The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1881-07-15
GARFIELD AND CONKLING.

Those who attended the Chicago
convention i'm 1850 will remember the
scene when Conkling introduced the
resolution to expcl the West Vir.
ginia delegates for voting in the
negative on his resolution binding
the delegates to vote for the nomi-
nee of the convention. Promptly
were Mr. a. w. Campbell and the
other two members who voted i'm the
negative on their feet and sevcrally
announced their intention to vote for
the nominee, but disliked to he bound
IN that particular manner. Frye, of
Maine, quickly followed in an enthu-
siastic speech advocating their side.
bnt it remained for Garfield TO clinch
the matter in one of his off.hand,
candid arguments that swayed the
convention. 1t is not often that
Garfield and COnkling cross swords,
but they did for once and the posi-
ton of these two statesmen at the
present time in the eyes of the PEG.
pie recalls wildly Garfield's short
speech on the occasion to which we
allude, and after which speech Conk.
ling made haste tO withdraw his
resolution. The following is the
speech
fear this convention IL about 10 commit "A
great error, and before they net ! beg leave
10 state the case. Every delegate in this CON
gentiun except three have voted for the resp
luton. Three gentlemen who voted against
II have risen in their places and each man has
said that he expects and intends To SUPPORT
the nominee Of THE convention. But they
say il was not. according To their judgment, IA
wise thing, at this time, 10 pass the resol,i-
tion which all the rest Of us IRE for. Are
they Ia ic disfrnnchised because they thought
IL was the time la pass the resolution that we
voted for? That is the question and that IL
the whole question. IL these gentlemen had
risen in their places and said ] Will not vote
for yoiIr nominee, the question would be per-
tinenf and entirely "A different one. Is every
delegate here to have his Repiiblicanism In
Quired of before this convention for AN hon
est votef We come here as Republicans and
for the people who sent ms, and In their name
and by their rights we vote ON every resOlu-
zion aye or no, and we are Responsible Tor our
vote 10 our constituents, not tn anybody else. |
There never was Il convention, there never |
can be- II convention Of which am one dele |
gate, equal IN right and power to every other |
delegate, that shall by vote bind my vote 10 |
every thing on this earth by my consent.
regret that these gentlemen thought IL best |
40 break the harmony Of this convention by
their dissent. but when they tell the cOnvcn- |
lion that their dissent was not and did not |
snean that they woii!d not vote for the nomi- |
nee Of the convention, but only that they did |
not think the resolution at this time wise,
they actcd ON their own right, not by mine. !
do not know the gentlemen, nor their afhlia-
ton, nor their relations To the candidates.,
exccpl one of them, and one of them knew
ia the dark days Of slavery, and for twenty
long wears In the midst of slavery he has
stood up for liberty with n clear sighted
courage and Il brave heart, equal to the best |
Republican that lives ON this globe; and IL |
this convention expei him then we must
pledge ourselves Mt the end Of every vote 10
Inquire how many that voted against us shall
90 out. I trust, after the statement that has
been made by the three delegates from West
Virginia, the distinguished gentleman from
New York will deem ID matter of pleasure
ON his part To withdraw the resolution and
allow the convention 10 proceed 10 business.