Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-09-13

of Conkling as his successor; was in the con-
fdence of Conkling's friends in that regard,
and recall now many incidents of that novel
campaign, which might belong to the COM
edy of political history-comedy in its
time, but to deepen into tragedy, the effects
of which linger with US to the present
hour.
CoNKLING AND JAMES G. BLAINE
Above all things in that eccentric canvass
was the now historical quarrel with Blame.
And if Conkling were to be an available
candidate for the Presidency, it was import
ant that there should be a reconciliation
with Blaine. Among the legends of those
days was their animosity. The active
forces of Republicanism were under the BAN
ner of one or the other. The Morton move
ment was handicapped by the attitude OF
Morton on the currency. The Brlstow
movement was never other than a sentiment,
politics in lavender or camphor, not In ac-
tive use President Grant took no part,
hoped for the nomination of Hamilton Fish,
had written letter in favor of Mr.. Fish, to
be used when the political strength of the
active combatants was exhausted ard dark
horses were in order. The letter was never
read and the dark horse was named Hayes.
AS was saving, however, it was essential
that there shonld be harmony between
Blaine and ConkIing. They had been in
row since their early days in the House.
1 have a dim, rough remembrance OF the
outbreak, as l was in and around the gal
lery of Congress at the time. Conkling and
Blaine were young members, not especially
noticeable and had their fame to make. The
cynics in the press gallery, ever mePlless
in their judgments, looked upon Co1kling
as rather an amusing parsonage than other
wise, from his dramatic ways and his hardly
suppressed consciousness that the gods had
endowed him with beauty and presence
which might have excited the envy of a
Lacedemonianin in the days when men children
were born.
A CORRESPONDENTS IDEA OF CoNKLING.
THAT New York member of yours walks
down the aisles as if he were not sure that
that he had made God Almighty or that
God Almighty had made him, as a free
spoken Ohio correspondent said one morn
ing as Roscoe moved maiestically toward
PRAYERS, looking as though he felt the
world had been created and it pleased him.
The speech of Blaine hold in remembrance
as rather brisk than otherwise, with an al
fusion to Conkling as claiming the mantle
Winter Davis, and being somewhat of
turkey gobbler, or peacock. 1t did not
commend itself to the cynical judgment of
the boys in the press gallery, dis
posed to take sides with Conkling, whom
they knew and who, at least, amused them,
rather than with his keen antagonist, a clever
Yankee from Maine with bewildering eyes,
but whose force was an unknown quantity.
have not read that debate since l heard
it-never got over the then formed impress
sion that it was trivial, colorless affair-a
hasty scrapping Inatch-like two naval
cadets fighting in the sick bay of the school
ship, to be the best friends forever more as
soon as their eyes were patched. This, 1
think, was the feeling of the House, and
undoubtedly of Blaine. 1t came also at a
time when Conkling had controversy with
Elihu B. Washburne, then a member from
Illinois, a controversy which never entered
tho official reports, although it came near
finding work for the Sergeant at Arms;
Washburne bursting all bounds under the
deliberate opposition and maddening sar-
casms of Conkling, rushing upon him with
fury, the air resonant with denunciations,
by Washburna yielding to
gentlec persuasions, and delivering the
peroration of his wrath 20 friendly ears in
the cloak room, Conkling sitting at his
seat, pretending to read letter, as if un-
of the impending rage 1 remem-
ber it ali as in q dream-a foolish, idle
dream.
COST BOTH THE PRESIDENCY. A
These incidents, so colorless at the time,
that question if they had even gossip
ping record in the press dispatches, made
deep impression upon political events. The
quarrel of Conkling and Blaine cost them
both the nomination for the Presidency.
They cost Washburne. il the long run, the
of Grant and whatever he might
have craved as a career in the Republican
party. 1t was Grants partiality for Conk-
ling, as shown during his second term, which
planted in the breast of Washburne the
seeds of the distrust and suspicion, which,
to the griet of all who, like the writer of
these lines, knew and loved the men, was to
end in bitterness and pain an enviable and
beautiful friendship. This, on Washburne's
part, 1 saw in Paris, coming long before it
came-saw and mourned.
But so it is, and by such imperceptible
do the gods sway the fates of even
those who should be rulers of men. How
ever, a President had to be nominated to
succeed Grant, and as / was saving, the
path was closed to Conkling and Blaine,
unless the memories of the youthful scrap
ping match on the floor of the House could
be calmed down. There was no trouble
about Blaine. That brilliant, magnanimous
soul, to whom row over politics was of
about as much consequence as the results of
chess game, who always seemed in poll
.ics what Morphy was in chess, was ready
10 take the hand of Conkling in friendship.
10 contest his nomination for the Presidency,
Ind if beaten support the Conkling canvass
Ind administration with heartiness and good
will.
THE TROUBLE WITH CoNKLING.-
Yes, Blaine was amenable, but how about
Conkling? There was q problem. To ap-
proach the rugged Russian bear, the armed
rhnoceros, or the HyrcaH tiger, would have
been a morning stroll among the daisies
with it. The late William Orton,
one of the kindest, most judicious as he was |
,he gentlest of men, near to Conkling, had |
grave conversations with me about it. |
Efforts had been made, in coy. shrinking, |
almost geological way, to approach Conk- |
ing with this message of peace with Blaine, |
,hus far with disheartening results. And |
Is one after another had made the desperate |
experiment and fallen, it was appointed that |
should tread the ominious path with such |
ortune as would fall.
/ do not remember that had any enthu- |
,iasm over the task, although 1 saw its i'm |
oortance. But then l had no special fear |
Holding, as 1 did, terms of intimacy with |
Nr. Conkling, holding him in perfect re-
gard and with loyal appreciation of so much
IF his character and SO many of his gifts, 1 |
never could bring myself into special awe |
His mannerisms, his sudden petulancies;
lis outbursts at impatient or impertinent |
his disposition to pin you
against wall and throw knives all about |
your person, like an Arabian iuggler; his |
positive convictions upon trivial subjects,
which few painstaking people would |
.ronhle to think ahnnt. his hnnrlr discnu-