The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1879-08-29
FURTHER. GOSSIP ABOUT THE C0NKLING-
SPRA9UE, RUMPUS,


fiicting accounts and interviews concerning
tho recent scandalous rnmpus between Sena-
tor Conkling aud ex. Senator Sprague at Mar
ragansett Pier. Tie Washington Post, of
Tuesday, noticing the origin of the affair,
says:
There are now in Washington many who
will remember the first appearance OF Kate
Chase in social circles hero. She was young,
vivacious aud beautiful thoroughly educa.
led and brilliant. She had been tho init.
mate companion of her father ever since his
entrance upon the political arena, and more
than once lad he relied on her tact and
beauty to pull him through sharp political
contests. In 1864, when at the zenith of
her social power, she lent powerful hand
towards making her father, the then Chief
Justice, the candidate Of the Republican
party for President. She had been for sew
eral years the constant associate and chief
con6dantc of her father, aud had become
acquainted with his ambitions, his friends
and his strength. She studied politics with
the zeal of u newly hedged orator, and de-
voted her whole mind aud energies to the
ono object of placing her father in the
Presidential chair. 1t was part Of her
ambition also to reign as the first lady of
the land. She often talked with her frit nds
on this subject, and her marriage with Son.
ator Spraguc was generally believed to be
one that had only this end in view -
Sprague at that time was immensely veal
thy, and the Chase party needed money
Spraguo also imperiously controlled the pol
itics Of Rhode Island, and his money and
influence were worth having in behalf of q
Presidential candidate. The scheme failed.
however. Lincoln was renominated, and
Judge Chase became detached from his
party. In 1868, however, he was p:omi-
ncntly mentioned as possible Presidential
candidate before the Democratic Convention,
and his daughter, who had ut that time be-
come Mrs. Sprague, again took an active
part i'll his behalf. She was then rccog-
nized in Washington rs enc of the bright.
est, wittiest and most fascinating women at
the National capital. Her passion, as well
as her aptuess for politics aud political in-
trigues, seemed to increase with her social
power. She cultivated public men until
she knew large number quite intimately,
and even SO late as 1876, though known but
to few, exercised an influence upon the last
Presidential election, which kept one man S
mouth shut and possibly changed the result
altogether. Her acquaintance with Sena.
tor Conkling had ripened into relations of
the most confidential nature. 1t is believed
that she exercised over him powerful in
fuence. 1t is even declared by many who
had frequent opportunities TO know Conk.
ling's opinions during the electoral struggle
that ha -was- withheld by Mrs Spracue's s in.
1uence from publicly declaring his conyic-
tion that Tilden was the rightfully elected
President, and that his hitherto unaccoun.
ted for vascillation was attributable to this
cause. At ono time he boldly declared that
the frauds practiccd in Louisiana and Flor.
ida furnished all the basis necessary for an
overthrow of the pretext that Hayes was
elected, and for the swearing in of Tildcn.
lie made no secret Of his disgust ut the eff.
forts of John Sherman and others to count
in Hayes; and, it is asserted, agreed to make
speech denouncing the fraud, but nothing
came of it,. Mrs. Spraguc occupied Il front
seat in the members gallery of the Senate
every during the exciting count, although
nobody thought Of her as anything but
spectator. The day that Senator Conklinc
was to rise in his seat and demolish the
fraud arrived, and those familiar with the
programme were in their seats. Senators
Alcorn, Spencer, Conover and several other
Republicans were to vote with him against
the approval Of the partisan decision of the
Electoral commission. Enough Republican,
voters had been secured to make his victe
ry certain. Col. Pelton, Mr.. Hewitt, of
New York, and many other prominent Til.
den managers, had seats in the gallery for
the purpose of hearing Conkliug's speech.
10 their utter amazemcnt, however, he
did not appear at all, and it was also OBJ
served by some bright people that Mrs.
Sprague was absent for the first time
Senator Alcorn, in fulfilment of his word
first voted to reject the decision of the com.
mission, but after he discovered that some
thing had gone wrong, changed his vote so
as to make it accord with his party. TWAS
subsequently discovered that the shrewd
Radical managers of tho Zach Chandler
stripe had overcome Conkling by winning
Mrs. Spraguc over to their side. They
had persuaded her to take an interest in
llayes's success, and, it is said, she kent
the New York Senator, on whom SO much
depended, from appearing at the Senate
chamber that day.
Now that the scandal is made public. n
thousand incidents Of the relations of Mrs
Sprasue and Senator Conkling are told
hnA t.