Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1888-04-14
MI ROSCOE CONKLING.
LIFE SKETCH OF A MOST RE-
MARKAple MAN.

ne began the Study Of the Law In the
Once Of Francis Herman, HE COL
league In the Senate In AFTER Years.
Conkling's Last Political Utterance.
From 1850 20 1881 Roscoe Conkling was
almost all the time in public life. and
always growing. He probably sustained
fewer defeats and made as few mistakes
between his election rs county attorney
and his retirement from the senate as any
public man Of his time, and was certainly
on the victorious side Of as many great
issues. His first great mistake was his
last, and when he failed Of re election to
the senate. after his somewhat crratic
appeal to the people" ho retired com.
pletely from public life.
Tho Conkling family ia talented one.
Roscoes father, Alfred Conkling, was an
eminent lawyer. member of congress In
1s21-23. Judge of the United States dis
trict court for the Northern district Of
New York from 1926 to 1852, and minister
to Mexico for short term. One son,
Frederick A. Conkling. won high bonors
in the army. and served one term In con.
gress, and daughter. Margaret (Mrs.
Steele), has some renown as an authoress;
but both are to some extent obscured by
the fame Of their brother Roscoe.
He was born Oct. 80, 1929. at Albany,
received IN academic education and
studied law in his fathers office: then en-
tered the Office Of Francis Herman, after
ward his colleague in congress, and in
1850 was elected district attorney for
Oneida county. In the spring Of 1853 he
was elected mayor of Utica, and the next
November was elected to congress. Re-
elected in 1860, he was defeated in 1862
by his late law colleague, Francis Herman,
but in 1864 and 1866 was again successful.
Before taking his seat the last time he
was chosen United States senator, took
his seat in the upper house in 1867 and held
the place continuously till 1881. His first
prominence in the house of represent
atiyea was gained by his vigorous opposi.
tion TO the legal tender act and his
unsparing criticism Of Gen. McClellan's
management Of the army. He forced IN
inquiry into the causes for the disaster at
Balls Bluff, and his speech In the resolu.
tion calling for information from the war
department was read with an intense
interest by the people. His speech on tho
legal tender net, in connection with that
Of Owen Lovejoy, exhausted the subject
on the negative side. On both those
subjects he was consistent to the end Of
his career; he was an ardent "hard money
man" and an unconHpromising opponent
of Gen Mcclellan and all his supporters.
Indeed, lie was determined in all his posi-
tions, ardent in friendship, relentless in
opposition. His devotion to the military
support of Gen. Grant and the political
measures of President Grant never weak.
encd for a day; he was the untiring sdvo.
cate, one might say the creator, Of the
third term movement" of 1880. and
broke with President Garfield in 1881 on
point of political rights directly growing
out of the matter. In the combat he
fought with relentless fury. and when de-
feated he went down with colors flying
His opponents often complained that he
was cruelty sarcastic; but that he had
many attractive personal qualities Is con-
clusively proved by the life long devotion
Of his friends and supporters.