The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1888-04-25
STORY OF A GREAT CAREER.
Roscoe COnkling's Life History-A Giant
in Statesmanship, Politics and Law

Roscoe COnkling's Life History-A Giant
in Statesmanship, Politics and Law.
Roscoe Conklingl The name is associated in
the most intimate manner with many of the i'm.
pOrtant events in the annals of one of the most
eventful political epochs in the history OF the
United States. He was born in Albany Oct
80, 1879, his father being Alfred Conkling, who
sat in the Seventeenth congress from New York
was L. ;. judge for the northern New York
district by the appointment OF President
Adams, the younger, from 1925 TO 1852; and
then by the appointment OF Buchanan minister
TO Mexico, and also the author of several valua-
bic books On law. After receiving a common
school and academic education, Roscoe Conk-
ling adopted the law as a profession STUDYING
under his father and Francis NJ. Herman. In
later years Herman and his former pupil he
came leaders of the two great opposing parties
in the state and finally they sat together in the
l. ;. senate as representatives from the same
state. In 1919, though not yet attained to his
majority, young COnkling was appointed by
Hamilton Fish district attorney for Oneida
county. On his twenty-firSt birthday he was
admitted To the bar, and soon attracted the
attention OF the state by his ability as an advo-
cate.
Mr.. Conkling was welded TO Julia. a sis-
ter of Horatio Seymour, and the issue of
the union was one child, n daughter. now
Mrs. Oakman. Little Is known OF the pri-
vate life of Mr.. Conkling. While no open
outbreak ever occurred, his domestic ex-
perenee has generally been considered any,
thing but a happy one. During his congress
ional career his family remained i'm L tea
very seldom appearing in Washington for
even short visits. During his last illness,
however, both his wife and daughter
have been IN constant attendance upon
him. Since his retirement from politics
he has resided in New York, while his wife
and daughter remained in Utica. BY scandal
monsers Mr. Conkling's name was often asso-
ciated unpleasantly with that of Mrs. Kate Chase
Spraguc, the brilliant daughter of the late Sal
mon +. Chase, and the wife of the eccentric
war governor of Rhode Island. This talk and
the well-knOwn friendship between the couple
eliminated in 1870, when Conkling was driven
ON CanOnchet, the Spragues' home, by the
ex-governor at the muzzle OF a shot gun. As to
this incident Mr. COnkling is never known to
have uttered a word, and during the divorce
suit which followed nothing was brought out
in evidence TO criminate Mrs. Sprague and the
New York leader in any way whatever.
But whatever Mr.. Conklings private and
family relations were, they were never the sub
Ject OF much discussion; he was known TO be
estraDged from the Conkling branch of the
family both socially and politically, but an alb
Solute silence was maintained by all parties
and no family skeletons were disclosed
But the historian will have little TO do with
Roscoe Conklings private life: aside from its
domestic features il may be said to have been
absolutely blameless. In public life, in his re-
IatlOnS 10 some OF the most important events
in American history, Mr.. Conkling was con-
spicuous figure. Before he had reached his
majority he showed a wonderful adaptability
10 the profession OF politics-if profession It
may be called. Before he was thirty he was an
acknowledged leader and power in his state.
He had thus early shown his ability as a po-
litical general, and had brought TO something
like perfection that system OF organization now
commonly known as the machine" His
theory was for thorough unity of action i'm the
party ON plan mapped out by a
recognized head; ample reward for party fealty
and and swift punishment for anything
even remotely approaching INSTRUMENTATION.
At its very inception he cast his political lot
with The republican party and bent his energies
TO its thorough organization in the Empire state
In the spring of 1866 he was chosen mayor of
Utica, and in the following autumn was elected
TO congress From the day of his entrance into
the house his career as a national character be-
gar, and from that time to his resignation from
the senate in 1881 his was prominent figure in
all political movements. In 1860 his brother
Fred. A., who survives him, occupied a seat by
his side, and il is more than whispered that the
breaking off of the fraternal relations existing
between the two dated from this session, the
Independent nature of Fred revolving at the
domineering disposition OF Roscoe. From Dec.
1. 1852. to March 4. 1865. Mr.. Conkling