The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-04-02
Conklings New Apologist.

Mr.. Beford of Colorado has given to the
New York Sun some personal rem iniscences
of the period between the election of Gener-
al Garfield and his Inauguration as Presi-
dent. with the object of showing that Gener-
oil Garfield had been prejudiced against SEN
ator Conkling then and that the difficulty
which occurred later was in, spite of the
sincere desire of Mr.. Conkling for harmony.
Neither Mr.. Belford nor anybody else will
be able to persuade the American people
that Mr.. Conkling was ever self sacrificing
apostle of harmony in the party. His public
career was too long, toe conspicuous. too
clearly apparent for that He was ever ar.
rogant, overbearing and quarrelsome unless
he could have his own way Mr. Bedford
narrates the circumstances of an interview
with the President-elect at Mentor In which
General Garfield showed that he was en-
barrassed by the attitude of Senator Conk-
ling and entertained doubts whether the
strenuous supporters of General Grant at
the Chicago Convention would be faithful to
him it be admitted them to the confidence of
his administration. Persons who have any
intimate knowledge of the circumstances of
the time will not wonder at this dstrust.
Mr.. Belford also narrates the incidents
of an interview with Senator Conkling.
his account representing the Senator to be in
very amiable mood, not Directing to Blaine
as Secretary of State; but DESTROYS that his
own friends should not be ignored. All this
occurred before Senator Conkling's visit to
Mentor The break that occurred after
wards was owing not more to the machina-
tons of Mr.. Conkling's enemies than to the
unreasonableness of Mr.. Conkling himself.
1t would be easier to establish the New York
Senator's blamelessness if his character and
disposition as politician were not perfectly
we'll known. From the beginning of his
public life to the end of it there is hardly an
instance of conciliatory manners toward the
men of his own party who disagreed with
him. He was always the leader of faction,
regarding all who were not favorable to the
supremacy of his faction as foes and toward
them his course was as intolerate and Bit
ter as to ward the common enemy. Indeed
he never had any scruples about intriguing
with Democrats to secure his accendancy in
his own party, and the alliances that we're
repeatedly made between the New York
Custom House machine and the Tammany
machine are among the most disreputable in
our political history.
We do not know what good end Mr.. Bel
ford expects to accomplish by contributing
to the New York Sun at this time his views
of the merit or blame attaching to individ-
uals, one of whom is dead and the other out
of public life, in family quarrel that is not
significant with regard to any present duty.
If he wants to get himself gossipped about
he will succeed in degree; but his readi-
ness to give out his version of private and
confidential interviews is warning, per-
haps an unnecessary one, to statesmen
whose confidence he may seek in the future.
His public performances in the House of Rep
resentatives during the session would seem
to have obViated the need of offering any new
evidence that he is person more remarkable
for rash opinions and ridiculous vagaries of
conduct than for qualities which invite public
esteem. He appears to be as complete
specimen as is now fourishing in Wash
iDgton Of the order of politicians whose
boast it is that they are rough and that their
home is in the setting sun.