The Portland daily press., 1888-04-18
His Life and Services.

Roscoe Conkling was the son Of Alfred
Conkling, distinguished jurist, and was
born in Albany, N. Y, on the thirtieth OF
October, 1929. After receiving an academic
education, he benefited by his fathers long
experience and learning, studying law un-
der his tuition for three years. Then
young Conkling, in 1886. entered the law
Office of Francis Herman, afterward his col
league in the Senate. In 1850, Mr.. Conkling
became the district attorney for Oneida
county, being admitted to the bar in that
year. He soon became prominent both in
the law and in politics. In 1858. he was
elected Mayor of Utica and. owing to tie
vote between the candidates at the expira-
tion of his term, served during the succeed
ing term. Mr.. Conkling was elected to Con-
gress as Republican, in November, 1858.
He was reelected in 1860, but in 1862 Fran
els Herman defeated HIM. Two years later,
however, when Mr.. Herman again ran
against Mr.. Conkling the latter was elected.
His first committee was that in the District
of Columbia, of which he was afterwards
chairman. He was also member OF the
committee of ways and means, and the spec
ial reconstruction committee OF fifteen;
Mr.. Conkling's first important speech was
in support of the fourteenth amendment to the
constitution. He vigorously attacked the
generalship of Mcclellan, opposed Spauld-
fng's legal tender act and firmly upheld the
government in the prosecution OF the war.
Mr.. Conkling, in the autumn Oh 1866 was
again reelected, but in January, 1867, before
he had taken his seat, was promoted to the
upper house, succeeding Senator Ira Harris;
He was reelected in 1873 and 1879. He did
not complete his term, however, becoming
hostile to the administration OF PRESIDENT
Garfield in 1881, on question Of patronage.
Together with Senator Platt, his colleague,
he claimed the right to control federal ap-
pointments in his State. President Garfield
had appointed political opponent OF Mr.
Conkling's as collector of the port OF New
York. Mr.. Conkling opposed the confrma-
ton of the new collector, claiming that he
should have been consulted, and that the
nomination violated pledges given him by
the President. AS soon as he knew Of the
New York Senator's opposition. the Presi-
dent withdrew all the nominations TO other
New York offices leaving that for the collec-
torship to be acted upon by itself. Finding
that he could not prevent the nomination,
as did also his colleague, Mr.. Platt, and re-
turned home to seek vindication by a re-
election. In this, however, after an exciting
canvass, they failed, two .other Republicans
being elected.
Conkling was, from the first, member OF
the judiciary committee and connected with
nearly all the leading committees, holding
the chairs of those on elections and the re-
vision of the laws. He was a warm sup
porter of President Grants administration
and largely directed its policy towards tne
South, advocating it in public and by MS
personal influence. He was also lnstrumen,
tai in the passage Of the civil rights Dill anu
favored the resumption OF specie payments.
MIR. Conklng took a prominent part IN Irau-
ing the electoral commission bill In 1871, ana
supported it by an able speech, arguing that
the question Of its jurisdiction should De lett
ceiyed 90 votes for the Republican nomina-
tion for President in 1876. In the c0nven-
ton Of 1880, he advocated the election Of
General Grant third term,
After his retirement from tne ioenate, Mr.
Conkling resumed the practice OF his pro-
fession and continued it to the time Of his
last sickness In 1856. he was counsel for
the State Senate Investigation committee APP
pointed for the purpose OF disclosing the
fraud and bribery IN the granting Oh tne
Broadway horse railroad franchise in 1884.
CHANGES WHICH coNKLING SAW.
Although Roscoe Conkling had been chos-
en- District Attorney for Oneida county in
1850, and Mayor Of Utica in 1858, his politi-
cal career may be said to have begun with
the commencement Of the Thirty-sixth Con-
gress. This body, which met for the first
time on Dec. 5th, 1859, was the last Congress
which sat during the administration of
James Buchanan. He served in the House
of Representatives from that time until 1867,
when he took his seat in the Senate, except
during the Thirty-eighth Congress, and re-
mained in the Senate until his resignation in
1881, shortly after the beginning of the
presidential term of James A. Garfield.
When the Thirty sixth Congress met. John
c. Breckenridge was Vice President of the
United States. The other presiding officers
Of the Senate in that Congress were Benja-
min Fitzpatrick of Alabama; Jesse ID.
Bright of Indiana and Solomon Foot OF Yer
mont, who were successfully presidents pro
| tempore of that body. The Speaker Of the
| House was William Pennington OF New
| Jersey.
Among the members OF the Senate OF the
| Thirty-sixth Congress who either had ma
| tionai reputation at that time, or VINO suDse-
| ouently ACQUIRED one, were David Y. Broder-
iek Of California, who was killed IN duel
| bv Judge David S. Terry, before the expira-
| tion of that Congress; William NJ Gwinn,of
| the same State; James A. Bayard of Della
ware. father of the Secretary of State in
| Mr.. Cleveland's Cabinet; Willard Salisbury
| also of Delaware, brother of Eli Salisbury,
| who is one of the present members of the
| Senate from tnat State; Robert Toombs of
| Georgia; Stephen A. Douglass and Lyman