Daily Republican., 1879-08-19
Analyslmg Mrs. Rprague's State.
ment-The New York senator Ex.
pected % Reply.

P0ctOO - kepAys T..
A correspondent of the New York
"rimes," to-day, writing from Nara.
ganset Pier, say 1t was not expected
by the friends Of Ex-Governor Sprsgue
that he would make public reply to
Mrs. Sprague's first statement, and the
general feeling at the Pier and in New
port, was that Mrs. sprague would not
seek to address the public again except
under great provocation. One of Mrs.
Spragus's friends, upon being asked if
that lady had not been directly insult
ed and grossly compromised many
months ago, when several Washington
correspondents alluded to the uncom-
mon relations supposed to exist between
her and Senator Conkling, pretended
that Mrs. Sprague was net aware Of
these reports.
Ex-Gov. Sprague says that he is sur
prised at this, as his wife is an habitual
reader Of very many newspapers, and
is interested in all newspaper gossip.
He himself takes very few papers, new
Or reads them carefully, and often pass
es . week without reading paper. He
has not looked at any Of the public
prints since the scandal, but he was
prepared for Mrs. Sprague's additional
statement, and cannot effectually OBJ
ject to her making as many more as
she likes. He declines to contradict
his wife's public utterances and depre-
Gates her action. Jas one Of his most in
innate and faithful friends puts it, he
does two things, che holds the fort
and keeps quiet" but he ia of the opin-
ion that Mr.. Sprague's main endeavor
is to shield Senator Conkling, and in
MI. Sprague's opinion, the Senator
needs shielding indeed.
the Ex-Governor Is not impressed by
Mrs. Sprague's statement that Senator
Conkling came to Cononchet to inhu-
encs or shape any policy in regard to
the management of the bankrupt es-
tate, with which the Ex-Governor has
nothing whatever to do. Practically,
the waole Sprague property is in the
hands and under the control of Mr..
Zach ariah Chatee.
The relations between Mr.. and Mrs.
William Sprague do not belong prop
erly in the public journals, unless they
give them themselves. This has been
done deliberately by Mrs. Sprague.
For the present, the Ex-Governor and
his spirited wife are at peace, and it is
not improbable that they will become
rsconciled to each other, as they have
on previous occasions.
The Ex-Governor is erratic, irregular,
and not capable of forming great poll
cy and carrying it out. His enemies
charge him with being careless in his
statements, and both he and his family
admit that he has used his wife or sev
eral occasions in an unbecoming man
ner. Mrs. Sprague, on tbs other hand,
is known to have provoked the ex-Gov-
ernor in many ways so as to drive him
away from the table or out of the house
This is the statement Of Mr.. Sprague's
own mother, greatly respected lady
who lives at Providence. The relatives
of the Ex-Governor declare that he ant
his wife will be on good terms again
unless Mrs. Sprague prefers diferen
course.
While at Providence the Ex-Governor
is known to have carried himself will
dignity and sobriety, he is always IT.
regular in his habits. He will fast fol
u hour, in succession, and then resort
to the bottle. This has been his custom
for the last 20 years, and helps to ex'
plain his painfully sensitive temper
His commercial and political position
is utterly gone. He has no social am
bition, and rather dislikes polite socie
ty.
Senator Conkling's presence at Can.
oncb.t III as not been accounted for, ano
he is known to have waited at Newport
until it was certain the Ex-Governor
was absent. Then he went to Canon
chet. He was received at the landing
by Mrs. Sprague, and how he installed
himself at Canonchet is testified to by
the German teacher, by the children
and by the servants. Ex Gov. Spraigut
has shown by his actions how lie view
ed this intrusion. The opponents o
Sen ator Conkling do not charge hlu
, with criminality, but with ungentle
manly conduct, impudence, ana COW
ardice. Ex.Gov. Sprague does not con
slider the affair ended. He thinks him
: self outraged by the Senator and de-
7 L., ,ot; ,fo cfiOn.
1t is freely stated among responsible
: people that Senator Conkling has com
promised Mrs. Sprague's honor, no
.. criminally, but socially, and that h
! ought to restore her good name an
4 , fame. A statement is therefore expect
ed from Senator Conkling, and it
houed that he will restore to Mrs
Spragus what he has taken from her
her domestic peace and her good nam
as a wife who may Lave been wronge'
by her husband, but who has remained
. faithful to her vows.