Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-04-18
The Character of One of the Most
Prominent of Modern
Politicians.

IN AmaganSett, SuHolk county, New
York, on October the 18th, 1899. He
was graduated at Union College in
1910, studied law and was admitted
to the bar in 1912. Afterwards he was
elected to Congress as an anti-Jackson
Democrat, serving from 1921 until
1923. He then removed to Albany,
and in 1925 was appointed by Presi-
dent John Quincy Adams Judge OF
the United States District Court for
the Northern District of New York
which office he held until 1888. He
remained in the same office until
1852, when President Fillmore APP
pointed him Minister to Mexico. Upon
his return from that mission he settled
in Genesee, New York, and devoted
himself mainly to literary pursuits.
He published in his lifetime the fol-
lowing works: Treatise on the
Organization and Jurisdiction of The
Supreme, Circuit and District Courts
of the United Safes" Admiralty
Jurisdiction" "The Powers of the
Executive Department" of the United
States, and the Young Citizen's g
Manual"
The first son of Alfred Conkling
was born at Canajharie in 1916.
He was e merchant, but served in the
New York Legislature for three years.
In 1861 he organized at his own ex-
pense the Saith New York Regiment,
serving as its Colonel. He was one
year in Congress, from 1861 to 1868,
and was Republican candidate for the
Mayor Of New York City in 1868. He
changed his politics in 1876 and can
vassed for the election of Mr.. Tilden
for the Presidency in that year and
for that Of General Hancock in 1880.
t Roscoe Conkling, the second son,
was born in Albany, N. Y, October
80, 1929. He was younger man
than was generally entertained. He
received an academic education and
studied law under his father for three
years. He was admitted to the bar
in 1850, and became at once
prominent figure in politics. He
was elected Mayor of Utica in 1858
and in the years which have passed
since then has been the controlling
voice in the politics OF Western New
York. In November, 1858, he was
ch.sen as a Republican to Congress
and took his seat in December 1853.
He was reelected in 1860 but in 1882
was defeated by Francis Herman, a
Democrat over whom, however, he
was elected in 1864. Mr.. Conkling's g
first important speech was in support
Of the Fourteenth Amendment of the
Constitution. He was Grants fore
most advocate, attacked the General
ship of General Mcclellan and vigor-
ously opposed Standings legal-ten-
der act. Mr.. Conkling became Senator
in 1867; was reelected in 1873 and in
1879. In 1872 he was instrumental
in bringing Morgan to the Senate in
place Of his colleague; Ex-Governor
Reuben E. Fenton, which ultimately
led to the formation of the two divis-
| ions Of the Republican party in New
York. known as the "Stalwarts" and
"Half-breeds" the latter led by
Fenton and the former by Conkling,
who became the recognized "Stalwart
of the Stalwarts.''
During Mr.. Conkling's Senatorship
besides his Grantism, he was instru-
mental in the passage of the Civil
Rights bill and favored the resumption
of specie payments. He took a promi-
nent part in the framing of the elec-
toral-commission bill. Mr.. Conkling
received ninty-three votes for the Re-
publican nomination for President in
the Cincinnati convention OF 1875. In
the Chicago convention OF 1880 he
advocated the nomination of General
Grant for the third term, and made
historical the steadfastness Of
the 800 phalanx. In 1881
he became hostile to President
Garield's administration on the
technical question Of his right to con-
troll the Federal patronage of his
State, but really because President
Garfield on that question was false to
his pledges, and turned over the pat
ronage OF the State to ex-senator
Fenton and the Half-breeds. Upon
the appointment of Robertson as Col
lector of the Port of New York (the
Half breed nominee), Senator Conk-
ling and his colleague, Thomas A.
Platt (little l too), resigned their
places and returned home, confident
of a vindication of their position in
the form of a reelection. In this they
were disappointed, and Mr.. Conkling
resumed the practice Of law. His re-
tanning fees alone were said to have
been over $250,010 year. Until the
end Of his usefulness, he refused to be
drawn into any party movements, and
was the great man Of his party to re
gret, privately and publicly, its de-
cadence. fias
Mr.. Conkling, without the tradi-
tional "bee in his bonnet" had the
hope and the ambition for brief de-
cade OF his brilliant career, to become
the President OF the Republic. Such
a desire he expressed confdentially to
the wri er in 1872. From this desire
may be gathered his reasons for de-
clining the position OF Chief Justice OF
the Supreme Court of the United
States, rendered him in 1878 also for
declining the place Of an Associate
Justice of the Supreme Court of the
United States, to which he was ap-
pointed and confirmed in 1882.
Mr.. Conkling had one child, mar
ried daughter. His wifi and a
most devoted wife she has been
to him-was a daughter of the
great Democratic leader, Horatio Sey-
mour, Of New York. In her devotion
by the exercise of rare .fnesse, she put
quietus upon the scandal which arose
at the Capital regarding Senator
Conkling's relations with Mrs. Kate
Sprague, nee Kate Chase, the daughter
Of the Ex-Chief Justice Of the Su-
preme Court. When the first
rumor of the attachment of her
husband to the brilliant Kate was
borne broadcast, she gave out invi-
tations for dinner, at which the elite
of Washington were present. Mrs.
Sprague occupied the place OF honor.
and friendship beside Mrs. Conkling
and the seH-possessed mistress OF Ca
u <-~n71.ooh IN oRofnI Iu