The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1879-07-11
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WARRINGTON LETTER.


last Wednesday night has not been wit
messed there since anti. belIum days,aud
may never he witnessed again Sena
tor Roscoe Conkling is chiefly responai.
ble for the proceedings and difficulties
of that night, and the disgrace that as-
tachea therote. lie entered upon ihe
session in vicious frame of mind, and
for several hours conducted himself ii
the most insolent, sneering aud doggcsl
manner The army bill was about %
come up, aud the Democrats, anxious
TO bring tho session to an end as soon
as possible, lesissd 70 come TO an gres.
ment as to when vote would be taken
The Republicans we're mostly willing TO
come to such an agreement, but permit
ted themselves to be led by Conkling,
who would agree to nothing, except to
tilibuster aud ohstruct business. lie
claimed that lsg minority desired to
debate the bill without limitation. The
Democrats aai1: "Take as much time
az You require for debate, but fix time
one, two, or three days hence-whsn
we can vote" In the House debate
can be limited by the operation Of the
previous question, but in the Senate u
mutual agreement is tho only way TO
avoid sitting it out. All these proposi.
lions Cenkling insnltingly rejected, ia
voring his remarks with unstinted
abuse Of the Democrats in general
way Senator Davis, in his amiable
way, expressed n wish that the Senator
from New York might be pacifcd, but
his attempt TO effect an understanding
was so sngringly. y.received by Conkling
that he felt insulted and left the cham
ber. SO far all Of Conklings abusive
talk had been 50 general in It's ehas,c-
ter that, though all were indignant, no
Senator f.'lt called upon to make per-
sonai matter Of IT, But when he final.
! " accused Senator Lamar of bad faith,
lac went step too FAR. for the eloquent
Mississippian told him he uttered
f.,lsehood, and he repelled it with all
the contempt he felt for its author.
Lamar was cool aud deliberate. but his
manner, as lac turned toward Conkling.
conveyed the full meaning Of bis words.
After Conkling had replied, in his bul.
lying manner, that if the Senator meant
to say he lied, and if it were not IN the
Senate chamber. be shonld call him
blaekguard, a liar and coward, Lamar
again arose an said: II bave only 10
say TO the Senator from New York that
he understood me correctly. said
precisely the word he understood ME.
My language was harsh and unparlia-
mentary, and | beg tho pardon OF the
Senate for it; but my language was
such M no good man would deserve, aud
no good man would wear" This was
applauled, ard as Lamar sat down,
the presiding officer waited, apparently
for Conkling to reply, but he remained
silent.
If there is any one man whom this
extra session, or say the last year Of
Congress, has shown to the country in
his true colors, it is Roscoe Conkling.
An utterly selfish, unstatesmanlike pol
itician, he possesses none of those re-
deeming personal qualities which at
tract men or win their respect His
manner is imperious and, at times, IN
sulting. When his own political for.
tunes are at stake he is ready for any
combination or any bargain-to sell out
his own party, if need be-but after it
is all over be remembers no obligations
and recognizes no honors due to any
but himself Witness his course in the
Custom House contest last year. He
fairly begged the Democrats to aid him,
but, after they had done so and he sup
posed the fight was all over, he became
more abusive and insolent than ever
The result should have taught hin a
lesson, for when he once more needed
their help, much as they despised Hayes
they respected themselves too much to
aid Conkling, and he was beaten. lie
is now cavorting around and paving
dirt like a mad bull. Maddened by
his loss Of influence and defeat by the
Administration and the loss Of power
by his party in the Senate, he attempts
to ride rough shod over everything. He
hates John Sherman, and he hates
every living thing, ] think, except him
self and Mrs. Kate Sprague. Such a
man is not a statesman. In this bout
with Lamar he got the worst Of it, and
he got what he deserved. If the code
was observed, his only redress would
be challenge. The time was when
dignity and decorum and courtesy were
proverbial in the Senate bat with the
present minority, under the lead q
Conkling who can not, like men, submit
to, their loss of power, these traditional
characteristics will soon become un
known.