The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1888-04-21
HIS NOTABLE CAREER.
Brilliant as Lawyer and statesman-A Wonderful
Mnnnru

Memory.
r lscoe Conkling was born in Albany.
Y. Y, October 80, 1928. His father,
Judge Alfred Conkling, of that city, was
lawyer of fair ability, a good judge,
and author of useful book of practice
known as ''Conkling's Treatise" H
was more or less in politics on the Wing
side, and was appointed minister to Mex
co by President Fillmore. Previous tC
| that he was representative in Congress
Judge Coukling lived in a quiet and re,
spectacle way, some time i'll Albany, and
then at Auburn and Geneva. His son
was given an academic education, but
was never at college, and the knowledge
of the classics which be possessed was &C
quired by the untiring industry which
characterized all his pursuits. At the
age of eighteen, in 1916, he entered the
law office of Spencer u Herman, in Utica
and was considered fair student of law,
though not a deep one. Both of his pre-
ceptors were among the best lawyers at a
bar of very high standing.
At a very early day young Conkling
gave evidence of the talents for politics
and high sounding rhetoric, for which he
has always since been noted. When not
studying law he was reading poetry, and
delighted in metaphorical phrase making
which set off his speeches Ill so striking a
manner. In those days he had as little
love of society and as much for exclusive
ness as he had in later life. Governor
Hamilton Fish appointed him district at
torney OF q zelda county when his twenty.
first birthday was six months in the flu
| ture. He did not decline the appoint
ment, but managed the affair SO dis
| creetlY that few suspected what an OBJ
stacle his youth threatened to be.
Having m9rried the youngest sister OF
| the late Horatio Seymour, Lawyer Conk
ling made his home in the city of Utica
of which he became mayor in 1858. He
was defeated in second CONTEST for the
mayoralty. but was elected to the Thirty
sixth Congress, taking his seat in Decem
Der. 1859 The fame which had gone be
fore him. and the brilliant powers which
he possessed, enabled him at once to as
sumo position of influence in the Ma
tional Legislature He was reelected
| the following year, and entered the
special session called by President Lin.
coin, July /. 1861, with his brother Fred
erick. who was elected from New York
In his candidacy for the Thirty eighth
in whose office he had formerly been d
student, but was again successful il
1854 aud resumed his seat in the Thirty
ninth Congress.
HIS CAREER AS A SENATOR.
Mr.. Conkling took his seat in the
United States Senate March 4, 1867. Al
the expiration of that term he was re
Ill al,
Lists, and was again elected, to begin
his third term March 4, 1879. Mr.. Conk
ling's senatorial career was the text ton
severe criticism by those who did Lot
agree with him, but he never faltered nor
failed in defense Of his votes, and his
speeches on record show that. in any
event, he ielt abundantly competent to
defend every measure of which he was
an advocate. That senator representing
New York State, and especially of the
ability and oratorical gifts of Mr.. Conk
ling, should be closely allied with the
President, that President being the chosen
head of Mr.. Conkling's party, almost
goes without saying. During President
Grant term of Office Senator Conk ling $
connection with the administration was
of the closest possible description. Tue
general policy of the administration to-
ward the South was largely directed by
Mr.. Conkling, who advocated it with all
the power and attractivenesS of his elo
quence and all the potency OF his personal
and political influence. That he had
nothing to gain By its success or to lose
by its failure was evident, but upon it's
approval by the people he could not have
more completely staked his own political
future if he had been himself member
OF the Cabinet. Indeed, had he been a
member of the official household of the
President, it would have been impossible
for him to furnish oDe-twentieth of the
assistance he gave in the Senate, and also
upon the public platform. la every pos
sible way Senator Conklngs course
showed how closely lie was in harmony
with the administration. 1t was reflex
of the will of the party which was in
national ascendency. He is on record as
having opposed Senator Morton in relation
to the time to which the ku-klux laws
should extend He was largely instru-
mental in the inception and passage of
the Civil Rights bill, and the sections of
the Naturalization act of 1871. by which
reputable elections were made possible,
were drawn by Senator Conkling, and
led to passage by his felicitous argument
That he twice declined the mission to
Great Britain, aud once the seat of chief
justice, is fact we'll known to his friends,
some of whom regretted it. To the
general course of Legislation he made
many serious and well considered contri-
buttons. In legislative career of over
a quarter of century, during which
wars and rumors of wars disturbed the
country, he did much to make govern
ment easier, much to make government
better, more economical and more efficient
For genuine civil service he always had a
genuine regard, paralleled only by the
contempt with which he spurned what he
regarded as spurious civil service. Mr.
Conkling was always protectionist of
the protectionists, and his contributions
to legislative discussions on that greatly
misunderstood and perplexed issue have
been interesting and instructive.
Mr.. Conkling did not become candi.
date for the Presidency in 1880, but be-
came the organizer and leader of the
third term movement for General Grant,
making the memorable speech presenting
the name of the hero of Appomattox in
the conveation at Chicago. Through the
many tedious ballots of that now famous
contest he held the Grant phalanx toge-
Their with scarcely break He fell into
line, however, when the nomination had
been made, and undoubtedly was the
most important factor in the campaign
that swung the State of New York into
the Repu blican column, thus securing
Garlield's election. Tue accession of the
latter to the Presidency, however, was