The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1893-03-04

OF an Estrangemenf Ihat Meant Much to
American History.
Colonel Edward Gebhard, a lawyer III
the Mutual Life Insurance building, SAID
that he Thought the true reason for the
bitter feeling between Roscoe Conk,iHg
and James q Blaine had never been
printed He SAID tina during Mr.. Conk
ling's life III 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 sand
'Conkling used to come up 10 see NE
We We're Intimate friends. and one after
noon | told hlnn that | would like to get
at the bottom Of the estrangelnent be-
tween Mr. Blaine and himself | told
MIR. Conklins that it seemed to me alb
surd that Il man who had been a lawyer
all his life and ii public man. should
lave taken ofTense at MIR Blaine's speech
calling nm Il turkey gobhier. etc. 1t
was something ! could NOT comprehend
Mr. ConklinS replied 1t Is gust as ah-
surd TO ne 10 take It that way as it is to
you You know | nave practiceti Jaw
all my life II lawyers permitted the
animosltles of public trials to warp their
senslbllltles We wonld he III Il fight with
all the world The true cause of the
quarrel bet ween Mr. Blaine and myself
is that Mr. Blaine took an unfair advan-
foro af mo ! =, Tho bn,1Sa nf r1Tyasan+s
tives to reflect upon my personal integ-
rity.
In the discussion growing out of the
d~iscontlnuing of the Office of provost
marshal general Mr.. Blame rose to a
question of personal privilege. Mr.
Conkllng told me that be did not pay
much attention to MIR 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 that he went
to his friend. Thad Stevens, and said.
Mr.. Stevens. you have heard what
Mr.. Blaine has just SAID What shall |
do3 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 a 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 Elmlra. and the sec
retary came to me and employed me to
get at the root of the trouble. devoted
q 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 at that time that if was
to receive anything | preferred to ar
range the price myself, and at all events
] would not accept such Il sum.
pending the discussion between Sec
rotary Stanton and myself | went to
Utica and talked over the matter with
Governor Seymour and Judge DEMO.
chief judge CT the court of appeals, both
Democrats. | told them that | did not
want to take a step which could be used
against me in any way. | did not want
to make a show Of purity that would be
ridiculous, and | did not care about ac-
cepting a fee that might be questioned
On my return to Washington the check
Of Secretary Stanton was reduced to
$500, Even then ! was timid aboutac-
cepting it, but Stanton said: by God!
] know what services are worth. | have
been a lawyer all my life, and this money
yen have got to take | did take the
money. | felt that | had earned it, and
when Mr.. Blaine referred to this in the
house | felt that he had taken a mean ad
vantage. and | determined neIer TO speak
to linn again.
MT. SoflhIlNS toiu HE. continued Mr.
Gerhard. that Mr.. Stevens SAID to linn.
III attend to this for you. Nj. ConkIin-.
and will call for acommittee OF inquiry.
a committee WAS appointed for the
purpose of Investigating and reporting
anu when ii became evident that the r.
port of the committee would entirely
exoaerate Mr. Conkling from the alleged
frrpHrJl I1 yJ+JG- tE1-, - ,-,- -hn- ~, ..y.-.
nized the fine hand of Mr. Blaine Or his
friends in the successful attempt tofr1l>
trate the purposes for which the com