National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1882-06-05
MIR. ConlsIing and His Friends.

Senator Conkling during the Senatorial
contest Mt Albany last year, was recently
the unfortunate subject of an attempted
defense by the Kingston freeman, a paper
which is supposed to represent his views.
The ex-senator, in an interview in the
New York Herald flatly contradicted the
statements of tho Freeman, which were
three in number: !. That he entered the
contest upon his own motion. 2. That
he remained in it against remonstrances
from friends; and 3, that Mr.. Sharpe
abandoned him because bargain had
been made to elect him with the candidate
of Vanderbilt and Gould. Each statement
was declared untrue. The ex-Speaker
made some show Of calling Mr.. Conkling's
word in question upon the first two points,
but made no effort to bolster the Freeman's
libel as to a bargain" Senator John p.
Jones, ex-senator Platt, John f. Smyth,
of Albany, ex-Marshal Payn, Assembly
man Dennison, Police Commissioner
French, and A. B. Johnson, clerk of the
New York Assembly, have written sepa-
rate letters to Mr.. Conkling bearing wit
ness that of that gentleman's friends Cen
eral Sharpe was the most persistent and
vehement in urging him after he had re-
signed to stand for reelection, against
which he was himself demonstrating.
They all declare that he urged him to
go to Albany in person, in order to ex-
plain, to members who desired to know,
the causes of his resignation. To three
| &C o,nNt1on,n,, ra,,nro1 Cl,o,nn
pressed fear that one old friend, promi-
nent in the party, might prove false This
is very generally understood to allude to
Governor Cornell. Two of the letters
stated that Sharpe named the person thus
suspected by him.
The Tribune howls in its characteristic
manner, and seems desirous of reopen
ing the controversy of last year. There
is no paper in America which can so ill
afford to recall the past in this connection.
Its editor stands convicted of writing n
letter for President Ganields eye, in
which he boasted that though the New
York Assembly twas overwhelmingly
Conkling" it was easily corrupted and
bought up like sheep in the shambles,
when it was announced that the Ad-
ministration meant business" Itsspeaker
was George II. Sharpe. 1t has been often
said that in his case the Administration
"meant business" to the extent of foreign
mission. Whether he knew of this gener-
Gus intention we have no information. If
the commission was ever made out for
him by order of Secretary Blaine it was
when General Garfield was unable to
sign it. If it was ever alterward pre-
sented to President Arthur for his sigma
ture it seems not to have been signed.
There is another reason why the Tribune
cannot afford to call up this old matter,
and that is that its "staff correspondent
in Washington in March, 1884, declared
that none need apply for any Office which
could be made "a political agency" un-
less he was for a second term. There is
nothing from which the Administra-
ton which came into power March A,
1881, so much needs defense as the charge
by the editor of the New York Tribune
that it debauched the New York AS
sembly to defeat Mr.. Conklings re-elec-
ton, except the charge of its staff COR
respondent, L. V. Smalley, that the Presi-
dent would only appoint to important
offices those who would "work" for his
denomination in 1884.
If the Tribune editor had any regard
for the memory of President Garfield
he would if possible, confess that he
spoke without authority as to the "busi.
ness" "meant" by "the Administra-
ton" at Albany, and that his blundering
correspondent had no authority for say
ing that second term was to be bought
with the spoils of the first. But Mr.
Sharpe now has the floor Listen.