The Colfax chronicle., 1888-12-08
AN uNeuRNEp LETTER.
One That Was Written by Conkllng WAen
He First Fell Out With Blaine.


Roscoe Conkling to Peter B. Crandall,
of this city, published in the Ithaca
Democrat, together with long inter-
view with Mr.. Crandall on the circum-
stance under which the letter was
written:
MAY 6, 1866.-My Dear Str: am glad 70 re-
ceive your letter. BY this time you will have
seen in full the latter passages of the Fry
Blaine matter. Let me know what you think.
You will not, think, find fault with the self
command OF your representative when called
on without q moments warning in the presence
of the Nation to answer such libel. What Is
the effect upon our people!
Mr. Blaine is said to be too near the business
OF recruiting at Augusta, Me-, where he lives,
and where there was another Haddock affair,
in crime but not in conviction and punishment.
He has crown suddenly rich, 1: is said, out of
Government jobs. His brother was convicted
of forgery and sent to the State prison. / am
told. and all around you see there is strong
flavor about the whole thing.
II where you and are known any one can be
found 70 believe the foul imputation put on US
we have lived in vain.
How is thiss Your friend.
ROSCOE CoNKLING.
Peter B. Crandall. Babcock Hill. Oneida
County. N. Y.
Mr. Crandall is eighty years old. He
has been prominent. man in State
and National politics for many years,
and has always been one of Conkling's
most devoted friends.
In an interview Mr.. Crandall said:
II want simply to make statement
for the benefit of the friends of Mr..
Conkling. He was q statesman,
patriot, AN honest man. Through Mr..
Blaine's intrigues and Vaccinations
he was forced from public life to his
death. 1t is now the duty of every one
of Mr.. Conkling's friends to repay that
treachery by helping to silence forever
that scheming and dishonest politician.
/ have known Mr.. Conkling all my life
and have corresponded with him for
many years. All of his letters show
his intense suffering on account of the
way Blaine has illuminated him. His
last letter was written a few days be-
fore his death, and in that he still ex-
pressed an interest in public affairs.
when / was Provost-Marshal of
Oneida County great frauds were un-
earthed by Conkling and traced to
Washington. Conkling attempted to
introduce bill abolishing the Provost
Marshalship. Fry and Blaine opposed
it, as they wanted the Office to become
part of the War Department, 50 as to
continue the frauds. General Fry
sent letter to Congress, and Blaine
caused it to be read, charging Conk-
ling with protecting his own district
from exposure in the county frauds.
Cenkling arose, demanded an investi-
cation, and turned on Fry and Blaine,
charging that out of 100000 men to
whom bounties were paid scarcely
200, 900 ever went to service and some
body stole the money. The committees
appointed exonerated Conkling, but
the Fry investigation found too big a
job on their hands, and SO many per-
sons were implicated that the matter
was finally dropped. have all the
papers in the matter, as Conkling told
me to keep them.s Mr.. Hotchkiss.
attorney for the committee. said: If
we should attempt to get back this
stolen money by spreading these trans
actions over the country the Admin
istration would not last six months. ;
Conkling said he had letter from
Augusta, Me-, Blaine's home, charging
Blaine with making $40, 600 in single
day out of county frauds. About a
month after this l received
the letter which now give to the pub
lie. When Mr.. Blaine has been pushed
to the very front of his party as ar
bitter and dictator and has reached and
holds that position by treachery it
removes the obligations of secrecy.
The friends of Mr.. Conkling, now that
he is dead, owe him the right to be
heard on all matters relating to
Blaine's integrity. The friends of
Conkling can not vote for Harrison
this fall if they are true to Conkling's
memory. Blaine is the Republican
party, and if it had not been for him
Garfield would have been alive and
Conkling still in politics. 1 will not
vote for Harrison this fall. / have al
ways been Republican, but when
that party goes in for plunder I leave
it. The Republican party seems to
have but one purpose, and that to aid
capitalists and bondholders to squander
the public lands and build up man.
moth corporations l am too. old to
ask or expect any thing from any po-
litical party now, and oil 1 wish is to
leave the world better than found it
But when think that If Harrison is
elected this fall Blaine will be at the
head Of the Government, can not die