Year: 1873




ton, made against him in the New York
Times, and he had then pronounced them
base and unmitigatcd falsehoods. He must
again express bis surprise, after the friendly
and courteous manner in which this debate
had h retnfore been carried on, that such
unprovoked personal illusions should be
made.


Sir. CONKLING said the truth or the
falsity of the matters Of which the senator
spoke was no concern Of his. He had no
apology to make to that senator, but stood
by the propriety Of what he had said. If tig
senator denied that money was ever paid TO
him for making political speeches, he (1lr
Conkling) had never heard it. He should he
very sorry TO hear that senator deny, on this
floor or elsewhere, that lie had received
money for campaign services. He did not
think the senator would make such denial
in his presence. The senator from Missouri
forced him to say this. If the senator had
denied the charges made against him by the
New York Times he had not heard it.


Mr.. SCHURI said he had never denied
that in former campaigns ne had received
some compensation to reimburse him for his
expenses. He had stated in January, 1872,
in answer to the allegations Of the Times,
that during fifteen years of campaign SER
vice, addressing the people of almost every
State outside bis own, being poor and having
no money 10 spare, but laboring and work.
ing day after day, week after week, and
month after month in building up the Re-
publican party, he did and was compelled by
bis necessities TO accept compensation for his
services sufficient to pay his expenses, that
he might be able to do the work to which he
had been invited. He would address one
remark to the Senator from New York in
order TO test the proper observance Of de-
cency. The senator had, OF course, the right
to argue to the pending question in his
own way, but when he violated the aEneni-
ties which should always attain among SELL
ators to bring in slauders against other
senators, was that proper? What would the
senator from New York think, he would ask,
if he (NIr. Schurz) should come in here and
repeat rumor, that was widespread, that q
senator had received fee of 800 from a
railroad company to look after its interests,
and if the allusion was made in such way
as TO Indicate the senator from New York,
would he not consider it pertinent to raise
the question Of decency and proprietyP
MIR. CONkLING: ! would authorize the
senator to say to the man who made such a
statement that he was q liar; and I would
further authorize the senator to inform the
man that was personally responsible for
| what said.


| Mr.. SCLURZ: Then, adopting the Ian.
guagc Of the senator from New York,
authorize him to sly to the man from whom
| he obtained his information that be is liar
and that | am personally responsible fol
| what say.


Mr.. CUNKLING: Does the senator au
thorize Inc to say that in past campaigns he
never received specific sums for his services
MIR. SCHURZ: authorize the senator tc
say that the man lies who charges me Will
receiving 800 for every speech l delivered
| during the last campaign.


Mr.. CONKLING rose again, but Mr.
Schurz declined to give way. and reiterated
his denial. He then read from the Globe
| from his personal explanation made IL
January, 1872, in ref to compensation
being made to him in the earlier Republican
campaigns, to the effect that lie had becr
neccssitated to receive money to pay his eX
penses. being without means of his own
but that the whole amount received was moi
equal to that which would accrue to popu
lar lecturer in q three weeks tour.


Mr.. CONkLING then said that in the re-
marks which had called out all this he haC
l lIO lSISOlItsl W blls CShui
What he had said was in line of his argu
ment, and was perfectly just and fair; bu
the senator had chosen to construc wha
had been said as reflection on him, fol
which he (Mr: Conklng was not responsi
BILE. And Notwithstanding the gross y i'm
proper remark which the senator had made
ut one stage Of the proceedings, he (NIr
CenklinG) would now say that he had no per
sonal feeling against the senator.


Mr.. SCHURZ was glad TO hear this, bu
the remark to which he had taken exception
was made with such particularly that it wa
difficult TO mistake its meaning.


Some further colloquy occurred, resulting
in Dir. Conkling's regretting he had made
any qualification to his remarks, and saying
| that he now wished what he had said tt
stand, and remarked that he would decIin
to reply to anything more Mr.. Schurz shoult
say.


| MIR. SCRURZ said he had no cause to re