The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-12-05
POLITICS, NOT SENTIMENT.
Ex-senator Sessions Tells How ConI1ling Was
Defeated in 1881.

Defeated in 1881.
New York Sun.
Ex Senator Loren B. Sessions sat in the
county clerk Office during q recess of the board
OF supervisors of Chautauqua county the other
day, and Sun reporter asked him what he
thought of the talk of Mr. COnkling returning to
the Senate.
He won't get there this time said the Chau-
tauqua chief confidently, but it was matter of
only about two minutes between him and his old
seat at Washington when he tried to he returned
in 1881 It's ancient history now, and don't
mind telling you how it was. The tele-
graphic rumor that Conkling and Platt had
resigned reached Albany on Monday and
Oh course, his partisans and opponents
were greatly excited as to the outcome. | went
up to the Capitol to find, if possible, the truth of
the rumor The executive chamber and State
Department were at thatltime in the old Capitol
while the Legislature had moved into the new
building. ] met Ed. johnson, then clerk of the
Assembly, IN the corridor by the Governors
room, and asked if any official message had
been received. He laughed at the idea and said
no such message had arrived He went into the
Governors room, and [ turned into the room of
the Superintendent of Public Instruction, and
remained there about an hour, talking with Mr.
Gilmour who although strong stalwart, was
an intimate friend. Coming out, [ met johnson
just leaving the Governors room.
1 guess lied to you little while ago,
ne SAID; the designations of Conkling and
PIatt have arrived, and message announcing
the fact is to be sent to the Legislature to-
night
1t was evident that if anything was to he
done 1t must be done quickly. or Mr.. Conkling,
who had the most adherentS in the Legislature,
would be returned to fight the administration
of Garfield. 1t was believed that Conkling's
and Platts constituencies did not echo this sen
tlment and if time could be gained this fact
could be made known in such unmistakable
terms that many members Of the Assembly
who would by personal choice. vote for the
return of the recreant senators. would not dare
to do so. The law made it obligatory to pro
coed with the election of senators on the second
Tuesday after notice Of vacancy. This was
Monday afternoon. If a message was received
at the session that evening it must be
acted on a week from the next day If not re-
ceived it would require two weeks | thought
it over, and determined that the only way to
keep Roscoe Conkling from ami immediate return
was to keep the Governors message from being
received that evening
Reaching the Delavan House, I went to
Woodin's room. Robertson, Birosall, Wagner
and other opposition senators were there, anx-
lously discussing the situation. | told them the
news, which carried CONSERVATION with it Dit
ferent measures were hastily discussed and
abandoned impracticable. At length |
preached my plan. The Senate must be ad
journed that evening before the message was re
ceived.
But it can't be DONE said Robertson 4
wouldn't think of such a thing
eyes, he asserted
And it's legal, isn't itf
Yves, but
well, if it's both parliamentary and legal,
we have right to use it. This ispolitics and no
sentiment
Now, if you throw Robertson out into the
middle of the stream, he will paddle hard for the
shore but he is hard to get into the water He
wouldn't listen to the plan, and seeing that it
was of no use to urge it, left the room with the
remark; Very well, gentlemen Roscoe Conk-
ling will DO his own successor, and you will be
responsible for it
IAN hour after 1 was called from my room at
the Kenmore to return to Woodns rooms 1t
appears that George Dawson, the veteran editor
of the Evening Journal had called in much
tribulation, to learn what was to be done in the
emergency. When my plan was told to him he
jumped right out of his chair with enthusiasm.
1t Is just the thing, he declared 1T must be
done This warm Endorsement from so con-
sentative and prudent source rather stiffened
the backs of the others, and they Immediately
1t must be DONE said Robertson, but
can't do it. l should make botch if l
tried.
g If you will let me preside tonight l said,
it will be done, and you may bet ON it that it
will be done clear through, too
80 he gave me note to Vrooman, clerk of
the Senate, instructing him that l was to pre-
side. took the chair at the appointed hour,
and called the Senate to order. Good old
EdOuSA 4ldiley was CHAPLAIN az bHdb llInoi anu
told him to make his prayer just as short as pos
sible. ] sat with my watch in hand and he
prayed just a minute, but it seemed to me to be
the longest prayer | ever heard, / expected
every second to see the messenger from the
Governor enter the door, and once inside, the
message would be held to be in the possession of
the Senate, whether formally delivered or not.
Amen had hardly dropped from Father Hal
leys lips when, looking over toward Woodin,
saw him rise, and without waiting to hear what
he said put the question: The Senator from
the Twenty sixth moves that the Senate do now
adjourn. Many of you as are in favor say aye,
contrary no-Senate stands adjourned until to-
morrow morning at ii o'clock
''Woodin voted yea. There were no nays.
They were too much astonished to vote anything
There was only one man that was afraid of,
and that was Bob Strahan, of New York, a warm
supporter of Conkling and as quick and sharp
as lightning dropped the gavel and almost
reached my seat, when Bob, whose eyes stuck
out like saucers, jumped to his feet and shouted,
Count nodded to him pleasantly and said,
I'll hear you in the morning, Bob; the Senate is
adjourned AT that moment the Governors
messenger came in He had delivered the mes
sage to the Assembly, but was too late for the
Senate, and a week was gained 10 fight the bat
tia.
''You know tho result. Members commenced
to get instructions from their constituents by
the CARLOAD They were overwhelmed with re-
monstrances, and changed their intentions
But if time for this had not been gained Miller
and Lapham would not have been elected to the
Senate"