The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1884-02-16
Ex-Secretary Bltins.

has taken conspicuous part, the one
in which he takes the most pride is the
Geneva Award debate. He made an
exhaustive study of all the documents
bearing upon this case, and looked up
clearly all the law points bearing upon
the same. Nothing shows more thor
oughly the versatile powers of his mind
than his ability to master all the legal
technicalities of this intricate case.
Most of the lawyers in the Senate had
given the subject but casual attention.
Mr.. Blaine had thoroughly equipped
himself for the very purpose of having
a bout with the great Senate lawyers.
He specially desired bout with Thur
man, Edmunds, Conkling, and David
Davis. But the keen-witted lawyers Of
the Senate soon saw that Blaine was
well armed, and so they assumed posi-
ton of lofty contempt, not condescend-
ing to argue legal points with nom
professional. Matt Carpenter and
Thurman, however, were drawn into
the debate. David Davis, to avoid
Blaine, fed to the cloak rooms.
Matt Carpenter, a trained legal athlete
was set up to administer lesson to
Blaine, but, as Carpenter afterwards
said, he had all he wanted to do to hold
his own. Carpenter said that Blaine's
impudence in assuming superior
knowledge of the law in that case was
so overwhelming that he could hardly
meet him. Carpenter did more, how
ever, than almost any other Senator
could have done. He maintained
throughout the most thorough good
nature and self-possesslon He even
laughed outright, with genuine amuse-
ment, where almost any other man
would have boiled over with indigna-
tion at Blaine's assumptions,
Blaine's great object in the debate,
however, was to draw out Conkling,
his ancient enemy. If he could have
succeeded in that he would have beer
perfectly satisfied.
, Conkling all that day sat at his desk,
apparently engaged in writing. He
rarely, if ever, lifted his head. Some
of the time when Blaine was speaking
, he was not over two feet away from
} Conkling. Blaine's oratory volleyed Il
the right and left Of the New Yorl
Senator without producing the slightes
impression. General Garfield came IL
, from the House during the discussion
and took seat directly behind Conk
; ling. He noticed that he was writing
very steadily. He wheeled his chai
: in such position that he could lool
over Conkling's shoulder. He wa
curious to know if Conkling was reall!
writing. He leaned over, apparentl.
{ to reach for paper, and in 80 doint
+ took good look at Conkling's manu-
' script. He found that he was not reall,
r writing word, and the neat manuscrip
, piled up on the desk, to use stage ex
preston, was mere property writing
! Yet Conkling kept up this fine bit o
a acting all day. AT one stage Of tn
y episode Thurman came over and triet
. to get Conkling to ego for that fellow,
q as he designated Blaine. Conkling de
+ clined, saying that he would not on ac
q count of his peculiar situation.
a 1t really is an absurdity that Conk
ling and Blaine have never spoken sine
the day of their foolish, hot-heade'
quarrel when they were young men II
the House. The memory of all tn
feeling that existed at that time ha
it long ago died out. These men hav
Q jostled against each other almost con
: stantly in their public and social careers
g 1t has been much more awkward t
y maintain this long silence than it woul
a have been to speak and ignore the past
|. There has never been any need for
h formal reconciliation. If the difference
}. between them had not acquired tn
y dignity of age and attracted unusual al
10 tention through their prominence,
IS must have fallen long ago.
J. 1t is not generally known that Mr.:
o Conkling never fails to call upon Mrs
G Blaine when she is in Washington, an
s, that Mrs. Blaine promptly returns he
5, calls. Mr.. Blaine has repeatedly me
IT Mrs. Conkling out in society, and hs
Is often talked with her when her husban
1t was present. Upon one occasion, at
3. dinner given in this city, Blaine ws
5, asked to give Mrs. Conkling his arm t
E take her out to dinner. He did 80, an
a in the arrangement of the guests he ss
Is directly opposite Conkling. He talke
TX with Mrs. Conkling all through I'll
le dinner, but not look, even, passed b'
a tween him and Conkling. The perso
g who gave this dinner must have ha
IA peculiar ideas about making up "a list {
s. guests. But, after all, under the ci
r cumstances the failure of these tw
Is gentlemen to speak to each other reache
Is the limits of the grotesque. It's NJ
III necessary for these men to ever met
Il and be friends again. That is, ,
In course, impossible. But there is L
p reason why they should not aclrowleds
le each others presence when brought
s. close contact. Mr.. Blaine's frien(
st say that he has always been willing
in speak if he could have any assuranC
s. that Conkling would meet him ha
al way, as he attaches no Importance
A. the social chasm which is supposed t
c. yawn between them. A number (
ID meddlesome nobodies have tried a
lg various times to make themselves col
lis spicuous by bringing these two gentle
d, men together. The probability is tha
ut they will never speak now, because the
have in the past been brought into col
tact with each other under such Gil
M lcumstances. where. if reconclliatiC