The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1881-07-30
END OF THE DEADLOCK &.


The disgraceful senatorial squabble at AL.
bany, which had continued for nearly ten
weeks, came to an end on Friday of last week
by the election of f. G. Lapham to the L. 5.
Senate to fill the vacancy made by the resigna
ton of Roscoe Conkllng. The end was pre-.
cipltated by the democrats, who had got tired
of the squabble and whose only ann from the
beginning was to force an adjournment of the
pie at the November election. To carry this
point they only needed the aid Of the stawart
vote. But the stalwarts, though giving fire.
quent encouragement to the democrats of ulti-
mately voting with them, never had the nerve
to do so. Tired of longer fooling with them,
the democrats finally on Friday of last week
told the stalwarts that unless they agreed that
day to vote with them for an adjournment
they would absent themselves at the next vote
and let the halCbreeds elect Lapham. To
show that they meant business, when one bal
lot In the joint convention on the I'D had been
taken, Senator Jacobs, democrat, arose and
a conference of the democratic members At
the same time speaker Robertson also an.
nounced that conference Of the republicans
would be held during the recess. The stall
warts OF course understood what the move.
ment meant and it brought them to their
milk. Either they must now join hands with
the democrats, cut loose from the republican
organization and step outside as disorganizers
or like dogs swallow their own vomt and
creep back into the republican pen. They de-
cided to do The latter. When the republicans
by the withdrawal of the democrats, found
themselves alone in the hall, and their con
ference" was opened, the salwarts put forth a
whlmpering sort of claim that the conference
should be called a caucus, Involving an adj
mission on the part of the half:breeds that
their former caucus, at which Miller and Lap
ham were nominated, was Irregular. After Il
good deal of simulated hesitation, the half
breeds agreed to this on condition that the
stalwarts would then abide by the decision Of
the caucus. "Oh," said Senator IIalbert, (our
former townsman, Ed. c. Halbert, now of
Blnghampton, N. Y }, who was acting as the
stAwart leader, 1--WE are only too glad to do
that. The party must be united The fall
elections are coming on and we must come to-
gether like brothers or, don't you see we will
lose the Offices" or words to that effect SO
the caucus re.nominated Lapham by 81 votes
against 20 for Conkling; and an hour later, on
the rc.asscmblng of the "joint convention"
Lapham was elected, receiving the united re-
publican vote, 90, against AZ cast for Potter
democrat.
The news was immediately telegraphed to
Washington and elsewhere and Blaine who
had engineered the whole fight in behalf of
the administration, sent back his congratula
tions, accompanied with those of Get III, Brute
Postmaster General James and Levi r. Nor
ton! Conkling from New York responded in
a dispatch thanking his heroic Spartan band"
for sticking to HIM so long and assuring them
that the NEAR future will vlndicate their wis
dom and crown them with approval" whatev-
er that may mean.
hS w tiO iAoPhhiii, thuS CiONotCu w
Conklng's seat In the senate, the contrast be.
tween the two men Is so great rs to provoke
only laughter and derlsion. Rev DR.. Dewitt,
in New York, prayed against his election on
the ground that he Is drunken sot 1t iscon-
coded that, rs compared with him, even Plat
was of some account as man OF business,
and Miller could put up job in politics and
secure the retention of a heavy tariff on wood
pulp, but Lapham, who Is within three years
of three score and ten, during all those years
has scarcely shown himself capable of being a
county supervisor, In 1885, when of age, he
became u civil engineer and failed In his pro-
iession. When past thirty years of age he
studied law and has not succeeded in that pro.
fcssion. As an inofTensive politician he be.
came successful compromise candidate for
congress. As n political orator Mr.. Lapham
enjoys IN his own party the reputation of dis
persing public meetings sooner than any other
"war horse" in Its ranks. In congress he has
never exhibited the slightest ability either on
the floor or in committee" 1t was an insult
to the stalwarts on the part of the half
TO present such a man as stalwart candidate,
and they resented it by voting against him to
man; but the pressure from Washington be,
came too heavy, and like subdued children
they finally swallowed the dose.
BOOKWALTER AND FOSTER.
1t is said that Mr.. Bookwalter, the Demo