The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-05-08
Mr.. ConhllnE Makes a speech.

IuQ OThlOTy 10 DuIh VI nv "F'
zephyrs over a waiting land. The occasion
was the May Winner Of the Saturday Night
Club OF New York last Saturday night.
General Grant was present, and in re-
Spouse 10 a call expressed himself very
happily, windipgup with some very earnest
remarks on Mexico as a land for American
enterprise. General Grants remarks were
well received.
Mr.. Conkling, in response to hif
.rhealth," conceived the occasion to be q
fitting one 10 give somebody a piece Of his
mind. We are indebted TO the New York
Times for this report Of the speech:
Mr.. Conkling paid a graceful compliment
pleasure be felt In listing to General Grant,
words concerning the importance OF cultiyat'
ing the most intimate relations with ouI
n~eiphboring republic. or General Grant the
sneaker said he had "circled the world with
his travels rs he had before filed Il with his
renoyn." Seeing the soldierstatssman upon
this occasion, and noting the earnestness and
sound Judgment with which he was urging
the forming OF closer relations between the
United States and Mexico, the speaker wa.
led to contemplate the many thisgs that
General Grant had done for his country. The
ex Senator's mind carried him back to the
lnsl Chicago convention, at which an unsuc.
ceNful attempt was made TO nominate Gen.
Grant for President. That was a convention
TO which 400 OF the delegates were sent for q
specific purpose, mot instructed merely, but
bound In honor TO God and man TO discharge
certain obligations" and those obligations
were 10 vote for the nomination OF General
Grant for President OF the United States.
az believe as firmly as l believe anything"
said the speaker earnestly, that the results
OF that convention have held this country
back 10 years. Yes, that days work has coat
this Nation In progress fully 10 years" Mr..
Cenkling said that the Democrats were about
10 take control OF the country. Two years
ago the Republican party came out OF q
stoutly fought battle victorious from sea to
sea, norta Of the Mason and Dixon line. It
fought the greatest political battle ever
fought. 1t was q battle heavily weighted,
but The Republicans rallied under their old
leaders and gloriously won. That was but
two years ago, and now the speaker could
think of but three Of the Northern States in
which the republicans were victorious.
Abiding to the growth and resorces OF Mex
leo Mr.. Conkling said hat Its was eminently
MT tnAE TUG tWu GuEtl tAu lbpAbAiIo
shotld live on terms Of close intimocy.
It might 10 that lhe Ex.PreSident OF the
United States would be recognized as the
leader Of the great movement 10 help the
Republic OF Mexico develop its resources and
TO bring about the natural commercial union
Of the two countries. "But I do not know
as | ought to use the word leader" said Mr..
ponkling sarcaslically. 1.-THE word leader Is
q term OF opprobriun, an epithet, nowadays.
To be a leader now Is 10 be u boss, and there
Is no end OF men who think it desirable 10
defide and pull down bosses The so-called
fight against bosses Is the particular form
upon superiority. Point out to me a boss
and | will show you q mar who by virtue OF
his ability deserves to be u boss"
Speaking OF the Importance OF cultivating
the Mexican trade the ex-senator said he
hoIed some OF the statesmen who were IN
dertAking to shape the atfiirs OF this county
would find time to consider the $l00. DOC, 900
oftrads that awaited development In the re-
public south OF us. and also ofthe additional
millions Of trade that would respond to the
American enterprise in other South Amert.
can coustries. when these statesmen shall
turn away from the great issue-the finding
ont Of what boy or what girl shall have 4
place In the Government employ" said MI.
Conkling, perhaps they will give some at
tention to our commercial relations with
Mexico"
"Mr. Conkling's remarks excited no
demonstration whatever" says the Times,
and we can we'll believe It, for this was q
social gathering, in which politics had no
place. The good sense Of the gentlemen
present forbade them to applaud, and good
manner restrained them from %resenting
the performance with Kisses. But the sub.
ject matter Of the speech is more remark.
able than the inopportune time and place
chosen for its delivery.
Always deferring to that superiority"
which Mr.. Conkling says characterizes the
boss, in our judgement it is neither necess.
AIRY nor well for Republicans to keep alive
the unhappy discussions bred in the party
by the third term spectre. What happened
is gone-let it be buried. II the country
scored Il loss by the failure to nominate
General Grant in 1880 the loss is not to be
retrieved now by crying over spilled milk.
In our opinion there was a gain to the Re-
publican party and to the country, for
some essentials were preserved. But we
have no quarrel with Republicans who
think otherwise. We make the point,
however, that the present and the future
are more to US than the past, and that
nothing is to be gained by brooding over
yesterday.
1t is Mr.. ConklinG's wounded pride that
speaks when he predicts a Democratic
triumph in the country. He could not
get along with President Garfield md he
has not been permitted to put his stamp
upon the prudent administration Of Presi.
dent Arthur. He is known to be unhappy,
but he ought to be shrewd enough, il not
great enough, to conceal his disappoint-
ment aud chagrin. He threatened to sulk
through 1880. He may stand dumb in
1884, and still the Republican party be
able to pull through. II We cannot lose
one great man and live we ought to see at
once to the arrangements for the funeral.
What Mr.. Conkling says about bosses
and bossism is intended for q pleasing por.
trait OF himself. 1t is SO specious that there
is no danger that It will take root in the
minds OF sensible men. It is not leader.
ship that has been objected to, but that
oppressive, repressive and repulsive thing
which is so we'll understood by the name
OF bossism. A leader advises, appeals, per.
suades, and in proportion to his success in
this he leads and is followed. A boss
commands drives, distributes rewards and
punishments according to his whim, and
in proportion TO his success in this he is a
boss. A party ruled by bosses has a torpid