". he would attend
to the insult. We all know what
this nlcans. IL IS either q duel M
der tho code or and assault Oh III,
the street; and there Is no getting
array from the cruel conclusion
Either Conkling did not know
what he was SAYING or he Lacked
the nerve to carry out what HI
had said.
The point in tho whole affair
however, Is the fact that the Terri
bic thrust came from ihs coolest
politest and most scli-cantrolles
member Of the Senate. Lamar o
Mississippi has been noted for hi
courteous bearing in both pubic
and private life. More of a stu
dent than man of the world, HI
seems at times lost IN reyeric-tha
is not, at all morosc; for wher
! called out OF 1t ho has smile and
pleasant word for the person
friend or foe. who called him I,
himself. lie is SO gentle in hi
ways that one seems Mt loss II
chasing him with the fire eater
Of the South, and although he 1!
more respected b. his political op
ponents-for he has no foes thai
loved by his frionds-for ho IS no
q man capable Of a deep attach
mcnt of any sort-all who know
him united in saying that Iii
character aud life gave more poin
| % lis assault that the deadly word
IN whichit was uttered.
Exit Conkling.