Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-07-10
Blaine and Conkling,

the HISTORICAL EPISODE REVIVED FROM
THE OCCASION.
Wathing'1u Cor -, Ioui, Clab..Darnprrst.
In discussing the Conkling. Lamar af
fair, which now seems to have vanished
in words. it is evident from the conyer.
sation of Republican Senators that they
are not entirely in sympathy with Mr..
Conkling. Several of them, rccounting
some Of the former controversies Of
similar character, in which the Senator
from New York has been a conspicuous
and an aggressive party, recounted the
time Of his parliamentary tilt with Blaine
on April 80, 1866. The subject under
discussion was the investigation of Pro.
vost Marshal General Fry for frauds
charged by Conkling in the Provost
Marshafs Department Of the Western
Division of New York. Blaine had
criticised Conkling's volubility Of speech,
and charged that Conkling was prose-
cutor in the case, and produced a letter
from Assistant Secretary of War Dana
to Con Killing. and read the law against
the latter acting in any such capacity.
This Conkling denied, and Blaine wish.
ing to interiect a remark, Coukling said,
81 do not wish to have anything to do
with the member from Maine, not even
so much as TO yield to him the floor. II
the member from Maine had the least
idea how profoundly Indifferent am to
his opinion on this or any other subject
personal to me, think he would hardly
take the trouble to rise here and express
his opinion" And, in apologizing to
the House for delaying the proceedings.
he characterized Blaine's interruptions
as "ungentlemanly and impertinent." :"
Blaine, awaiting his opportunity, took
the floor and said. as to the gentle.
mans cruel sarcasm, hope he will not
be too severe. The contempt of that
large minded gentleman is so willing.
his naughty disdain, his grandiloquent
swell, his majestic, super eminent, over.
powering, turkey .gobbler's strut has
been so crushing to myself and all the
members of this House, that know IL
was an act Of great temerity for me TO
enter upon a controversy with him.
know that within the last five weeks. as
members of the House will recollect.
an extra strut has characterized the
gentleman's bearing. II is not his fault
IT Is the fault OF another. That gifted
and satirical writer, Theodore Tiltop.
of the New York TnieBe1dcnt. spent
some weeks in this city. His letters.
published in that paper, embraced, with
many serious statements. little iocose
satire. part of which was the state.
nent that the mantle of the late Win.
ter Davis had fallen upon the member
from New York. The gentleman took
it seriously, and il has given his strut
additional .pomposity. The resem.
blance Is great. Hyperion TO Satyr
Thersites TO Hercules mud to marble
dunghill TO diamond n singed cat TO a
Bengal tigeri whining puppy to roar.
ing lion. Shades OF the mighty Davis,
forgive the almost profanity of that
Inoose SATIRE The member from New
York kept his seat in silence. Since
that day TO this no word of a personal
nature has been exchanged between
those gentlemen. In debate, at a pub.
lie meeting, at an evening entertain
ment, or at dinner party, they meet
but never speak. Their conduct, how.
ever, tempered by the proprieties of
good soceity, has been 80 directed that
their personal hostility would not be
recognized by persons not cognizant of
their relations.