, 1888-05-10
ROSCOE CONKLING.
lngersOll's Brilliant Tribute to,
His Memory.
A Large Audience Listens to
the Speech.
Kentucky Republican Leaders
Indulge in a Fight,
Honoring a Good Man.

city TO night listened to an grafton by
Col. Robt. G.. Ingersoll to the memory of
Roscoe Conkling, and one-fOurth as many
more beseiged the barred doors, while
many climbed to the roof and peered
through the skylight. The ceremonies
were under the auspices Of the enate and
assembly. Col. Ingersoll spoke as follows:
Roscoe Conkling, a great man, orator,
statesman, lawyer, distinguished citizen
of the Republic, in the zenith of his
fame and power, has reached his Jour
ney's end, and we are met here in this
city of his birth to pay our tribute to his
worth and works. He earned and held
his position in the public thought. He
stood for Independence, for courage, and
above all for absolute integrity, and his
name was known and honored by many
millions of his fellow men. In the pres
enct of death a good man judges as he
would be Judged. He knows that men
are ONLY fragments, that the greatest walk
in shadows, and that faults and failures
minele with the lives of all In the grave
should be buried the predjudice and pas
sions BORN of conflict; charity should hold
the scales in which are weighed the deeds
of men, the peculiarities and traits born
of locality and surroundings. These are
but the lust of the race. These are acct
dents, drapery, clothes and fashions that
have nothing to do with men except to
hide his character. They are clouds that
cling to the mountain. Time gives us a
clearer vision; hat which was merely local
fades away.
The words of envy are forgotten and all
there is of sterling worth remains. He
who was called partisan is called patriot.
fortunate Is that nation great enough to
know the great. How poor this world
would be without its graves, without
memories. Its mighty dead, only voice
less, speak forever. Intelligence, integrity
and courage are the great pillars that
support the state. Above all, the citizens
of a free nation should honor the brave
and independent man of stainless integrity
of will and intellectual force. Such men
are Aliases, on whose mighty mighty
shoulders rest the great fabric of the re.
public Flatterers crlnge, and crawlers
and time servers are dangerous citizens of
a democracy. They who gain applausi
and power by panGering to the mistakes,
preiudices and passions of the multitude
are enemies of liberty. Most people are
slaves of habit, followers of custom, be
%lieving in the wisdom of a past day, and
were it not for brave and splendid souls,
the dust of antique time would be I'M
swept and mountainous error lie too high
ly heaped for truth to o%verpower. Gus
tom is prison-locked and barred by those
who long ago we're dust, the keys of which
are in the keeping of the dead. Nothing
is grander than when a strong, intrepid
man breaks the chain, levels the walls
and breasts the many headed mob like
some great cliff that Knocks the innumcr-
able pillows of the sea.
The politician hastens to agree with the
majority. insists their prejudice is patri-
Otism, their ignorance wisdom; not that he
loves them, but because he loves himself.
The statesman-the real reformer-points
out the mistakes of the multitude, at.
tacks the preiudices of his countrymen,
laughs at their follies, denounces their
cruel lies, enlightens and enlarges their
minds and consciences, not because he
loves himself but because he loves and
serves right and wishes to make his coun-
try great and free. He who refuses to
stoop, who cannot be bribed by promise
of success or fear of failure, who walks
along the highway of right, and in disas-
ter stands erect, is the only victor. When
the real history shall be written by the
truthful and wise, those who bore the
burden Of defeat, who earned and kept
there self respect, who would not bow to
man or men for place or power, will wear
uDon their breasts the laurel mingled with
the oak.
Roscoe Conkling was a man OF superb
courage. He not only acted without fear,
hut he had that fortitude of soul that
bears the consequences of the course pur-
sued without complaint. He vas charged
with being proud-the charge was true.
IL, uog Drn,I that he Gnnn1 mnrn NO
inhexible as the "unwedgeablc and gnarled
oak" but he was not vain.
He had the tastes of a prince, the for
tune of n peasant, and yet he never
swerved. No corporation was great
enough or rich enough to purchase him.
His vote could not be bought. His hand
was never touched by any bride, and on
his soul there never was q sordid stain.
Poverty was his priceless crown. Above
his nameless intellectual gifts, above all
place he ever reached, above ermine he
refused, rises his integrity like some great
great mountain peak, and there it stands,
firm as the earth beneath, pure as the
stars above. He was a great lawyer. He
understood the framework of anatomy,
the foundations of law; was familiar with
the great streams, currents and tides OF
authority. He knew the history of legis-
%lation, the principles that had been set.
tied on fields of war.
He was an orator, earnest, logical, in
tense and picturesque. He laid the foun-
dation with care, with accuracy and skill,
and rose by ''eold graduation and well bal
anced form" from the cornerstone of
statement to the domed conclusion.
He was an American, proud OF his
country, that was and ever will be proud
of him. He did not find PROJECTIONS only
in other lands; he did not grow small and
shrunken, withered and apologize in the
presence of those upon whom greatness
had been thrust by chance. He could
not be overawed by dukes or lords, or
tiattered into vertebraeless submission by
the %patroniEing smiles of kings. In the
midst of conventionalities he had a feel
ing of suffocation. He believed in the
royalty of man. in the sovereignty of the
citizen and in the matchless greatness OF
this republic. He was of a classic
mould, a figure from the antique world.