The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-03-30
conklinr,a pinlomatic Joke.

Gen. Grant had determined to send Mr.
PlerpOnt to the court Of t. James. and that
would make necessary the appointment Of
someone as Pierponts successor in the ONCE
OF attorney ger g raj Of the Unitet states
says the Ihi.a 1eIphIa Press. Gen Grants
intention was revealed to few persons.
and among others who heard 1t was senator
Simon Cameron. That adroit POLITICIAN called
upon Mr.. PierpOnt one day and asked him Il
IL we're true tnaJ he was to leave the attorney
generals Office to take the English mission.
1 suppose that is likely to happen now IN
the course Of a few weeks, said Mr.. Pier ont
The President has asked me to accept the
4 English mission. and don't think he found
( II ne cessary to plead with me very long.
have you heard the President say any.
thing about your successor in this office
senator Cameron asked.
No; he may have somco in view, but |
am inclined TO think he had not yet. At al
events. he has said nothing TO me ABOUT it
Well said Gen Cameron. my son.in law,
! Wayne Mac Neagh. has got an idea that he
could run this once iust az out as well as any
rody Grant might be thinking Of. and he Is
rather anxious to have the chance"
Well SAID Mr.. PierpOnt. I shall be very
glad II Gen Grant asks my opinion to say TO
/ him that he would look far before he would
/ ind man more competent than Mr.. Mac
I Neagh. My impression is that YOU would 90
/ better to see senator Coukling. for I am in
cliaed TO think that if he suggested Nj. Mac,
Neagh name Gen. Grant would re disposed
to give II very serious consideration, Mess
he had some one else in view
II had already thought OF speaking TO Mr..
| Conkllng about this' said Cameron but I
wanted to Re assured that you we're to va ate
the office before did So
A few DAYS later Mr.. Pierpont met Senator
( Cameron and asked II he had spoken to Sen
ator COnklnE IN reference to Mr.. Macy eagh 5
( appointment as attorney general. Senator
Cameron began to laugh, and II was SOm6mO-
ments before he was aCle to answer the ques-
| ton which Mr.. Pierpont put to him. At last
he said.
! =, ~ ea-- C,oz,.E.- -. 49, aa~ ,-1
| told him that L had learned that you were
going to exchange this post for one across the
water. ana thai my son-in-law Macy eagh.
had got It into his head that he would like to
go into Grants cabinet, as Attorney General
and that was ready to bespeak for him such
| friendly consideration as Senator Conkling
might have.
Wen. YOU know Pierpont" continued
Gen. Cameron. 'Conkling looked at me with
very funny smile for moment or two. and
then he said: senator Cameron, ] am very
sorry TO Re obliged to tell you that it will lie
impossible for me. owing to considerations
not at all personal to your son-in-law Mr..
MacNeagh, to suggest to Gen. Grant his nom
/ nation as Attorney General, but ] will very
gladly do another thing for you. l shall be
most pleased cordially to approve and en-
Enthusiastically to lndorse he nomination of
! Mrs. MacVeagh for that ONCE, since 1 know
/ her we'll enough 20 understand that she has
much OF tho executive and political ability
which have made successful the career of her
distinguished father Now, what could / say
| TO that, Plerpont: II that was not the politest
way Of cold-ShOUldering an applicant for Of
| fl e. then J would ike you to tell me how ii
could he done with moro courtesy or fiat.
terry"
In after years and when he had returned
| from ENGLAND. MIR. PferrOnt used to tell this
| story i'm tating with considerable skill Sena
| tor Cameron $ manner, and even tn IL tones OF
/ his voice as he described to him how Sena
| tor Conkling had declined to urge the Presi
dent to aprolnt Mr.. MacNeagh Attorney Gen
| eral.