Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1895-03-24

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 eS3ggss~;s& resi- gned, the
 S legislature was in session considering the question of their successors, and all was excite ment and turmoil when 1 arrived in Albany one night intent upon getting at the facts from a newspaper stand point. l was then the managing editor of the Chicago Inter Ocean, paper which had been very friendly to Mr. Conklng, and l went to Albany to write up the history of a contest which was attracting the attention of the whole country. Conducted by mutual friend, l found Mir. Conl1ling in a room at the Delavan house in consultation with a dozen friends.
 About ten o'clock accompanied MT. Conkling to room at the top story of the hotel where he said we would be uninterrupted When I left the room it was after two in the morning, and during those four or five hours had listened to one of the most remarkable and dramatic recita1s had ever heard. Occasionally l had interposed with question, but for the most part it was a continuous and detailed account of the events leading up to the unfortun- ate breach between him and President Garfield
 He began by referring to my visit to his room the night before the nomina- tion of Garfield at Chicago, when in- sisted that a formidable move was on foot to take up the latter, but which he thought preposterous. 1.-The fight" he had answered, lis between Grant and Blaine. There is no more danger of Garfield being nominated than of your being nominated or of my being nominated" :"
 But all the same he expects it, had rejoined
 "Of course ' he replied, Ines 1an- gushing, but the fight just the same is between Grant and Blaine and them alone. "
 lie now explained to me how, an hour after had departed that night, he had discovered the combination which meant either the success of Gar field or Washburne and how the New I fork delegation had been asked to sug- gest the vice president. After this ex- planation, he alluded to the conference of Garfeld's friends in New York at the opening of the campaign and his ab- senee from the city which had been the subject of severe comment at the time, it being said that he was sssull1ing in his tent" He declared that while he did not wish to pose as a public censor, he had not attended that conference because he had obtained an inlling of its object, which he considered repre- hensible. He had gone into the cam paign, however, after the first few weeks, and, accompanied by Gen. Grant, had made one of the most effec- tive stumping tours known to history. What the objectionable features of the New York conference were he revealed when he came to speak of his visit to Garfield at Mentor.
 If remember aright, ATr. Gonkiing was somewhat surprised at Gen. Gar fields invitation to visit him, but he appeared to have accepted it with out hesitation and to have been grati- fled at receiving it.
 Mr. Conl1ling was pleased with his reception at Mentor. The president elect was extremely cordial and Conl1- ling departed feeling that there were no great obstacles remaining in the way of entire harmony. The selection of Mir. Blaine for premier, which, though not officially announced, was regarded generally as q settled fact, was accepted by Conlling as inevitable and, while unpleasant, was not regard ed as a bar to friendship. He alluded to it in what he regarded as a pleasant manner, but which, I fancied, must have sounded rather sarcastic to Gar field. I forget the exact expression, but it was entirely characteristic. Hav- ing been given to understand that his de- sires would be consulted in making up the cabinet, Conkling replied that he presumed this proposition did not in clude the office of secretary of state, as he understood the distinguished per son who was to occupy that place had been already selected; to which Gar field made no reply but smiled assent.
 The senator dwelt on the fact that the president-elcct was very effusive in his manner, and said Garfield put his arm over his shoulder or about his neck, saying: You know, Conlzling, I've got to have you in the senate" Conkling replied that there were al- ways plenty to do the bidding of president, but Garfield reiterated that he could not get along without him. In this connection Mr. Conltling re- ferred to the .reprehensible' bargain which he had heard was consummated at the conference in New York and which he had determined to mention to Garfield. T have heard, general, said he, "and from what in any other case would be deemed sufficient author ity, that at the conference in New York you promised to make Mir. So and So secretary of the treasury: and, this being the case, of course, that office is also preempted."
 Conkling said he made this remark to test the truth of the rumor, as he could scarcely credit the report, and thought the promise must have been implied from a conversation, and not