The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1888-04-26
BLAINE AND CONHLING.
The Debate which Made them Enemies for
Life.
S. S. Cox in New York Herald. |

S. S. Cox in New York Herald.
In answer to the question, "Were you
present, Mr.. Cox, when the contest oc-
CURED between Mr.. Blaine and Mr..
Conkling in the House," Mr.. Cox
said: eyes. It was the 39th Congress. l
was not, a member, but happened to
be present. It was a wild scene. 1t
began with little matter about Pro-
vost Marshal General Fry. 1t was not
a great theme, but it aroused intense
excitement, inasmuch as Mr.. Conkling
had insinuated some dishonesty against
the General. It was q hot debate.
The Democrats stood aloof and Observ-
ed it, not without some satisfaction. 1t
began as great many Of these troubles
do in Congress, about the report of the
debate. Mr.. Conkling charged Blaine
with frivolous impertinence in putting
into the debate all imputation upon his
motives. 1t ended promptly some time
in April, 1866, about this time twenty
two years ago. But it was renewed on
the last day of April. 1t was a terrific
encounter between two men who were
thoroughly ironclad by that time. 1t
began on that day with demand from
Mr.. Blaine to have Gen. Fry's letter
read. Mr.. Blaine contemptuously re-
ferred to Mr.. Conkling as the member
from the Utica district
"Then the debate began. Mr.. Conk-
ling in his measured, quiet, sardonic
tone and humor threw his hot shot
upon the member from Maine. Of
course, the Democrats enjoyed it. This
debate showed Mr.. Conkling in his
best light of repartce, so far as the
House was concer: "1. Several gentle
men interposed to =, if they could,
the blows that were given and taken,
but Mr.. Blaine, who was skilled in the
dialectics and rules of the House, got
the last word, and after repelling what
he called the cruel sarcasm,' in which
Mr.. Conkling was an expert, he hoped
he would not be too severe in that mode
of handling his innocent self. The
contempt of that large-minded gentle
man is so whiting; his naughty disdain,
his grandiloquent swell, his majestic,
supereminent, overpowering turkey
gobbler strut has been so crushing to
myself and all the members Of this
House that know it was all act of the
greatest temerity 70" me to venture
upon controversy with him. Then
NIs lo;,,,,z-ofe-..cd ,.,I,c,>s
tor l have met in Congress-Henry
Winter Davis. Hc referred to the III
tie iocose satire of Theodore Tilton-
that the mantle of Davis had fallen
upon the gentleman from New York
and that that gentleman had taken II
seriously, 'and it had given an addition
al strut to his pomposity.' 1t IS strlk-
ing, said Mr.. Blaine; Hyperion to a
savtr, Thersites on Hercules, mud TO
marble, dunghill to diamond, a slngeo
cat to a Bengal tiger, a whining puppy
to a roaring lion
"These phrases have never been re-
peated in the House with so much VIM
dictivc animosity. But the Democrats
enioved it. 1t was not their fight.
STEPPING INTO THE NEWSPAPERS.
WASHINGTON, April 1S.-Mr. Thos.
Neligan, of the patent office, an oio
friend of Mr.. Conkling, received the
following letter from him three days
after his struggle with the blizzard OF
March y, which, it is believed, was the
remote cause of his death:
2WALL STREET, March l5, 1883.
MY Dear Sir: Bless your kind soul!
You know that one cannot step into
the snow without stepping into the
newspapers. had an ugly tramp in
the dark-the lights out, from Wall
street up, over drifts so high that my
head bumped against the signs, and
dug-outs opposite the. store-doors sud
denly lettinga wayfarer down foot or
two over fallen, snarled telegraph wires
and slippery places, with blizzard in
front not easy to stand against, and SO
cold as to close the eyes with ice, and
drifts were not packed enough to bear
up, in which one sank to the waist
Bumps and falls and strains and tugs
made it quite an interesting excursion
but not one worth alIybody's while te
talk about. But many thanks to you
for asking about it. ..... hope yoI
and yours are well.
Cordially yours,