Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-04-19
Roscoe Conkllng.

Inc career OI hOSCOh NONhl%lNd 10
craven with more than ordinary bold
ness and depth upon the tablets that re-
cord the lives of the American public
men of his day and generation. There
was much in that career that we
could not admire much in his po-
litical and legislative course we felt
called upon to condemn; but in holding
the balance Of justice by the dead mans
bier il can be said without any predilec-
ton 10 eulogy that his integrity Of pur-
pose, his incorruptibility, his sense OF
fairness, and the watch and ward he
aimed to keep over the Constitution out
weighed his partisanry and his mistakes
Roscoe COsKLING stood perhaps upon
a higher plane OF craftsmanship
than any other man in his party.
1t will not do to say that he was not at
times influenced by the passions that
ran riot in that party when dealing with
the South. More than once his stall
wartism beclouded his judgment and he
failed to rise to that height his brilliant
attainments, his reputation as cOnsti-
tutional lawyer and his general character
gave reason to hope he would reach.
Yet even in those moments he seemed to
move in a purer atmosphere than his
political associates. The South has no
reason to thank him for his advocacy Of
the civil-rights bill. There the states
man was sunk in the politician, and pre-
JUDGE triumphed over wisdom. But the
whole country owes him a debt Of
gratitude for the position he took on
the electoral commission bill. There
the patriot and great constitutional law
yer asserted himself. To CoNKLIHa's
staunch support Of the bill WAS due in
great measure its passage, and though
no one could foresee the outrage that
was perpetrated underit. and which CoNK-
LING did not contemplate, the fact re-
mains that the establishment Of the COM
mission gave the American people time
to think in one of the most momentous
crises the republic has ever known. Who
shall say how much is not due to CoNK-
LING for his part in bringing about
that "time for thought" q? 1t was
while advocating the electoral COM
mission bill that he uttered these
memorable words, showing how firmly
he had planted himself on the Constitu-
ton "The law has this ancient maxim
that is certain which can be rendered
certain. We say in this bill, take the
Constitution as it stands; that is your
guide there you will find the bounda-
ries Of your powers; you shall
not overpass them; execute the
Constitution and stop" That is a de-
hverance in itself that must Illumine
whatever shadows partisan feeling and
partisan acts have left upon Mr.. CoNK-
LNes public life. What a pity it is
that he did not make his record in the
electoral controversy perfect one by
Stating on the floor OF the Senate the
opinion which Mr.. VEST declared in that
body Tuesday he had heard him ex-
press-viz., that Mr.. TI1DES was elect
ed Such an opinion at such time
from man of CoNKLIYa's influence and
recognized honesty might have been in
strumental in preventing the placing
of shameful blot upon the pages of
American political history, and would
have added additional laurels TO the gar
land that even the dead statesman's
enemies must unite with his friends in
weaving as tribute TO his memory.