The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1888-04-25

cessor, the probabilities are that long ago
he would have been recalled to political
power, and been much stronger with his
party than he had ever been before. Moth
ing, however, more completely demon
strated his transcendant ability than the
phenomenal success that attended his re-
entering the legal profession. After being
SO many years engaged in political life
Mr.. Conkling will always be remembered
as warm and unfaltering friend and a
bitter and unrelenting enemy"
Il knew Mr.. Conkling WELL" said ex-
Gov. Porter. 81 served four years In
congress with him, and respected him
most highly. He was a man of great
readiness in debate and spoke with power.
He had infirmities of temper, said to have
been inherited, which injuriously affected
his popularity as member of the house,
but he possessed in a high degree its re-
spect. He was always regarded in the
house asaman OF immOvable integrity. If
any measure seemed to have the slightest
faint OF what is called a Job everybody
knew on which side he would vote.
He would always vote against it, and
would be apt to uncover it so that its
character could be plainly discerned. He
was an exceedingly charming man in con-
versation, and was listened to when in his
best moods with great delight. He was
also man OF very impressive appearance,
and never looked so well as when he was
engaged in high debate. ! used to think
when Hooked at the man that hereminded
me OF one of Millions descriptive passages:
In form aud gesture proudly eminent,
lie stood like tower.
"With all Mr.. Conkling's earnestness
and seriousness there was associated a
rich and exquisite humor, but it was only
displayed when he was among his init
mates on convivial occasions"
Gov. Gray was greatly surprised when
told OF Mr. Conkling's death, and stated
that he had thought the end was farther
off, but that his death would come ulti-
mately from the abscess. The governor
was not personally acquainted with Mr..
Conkling, but said he always considered
him one OF the most brilliant men in the
country-a man of undoubted, incorrupti-
BILE integrity, and thorough statesman.
He thought he made the mistake of his
life when he resigned his seat in the SEN
ate; that if he had not resigned he would
have been the foremost man and the leader
OF the republican party. He thought his
resignation was an impetuous action, and
that If he had taken more time to con-
slider it he would certainly have pursued
different course.
WASHINGTON, April 1S.-Among the utter
ances of prominent public men concerning Mr..
Conkling are the following: Postmaster Gen.
Dckinson-"He has lefta strong impress of his
material personality, of his vigorous intellect
and his patriotism upon the history of the
country"
sec'y vilas--"senator Conkling deserves to
live long in the grateful memory of his country
men for the lofty integrity and purity OF his
official life and character"
Senator Jones (Nev. 81 never knew a man
better equipped than he for senatorial duty,
and in my opinion no man better qualified for
that duty has entered the senate in half
century. Throughout a long public career he
presented unSpOtted Integrity"
Secys Whitney and EndicOtt and Att'y-Gcn.
Garland spoke in similar terms of praise.
Sec'y Fairchild is a relative of Mr.. Conkling by
marriage, and will attend the funeral.
Senator Allison-"Mr. Conkling was one
of the great characters of the country, distin-
guished for his intellectual activity and force.
On the whole he was one of the ablest and
most conspicuous members of the senate at a
time when many able men were members of
that body. His former associates in the senate
deplore his loss and sympathize with his family
in their bereavement"
Senator Sherman-"I had the highest respect
for the abilities and personal character of SEN
ator COnkling; never knew anything of him
but what was honorable, pure and honest"
Senator Farwell-'The country has met with
a very great loss ] always entertained the
highest respect for Mr.. Conkling's ability and
his rigid honesty, and l am profoundly grieved
at his DEATH"
Senator Edmunds-"He was one of the most
brilliant and able men / ever knew"
Among the "reminiscences of Mr.. Conkling
the following incident is recalled by we'll
Nv
ling never revised reports of the speeches he
delivered in the senate, as most members of
that body do. He held that the Congressional
Record should be an actual transcript of what
was said and done in the chamber and insisted
that his remarks should always appear exactly
of 1880 he departed from his rule and prepared
for publication q speech which differed in many
essential respects from that which he delivered
in presenting Gen. Grants name to the conven-
ton. One of the speeches was intended TO go
down to history as an ideal of oratory, and the
other was meant to influence votes in the con-
vention. But his plan miscarried, and it made
him very angry.
"A few DAYS before the convention he sent
for Inc and said that he had been selected to
present the name of Gen. Grant. Contrary to
his usual custom he had written his speech,
and desired it to appear correctly in the news
papers without being subjected 10 the ordinary
mistakes that must occur in transmission by
To accomplish this he desired my
assistance. ] took the manuscript had il put
in type, and furnished him proofs for corTec-
ton. Several hundred slips were then printed
and placed in the hands of the Associated Press
to be furnished to the newspapers when the
speech should he delivered.
"But il was not the same speech, as / have
said. The Introductory couplet
IF YOU ask me where he halls FROM
My sole reply shall be,
That he came from Appomattox,
And the famous apple tree
was not the original as prepared for publca-
ton, nor was there any reference to the other
or to Blaines private telegraph
wire. Without the knowledge of Mr.. Conk-
with the proof slip of the original address be-
fore them and corrected it as he spoke, the
changes being telegraphed to all the newspa-
perS. In the morning when he saw the speech
hat he delivered instead of the one he wrote
for the newspapers, he was very indignant and,
sending for me, raised terrible row about it,"
ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE FUNERAL.
over ConkIing's Remains to be
Held in New York and Utica.
New YORK, April 1S-1irs. Conkling and
Mrs. Oakman were kneeling at the bedside of
Mr.. Conkling when he died. Mrs. Conkling
had her hand clasped in his. Mrs Conkling
left the room when the face of the dead senator
was covered, and went into her room and fell
on lounge. At o'clock the un-
dertaker came with two assistants. They
washed and laid out the body on cooling
board in which condition, they said, it would
remain until a. M, when they would return