The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-04-19
ROSCOE

In the South people viii not RAM MI
Conkling rs high as do those whose
knowledge OF him did rot contain a just
appreciation OF his sectional prejudice a,
a time when leading spirits should have
led in the right direction, and pnt Them
selves, i not their party, above the specu'
la,ion on passion that was the motive oil
the Republican party.
But 10 the memory Of Roscoe Conkiing
a. a United States Senator every Ameri-
can citizen will be proud 10 say that his
public career was unsmirchcd by The sus.
picion Of corruption, and his example Will
be a shining one, especially at the eX'
IRENE moment when the sympathy OF me
country was called forth by a somewhat
untimely call Of death
The personal portrait IF the man was
yerv far from the picture that the pubic
has been taught to accept. Ills aquliine
face and bald forehead, Ornamenled win
q single curling forelock, was generally
cast in an expression Of sardonic ai!ecia'
ton Of superiority, ana the head. though
intellectual in its character and FORM
was not as pleasing By far a. The news
paper portraits of him that must be
taken from photographs OF at least fifteen
wears age and idealizcd with the smile to
adapt a politicians claim to popular
favor.
We speak of him as he appeared in the
last years of his senatorial career, when
his dominant spirit commanded the Re
publican side of the Chamber with TIC
Aid OF The three other members OF The
most powerful quarjette Of personal lead
ers ever seen in the SeEate-Conkling,
Edmunds, Logan, and Matt Carpenter
Tho latter was held in reserve for cmer-
g~encies and rarely failed. except when
destination had masked his handsome
face and dulled his diamond mind. Cen
eral Logan's swarthy cOuntenance, sci IN
a frame ol coal black Indian hair, and his
! sialwart thick.set figure constituted one
of the memorable portraits in those days
Of sectional strife. lie was always IN the
front, full of fight. Mr.. Edmunds acted
as the judicial power; cold and grave as
tie marble cast of the saint 10 whom he
is likened, and posed with the very ideal
sentiment OF a great Senator.
When the master spirit OF this quartette
of big leaders was whisked of the scene
by a sudden trick of The political drama.
it left Il blank on The Republican side
that for a long time made the play go on
without Hamlet.
Mr.. Conkling's death will not tail 10
point the moral Of the vanity Of the
politician life. He expected that with
New York virtually in his pocket be
could dictate the policy Of the Admins
irarion. But the willy Blaine, bis old
time bitter rival, was At Gar6eld's tack
as Secretary OF State. and he whispered
In the Presidents ear. Let New York
State know that Conkllng's word Is not
good for q country p%o5totficc appoint
ment.
Garfield did it. and with that stroke cut
down the biggest leader the Republican:
had.
Nh Conkling resigned expecting that
his State would at once send him back
but when the New York politicians saw
that If ne went back it would be without
any power to give them Office, they
dropped him.
Between the two men who were such
rivals, the fate of Conkling dying hon.
ored on all sides is vastly better than
that of Blaine going down the slippery
incline OF a bad life II Fastening 10 his
final fall with The impetus of The last
great failure Of a sinister ambition.