The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1893-03-08
WEDNESDAY. MARCH 8. 1898.
BIAINEANDCONKLING
THE NEW YORK Ex-sENAToR's sTo-
RY or THE LIFELONG FEUD.

RY OF THE LIFELONG FEUD.
A,Charge of Receiving Illegal Fees Which
the Statesman Never Forgaye-One Side
of an Estrangement That Meant Much TO
American History.
Colonel Edward Gerhard, lawyer in
the Mutual Life Insurance building, said
that he thought the true reason for the
bitter feeling between Roscoe Conkling
and James G. Blaine had never been
printed. He said that during Mr.. Conk-
hng,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:
sConkling used to come up to see me.
Wewere intimate friends, and one after
noon told him that would like to get
at the bottom of the estrangement be-
tween Mr.. Blaine and himself. ! told
Mfr. Conkling that 1t seemed to me abb
surd that man who had been lawyer
allhis life, and a public man, should
have taken offense at Mr.. Blaine's speech
calling him a turkey gobbler, etc. 1t
was something could not comprehend.
Mr.. Conkling replied: Tt is just as abb
surd to me to take it that way as it is to
yon. You know / have practiced law
all my life. II lawyers permitted the
animosities of public trials to warp their
sensibiIties, we would be ina 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'
Tin the discussion growing out OF the
disseminating Of the Office of provost
marshal general Mr.. Blaine rose to
question of personal privilege Mr..
CoDkling 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
to his friend, Thad Stevens. and said;
"s.Mf. Stevens, you have heard what
Mr. Blaine has just said. What shall ]
dor The question Of personal privilege
Mr.. Blaine used was a personal attack
upon my integrity. He has character
ICED me as man who has accepted en-
ployment from the government while
was member of congress, and while in
that employment had received fees paid
to me by Secretary Stanton, and that the
ICES embraced pay for services which
had been Illegally rendered by me to the
government of the United States in do
ing some work in 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
a 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 IL / was
to receive anything preferred to ar
range the price myself, and at all events
would not accept such sum.
AZ No txa&xx
rotary Stanton and myself ! went to
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 in any way. did not want
to make 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 lawyer all my life, and this money
you 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 mean ad-
vantage, and determined never to speak
to him again
"Mr. lConkling told me, !" continued Mr..
Gerhard, that Mr.. Stevens said to him,
I'll attend to this for you, Mr.. Conkling,
and will cali for committee Of inquiry"
"a committee was appointed for the
purpose Of investigating and reporting,
and when it became evident that the re-
port Of the committee would entirely
exonerate Mr.. Conkling from the alleged
Irregularities. then it was that he recog.
nixed 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.
'sMr. Conkling told me that he never
spoke to Mr., Blaine from that time; that
all the charges that Blaine had brought
against him were groundless. THAT il
the cause for my feeling against Mr.
Blaine, said Mr.. Conkling. and ! shall
never speak to the man again or recog
nize him till he, in as public a place a
the house Of representatives, makes al
apology for the assault he made upoi
me at that time
Several attempts were made torecon
Gle Mr.. Conkling and Mr.. Blaine, bu
Mr.. Conkling always said: When Mr.
Blaine gets up in congress and take
sscK this charge. then ! viii be prepares
20 meet him, and until he does it there
win never speak to him again Subse
quently. during the Blaine campaign o
1884, Conkling told me: 4 have receives
an invitation to a dinner at which Mr.
Blaine is to be present ! wonder wha
the getters up Of this dinner take me for
! an a Republican, and / believe in th
success Of my party, but there is ON
thing ! win never do, will never NEE
Mr.. Blaine until he makes an apology a
public as his charges. New York Sun
criticising Boston.
She WAS from out Of town, and whel
the epnt7f1cfor IN the Columbua avanu