The Irish standard., 1895-10-19
ll0NBN
Tho tandiag o. srrsl Between.
ssssa slalne ana ,::nns,, lng "
nterrap ed. 81 Il . s,ss
EACH OTHER PoR YEARS,
Nsxerthsisss ths Feua VS. X .ps W
to the Very
Last. @B,S,ss

& AS every body who has kept track Of
& p,rblie men and public affairs in this
country knows, there was an eternal fend
4 between Roscoe Cenkling andsJames g.
Blaine But for this fact either one. or
perhaps boh Of them might have been
preside sthe United States, and Gar
FIELD NIGH IhaYes outlivsd hisferm, writes
Eugene Hunt in the Inter Ocean. ys
The quarrel originated in a debate in
The House OF Representatives in 1853,
over the conduct Of Gen. James 3. Fry,
who was provost marshal at New York,
when Mr.. Blaine made asbitter personal
sttackiupon Mr.. Conkling, which the lat
ter never forgave And from that date
until Conkling was buried, although the
two great leaders sat in the house and
senate together, aud were constantly
thrown into the society Of each other,
they never shook hands, or even spoke,
but once.
That once, was in December, 1877, in
the senate chamber, and VIM. A. Wheel
er vice president of the United States,
was the only witness There was no rec
onciIiation, no apology, on either side.
and very few words were spohen-an
expression of appreciation from the one
and an acknowledgment from the other
and after this truce of a moment the feud
vas resumed as before.
Mr.. Wheeler is my authority for the
story, which Mr.. Blaine "a. few months
before his death confirmed. 1t came about
in this way: tet-a
President Hayes removed Chester A..
Arthur from the collsctorship at New
York, and Alonzo B. Cornell, as naval Of
ficer, and appointed General Merritt for
collector and another man in Mr.. Cor
nells place, who were politically and
personally offensive to Mr.. Conkling
The president gave as his reasons for the
removals that Gen. Arthur and Mr.. Cor
nell had been guilty Of misntana cement,
and were not fit for the offices they held,
Mr.. Conkling opposed the confirmation
of their successors on the ground that
they had been unjustly accused, and it
was expected that Mr.. Blaine, who had
just entered the senate would sustain
the Administration, becauseSof his enmity
to the senator from New York.
THE logic of politics. remarked Mr..
Evarts, who was then in the cabinet,
will compel Mr.: Blaine to support the
president
But Mr. Evarts was wrong Mr.. Blaine
not only did not sustain the. president,
but made a speech in defense Of Mr.. Con-
kings position, which in force and eff
sfeotiveness was only surpassed only by
the one delivered by that gentleman.
himself. Mr. Blaine was, ill and weak,
and ought to have been Ia bed, but he
sat in the senate chamber Six hours to
assist his bitterest enemy T. ,sG
No man appreciated a kindness more
deeply than Mr.. Conkling, He and Mr.
blaine had not exchanged aword, not
even the little courtesies of life, for
4 II
recognized each other In Athe remotest
with Indifference, although they sat not
more than six feet apart, III the senate
Mr.. Hamlin, of Maine and Mr., Howe, of
Wisconsin, sitting between them.
i The executives session over the New
York appoint merts occurred on Thurs
day. On Friday Mr. ConkEng went to the
vice president and asked Whom he had
selected as members of thefc6mmittee on
Mexican relations, which was provided
for by a resolution offered by Mr.. Conk-
ling a few days previous, and adopted
by the senate. Mr.. Wheelertpok the list
from among some papers onshis desk and
handed it to Mr.. Conkling, who glanced
over 1t and asked VI
"Would you permit me to suggest an
alteration?'' #i
Certainly was thesvice presidents
reply. ..ssSs ,s
Mr.. Conkling scratched off his own
name as chairman of the seommittee and
wrote the name of Mr.. Blaine in its place.
Mr.. Wheeler demonstrated He said that
the custom and precedents Of the senate
would not permit man Who had been al
member Of the body but a few weeks to
be appointed chairman Of a committee,
especially when 1t was created upon the
motion Of another person. ID If Mr.. Conk-
ling did not desire the Craftsmanship him
self, there were q dozen or more senator's
who would expect the appointment in
preference TO Mr.. Blaine.
4 Mr.. Conkling still insisted, and explain
ed to theavice president that .salth ough he
had expected to. take thee place himself
he desiredsto have Mr.. BlafAe appointed
~ 49,, -. ~ &HA.kl. 4