Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1893-07-29
gf.AINEANDC0NKLING
rAe NEW YORK Ex-sENkToR's sTo-
Ry or The LIFELONG FEuo.


the Statesman scyer ForEavo-ons Side
Of mn Esirangement rha, asan, Much TO
American History.
Colonel Edward Gebhard. a lawyer In
ME Mutual Life Insurance building, said
That he thought the true reason for the
hitter feeling between Roscoe Conkhng
and James q Blaine had never been
printed He said that during Mr.. Conk-
ling's life in New York city he frequently
met the great Republican statesman
from Utica and on several occasions
they talked about his difference with Mr.
Blaine. Colonel Gebhard said.
''Conkling used TO come up to see me.
We were innmate friends. and one after
noon told him that would like to get
nj the bottom Of the arrangement be-
tween Mr.. Blaine and himself told
Mr.. Conkling that il seemed to mo abb
surd that a man who had been lawyer
all his life, and public man, should
have taken offense at MIR Blaine's speech
calling him a turkey gobbler. etc. 1t
was something could not comprehend.
Mr. Conkling replied: II is just as alb
surd 10 me TO take it that way as II is to
You You know | have practiced law
all my life II lawyers permitted the
animosities OF public trials to warp their
sensi bilities, we would be in fight with
all the world The true cause Of the
quarrel between Mr. Blaine and myself
is that Mr. Blaine took an unfair adyan-
tage Of me in the house Of representa-
tives to reflect upon my personal integ-
rity.
I'm the discussion growing ont Of the
disseminating Of the Office Of provost
marshal general Mr. Blaine rose to q
question of personal privilege Mr..
Cunkling told me that he did not pay
much attention to Mr. Blaine's speech
until he heard his name mentioned.
Then. after listening. he found Blaine
was making a personal assault. foreign
TO the matter of personal privilege and
alien to the subject under discussion.
Conkling said he listened, and the more
he listened the more he was amazed. and
then he became angry Conkling said
that he so lost control of himself under
the impulse Of the moment that he went
10 his friend Thad Stevens, and said:
:" Mr.. Stevens you have heard what
Mr. Blaine has just said What shall
do2 The question Of personal privilege
Mr. Blaine used was a personal attack
upon my integrity He has character
lied me as a man who has accepted EN-
ployment from the government while
was q member of congress- and while in
that employment had received fees paid
to me by Secretary Stanton. and that the
fees embraced pay for services which
had been illegally rendered by me TO the
government Of the United States in do
ing some work III the western part OF the
state This work included the investi-
cation of certain bounty frauds which
had taken place in Elmira, and the sec.
rotary came to me and employed me TO
get at the root Of the trouble | devoted
great deal Of time To the business. and
the upshot was that the government re-
covered through my efforts, many thou.
sands of dollars Upon my return to
Washington Secretary Stanton sent for
me and offered $4,000 in payment for
my services. which | refused TO accept
said To him nj that time that if | was
to receive anything | preferred to ar
range the price myself. and at all events
would not accept such sum.
Pending the discussion between Sec
rotary Stanton and myself | went 10
Utica and talked over the matter with
Governor Seymour and Judge DEMO,
chief Judge of the court of appeals, both
Democrats | told them that did not
want TO take step which could be used
against me III any way did not want
to make show of purity that would be
ridiculous, and | did not care about &C
cepting fec that might be questioned
On my return to Washington the check
Of Secretary Stanton was reduced to
$500 Even then was timid about ac-
cepting it, but Stanton said: by Godl
know what services are worth have
been lawyer all my life, and this money
you have got to take did take the
money, felt that had earned il, and
when Mr.. Blaine referred TO this In the
house felt that he had taken mean ad
vantage. and determined never to speak
to him again.
MIR. Conkling told me. continued Mr.
Gerhard. that Mr. Stevens said TO him.
III attend 10 this for you, Mr. Conkling.
and will call for acommittee of inquiry"
"a committee was appointed for the
purpose OF investigating and reporting
and when II became evident that the re-
port Of the committee would entirely
exonerate Mr.. Conkling from the alleged
irregularities, then il waa that he recog.
nized the fine hand Of Mr. Blaine or his
friends in the successful attempt to frus-
trate the purposes for which the com.
mittee was appointed.
Mr.. Conkiing told me that he never
spoke to Mr.. Blaine from that time; that
ali the charges that Blaine had brought
against him were groundless That is
the cause for my feeling against Mr.
Blaine said Mr. Gonkling. and shall
never speak 10 the man again or reccg.
nize him till he, in as public place as
the house Of representatives, makes an
apology for the assault he made upon
me at that time.
Several attempts were made to recon
Gle Mr., Coakling and Mr.. Blaine, but
Mr.. Conkling always said. When Mr..
Blaine gets up in congress and takes
back this charge, then | will be prepared
70 meet him, and until he does it there
viii never speak to him again Suisse
quently, during the Blaine campaign Of
1884, Conkling told me: I have received
an invitation TO a dinner at which Mr.