The Portland daily press., 1880-07-19
Senator Conkling.
His Attitude in the Present Campaign
He Will Go to Work in Earnest.
IBrooklyn Eagle.l


The sensation at the island during the day
was the arrival at the Hotel Brighton in the
afternoon of a party of distinguished Republi-
can statesmen and politicians, headed by the
Hon. Roscoe Conkling, United States Senator
from the State of New York. Senator Conkling
was most impressive figure as he assembled
the piazza of the hotel, and was warmly ad
mired by the visitors. He wore broad
brmmed hat and fashionable suit of summer
clothes He proceeded without delay to the par
lorsn the second floor and was shortly afterward
escorted to his room. The Senator looked re-
markably well after his Chicago experiences
He had apparently recovered from the de-
preston caused by the defeat of the third
term project A ruddy glow of good health
has replaced the deathly pallor that spread
over bis countenance when the Garfield vote
ran up to 800 in the national convention An
intimate personal friend and close political
follower of the senator informed the writer
that he was enjoying excellent health, was in
excellent spirits, and intended entering hearth
ly into the campaign for Garfield and Arthur
There has been good deal of loose talk
remarked the gentleman referred to, 'about
the senator's position in this campaign and
that of 1876. In the contest four years ago he
took little part. His conduct was variousy
interpreted, notwithstanding his frank expla-
nation that his falling health rendered it i'm
possible for him to do more than he did for
Hayes and Wheeler. His enemies ascribed
his apparent lukewarmness to disappointed
ambition and other unmanly motives, but
l am in position to state positively that
during the summer and fall of 1876 the Sena-
tor was a very sick man, and any attempt
to enter more heartily than he did into the
it is different He is full of life and spirit and
has disposition to work. Had the hero of
Appomattox received the Chicago nomination
you would have seen COnkling develop quail
ties as worker never exhibited before. When
Garfield went to the top of the ladder some of
us wondered how Senator Conkling would
take it. His disappointment and chagrin
were evident, but he braced up, as the boys
say, in the twinkling of an eye. Then he told
us he was going to stand by the colors and
make the best fight possible for the ticket I
understand he will not only stump the October
States, but will also make determined stand
for victory in New York. Conkling knows
perhaps, better than any one else how ex-
tremely close this contest is to be, even from a
Republican standpoint. He says, as does
every other reasonably intelligent politician,
that the State of New York is indispensable to
success. and that is why he is going to make a
big fight Crediting him with all due fidelity
to party, must admit my belief that he would
not have come so strongly to the front if Ar
thur had not been placed on the ticket Conk-
ling likes Arthur as ardently as his nature will
permit him to like any one 1t was his strong
affection for the ex-collector that led him to
sacrifice Lieutenant-Governor Hoskins and
little General Woodford, when they were
looking for the vice-presidency at Chicago and
this same feeling will lead him to take off his
coat and go to work with all his might for the
ticket. think if any influence can win the
State for the Republicans that of Conkling
will do it. In the first place his grip on the
party machinery is supreme and absolute.
He has, scattered over the State, an army of
devoted followers who are always ready to re-
spond to his battle signal Then, too, Conk-
ling has deap seated strength with the
masses of the party-not the strength which
springs from personal popularity, but an
attachment born of long acquaintance with
and established confidence in his personal
integrity and his determined adhesion to the
party. You can look for hotter campaign in
this State than we ever had before, if Roscoe
Conkling can make it hot,