Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1888-04-27
Life of the Famous Senator.

Roscoe ConkIing was born in Albany, n.
Y, on the 3Oth of October, 1928. His father,
Alfred COnkling, was Judge of the United
President John Quincy Adams in 1925.
Roscoe attended the common schools of AL
bany and had no opportunity in his boy hood
from Albany to Auburn and later
to Geneva, where Roscoe studied law. He
was not noted in those days as a student, al
though he impressed all his associates
as a young man of ability. After he
had read law with his father for a time
he entered the office of Spencer Il herman
in Utica. Conkllng was prepared Tor the oar
before he attained his majority and made no
small impression as an advocate while yet
minor. His abStilities were SO pronounced
that Hamilton Fish appointed him
District Attorney for Oneida County
month before he came of age He was ad-
mitted to the bar on his twenty-fr birth
day. He was already actively interested in
politics and was becoming local leader, but
even then his leadership was of the same
quality that marked it when he had the en-
tire Republican party OF New ork state
under control. In all his career he kept
himself at the front by force of his character
rather than by the cOndescendIng suavIty OF
the ordinary politician. AS a law
yer he remarkably successful
from the beginning in criminal practice, and
the nature of his public office in Utica kept
him constantly busy with criminal cases.
In 1853 he married Julia Seymour, young
est sister of Horatio Seymour: Shortly
elected Mayor of Utica, serving as Mayor
and District Attorney at the same time.
In the fail of the same year he
into Congress. His friends advised him
earnestly not to go before the Con
vention. Mr.. Conkling had faith in
his strength, however, and secured the NOM
nation and eventually the election. He was
not a marked man in the Thirty sixth Con
oress He was reelected in 1860, and in the
extra session called by President Lincoln he
took a leading part.
Mr.. Conlling's attitude on the great ques-
tions of the time was pronounced against
war, but not in favor of abolition. In
the bitter debates that occurred in the
leader of the New York delegation, and
almost the only Northern representative
who used plain terms in speaking OF the
secession of the Southern States. Never
theIess Mr. COnkling was in favor of COM
promise with the Southern States on the
slavery issue, if thereby war might be
avoided.
When war was inevitable. he was one of
the most ardent supporters of the Admins
tration of President Lincoln
He vas reelected to the House in 1867, but
before Congress assembled he was chosen
successor to Judge Ira Harris in the Senate:
He resigned his seat in the House and entered
the Senate on March 4, 1867. He was re-
elected in 1878, and again in 1879.
Thomas G. Platt was elected to the
Senate as Conkling's colleague on the under
standing that he would support the Garfield
Administration in its appointments. Almost
the first batch of names sent to the
Senate for confirmation included poll
teal enemies of Conkling's. Platt
stuck to his agreement for awhile and voted
for confirmation, but Mr.. Conkling Ietreated
to the lobby Finally the name of Robertson
was sent in for the CoIectorship of New
York. This was the last straw, and
both Conkling and Platt resigned.
The New York Legislature was
strongly pro-Conkling at the time of the
resignation and for one day few doubted
that both he and Platt would be triumphant
lv reelected Such was the strength of the
Conlzling or ''Stalwart' faction that a strug-
gle of more than six weeks duration ensued
before Lapham and Miller were elected In
place of Conkling and Platt.
Since that time Mr. Conkling has not APP
peared before the public as politician 1t