Evening journal., 1913-03-07
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
Senator COnkIing'S Real
Opinion Of the Hayes
TiIden Affair
By HOLLAND.

On a perfect day in June, 1877, a
very large party of the political snc
personal intimates Of Senator Roscoe /
Conkling escorted him down New
York bay The party was gathered
upon a large steamboat. There we're
several in the company who became
very prominent a few years later
among them General Chester Arthur,
who, in 1881, was to succeed the as
sassinated Garfield as President of the
United States, and Thomas c. Platt,
Who. in 1881. was to be elected United
States Senator from New York as
Senator conkling's colleague. and
Alonzo B. Cornell. who, in 1879, was
70 be elected Governor of New York.
Senator Conkling, who had been in
III health. had taken passage for Eu-
rope upon the steamship MoseL He
purpoged remaining abroad until late
In the fall.
A collation. was served in the lsrge
saloon of the steamboat and speeches
of farewell were made, to which the
senator responded in singularly
happy manner In the lower bay, the
Senator was transferred from the
steamboat to the steamship, and upon
invitation of the captain of the MOsel
he went TO the bridge. the only other
occupants of which we're the captain
the pilot and the first officer.
Senator Conkling stood a consp Gu
Gus. noble figure upon that bridge as
the steamship slowly passed out into
the open sea. His head was bare to
the June sunshine. and he continu-
ally waved his hand by way Of fare
we'll.
On the return trip. / was fortunate
enough to be one of the little group
upon the deck of the steamboat the
members of which were occupied in
discussing Senator Conkling's char
acter achievements and his present
and future relation to the Republican
party
General Arthur said 81 know the
senator so we'll that | am sat SIZED
that he will be back not later than
The middle of August instead Of stay
ing over there until late in November.
He will get very homesick, although
his reputation would open to him
many prominent houses i'm Great Bri.
tain II he cared TO accept hOsptslits
Of that kind Yet am convinced
that he win be so homes'ck within a
week after his landing that he viii
decide to return as soon as possible
One member of the party ten ask
cd General Arthur this question.
General. in view of your intimate &C
quaintance with Senator Conk ing
and your knowledge of his character
istics. ! would like to ask you enc
question. II is this; Can Won tell
me whether there is any truth in ths
report that Senator COnkling believes
/ that Samuel ]. Tilden was lawfully
elected President of the United
States November last and t"at he
also believed that Tilden should have
been seated?"
"I know" said General Arthur in
/ rcply. "that the impression has gont
| abroad that Senator Conkling was
/ persuaded that Governor Tilden re-
coived such plurality Of the popular
vote as justified giving him a m7ior-
! ity Of the electral vote. and for that
reason tho senator was persuaded
that he should have been declare1
J elected and inaugurated. This view
however. is not entirely accurate.
don't think Senator Conkling cvet
] said to any ono that he believed that
I Tildeu was elected and shoud have
been inaugurated think his view
was that the accusation of fraud az
lected both parties. and practically
equally. He would have been glad. II
it had been possible. to declare that
these reports had vitiated the entire
Presidential election 10 show thst a
now election could be ordered. Bu'
there was no way I'm which this could
be accomplished He felt that an ex-
traordinary and unfortunate emer
gency had arisen, and for that reasol
1t was perfectly proper for Congress
TO adopt such measures as would re
leve the dangerous embarrassment
TO the country which this emergenc.
created He would have been en-
tirelv content If the electora com
mission which Congress had create'
as a measure by which the elect'ol
could be peacefully determined. ha'
decided that Governor Tilden had re
ceived a majority of the electora
vote.
L 81 know. however. that the senate
felt that the manner in which tn
. American people accented PEACEFUL
e the decision of the electoral com
mission which gave General HAYES
majority of one was the supreme evi
+. dence OF the soundness of America
= institutions and the permanence {
( our republican form Of government.
J Copyright. 1913. by +. J. Edwards
s All rights reserved)
? !
= Tomorrow Mr.. Edwards Will te
# of "The Brief and Pathetic Career Z
n Famous American Prima Donna"