Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-09-21
SENATOR coNxLING,s SPEECH.

Roscoe Conkling has at last consented to
enter the political arena, and last week de-
ivered an extended speech to large audi
ance at New York. He promises to repeat
it elsewhere some half dozen times before the
close of the campaign. It is curious pro-
duction in come respects probably the most
singular speech ever delivered by partisan
on the eve of Presidential election.
Mr.. Conkling is very confident that the
issue now before the public is sectional one,
and processes to regret the fact. He then
proceeds to reiterate the old falsehoods that
in the South freedom of discussion has been
choked, and that that section is seeking to
grasp the reins of government by fraudulent
means. He neglects to state that if there are
no Republican speeches in the South it is
because the Republican committees have
sent no speakers there; that if there are
no Republican tickets in the field
it is because the Republicans. knowing their
cause to be hopeless, have declined to NOM
mate them. He then proceeds to state that
in the event of the election of the Demo
cratic candidate for President the South
would control the government, evidently
trying to create the impression that the bulk
of the Democratic vote is located south of
Mason and Dixon's line. This is not the
fact, as the Northern States in 1876 cast q
total vote of 2,6s2,6Ss while what are called
the Southern States cast only LOGS, 1882 votes,
OF considerably less than one-third of the
entire Democratic vote of the country. 70
claim that one-third will control the majority
of two-thirds is too preposterous to meri
consideration.
The greater part of the speech is devoted
to the finances and trade topi>s. He seeks
to convey the impression that the Republican
party is entitled to all the credit of all the
prosperity with which the country has been
blessed, while the Democratic party
Is responsible for all the evils
-stagnation in trade, monetary
instability, excessive taxation, increase of
the public debt and other kindred evils.
Such gross Misrepresentation require no
contradiction.
But the most singular part of the speech is
the fact that he but once refers to the candi-
dates of the party for President and Vice
President specifically, and then merely
speaks of Mr.. Garfield as man who has the
intelligence, experience and habits of mind
which fit man for the Presidential office.
OF his pet, Arthur, he speaks m ore highly,
exalting him far above the average of man
kind in those qualities which go to make up
statesman.
That he still cherishes his old grudge
against Mr.. Hayes is easily seen by this
paragraph:
A candidate, if he be an honest, genuine man,
will not seek and accept party nomination to
the Presidency, Vice Presidency, or Congress,
and, after he is elected, become law unto
himself. Few things are more despicable than
first to secure elevation at the hands OF party,
snd then, in the hUpe of winning pretentious
bipartisan applause, to affect superior sane
tity and meanly to imply that those whose sup
ately sought are wanting in purity, patriotism,
OF some other title to respect.
Altogether the speech cannot be called a
masterpiece. Many other men have deliver
ed ADLER and more eloquent addresses than
the one emanating from the New York Sen
ator. 1t is not calculated to create crest
sensation in the political world, and will cer-
tainly do but little good to his party.