The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-04-18
RosnnE nnNKIINa.

Notwithstanding that recent bulletins nave
indicated Mr.. Conklings falling condition the
announcement of his death will cause a
painful shock throughout the country. He
was not advanced in years, only sixty, and
was in superb health until che beginning of
his short but fatal illness. Mr.. Conkling was
one of the most conspicuous and. interesting
of modern American statesmen. He pos
sessed both inherited and acquired ability.
His father was eminent as lawyer and pub
icist, and brother achieved considerable
distinction in public life. Roscoe Conkling
was the third of the family 80 serve in Con-
gress and to win fame by the force of his
strong personality and great intellectual pow
ers. He was admirably adapted and we'll
equipped for public life, and from his first ap
pearance in the field of national politics it
was easy to predict for him brilliant career.
To intellectual ability of the very highest
order and a thorough education in the law he
added boundless ambition, untiring industry
and that supreme confidence in his own
powers that 10 q common characteristic of
been they were but minor flaws in a great
character. Mr.. Conkling knew he was no or
binary man. He felt that he had great,
healthy mind in a great healthy body, and
above the average. IF this made him arro-
CANT, overbesring, and even vain, it was not
without reason. Many smaller men have
been even more so without 1.-THE of the
justification that he had Mr.. Conkling had
conspicuous faults of character, but they were
the faults of great man. In politics he was
partisan, and proud of it. With his tenn
permanent and mental constitution, he I'D
not be otherwise. He was Republican in
every fiber of his body, and, as long as he re-
manned in public life, was easily one of the
foremost men of the party. He retired from
pub lie life voluntarily, resigning seat in the
United States Senate, because he thought he
had not been fairly treated, and perhaps be-
causehe thought he could be reelected and vim
dictated. His mistake was not so much in
resigning as in seeking reelection. The
first was brave and defiant act the other
was political blunder. The result Left him
out of public life, and gave him the strongest
possible reason for devoting his whole energy
to the law. The success with which he did
this affords striking proof of his splendid
abilities. He had been out of the law for
many years, but in short slime after his re-
turn to it he had established very large and
lucrative practice, which continued to increase
was great lawyer. President Grant would
have made him Chief justice, and President
Arthur offered him an Associate justiceship
of the Supreme Court, but he declined both
honors. When he did return to the legal
profession he soon established a practice
worth many times the salary of a Supreme
Judge His impetuous temper and lofty
spirit made him aggressive and quarrelsome
in politics. He was not particularly tolerant
of the views of others, and could not brook
opposition. He enjoyed quarreling with his
enemies, and unfortunately, he was also apt
to quarrel with his friends, or those who
should have been his friends. But he was an
open, honorable enemy, fair fighter, and
never struck below the belt. Roscoe Conk-
ling was incapable of doing a mean thing.
His faults, like his merits, were those of a
great man. In his death noble intellect is
to an untimely end.