Year: 1876

1t is quite obvious that the Hon. Roscoe
COnkling is statesman who was not born
Yesterday He has been for several years
occupying a warm and comfortable position in
the sunshine, without manifcsting the least
measness or finding any fault with the
weather He has had tho confidence and
the intimacy of the Executive, and
enjoyed practical monopoly of the
patronage OF the great State he represents.
Feeling that he could have whatever he wanted
for the asking, and knowing that the man who
was next and nearest to the President was
also within easy reach of that wonderful po-


itical instrument, a touch of whose key
sends thrill to every port or station
where there's a custom house, and every
hamlet in tho land that boasts post office, he
has been quite content with his position; his
modesty and his patience his sclf-dcnial and
his devotion to the President, have won our
admiration. Verify, patient waiting hath its
reward. So long as President Grant harbOred
or was suspected of harboring the least
shadow of desire for denomination,
Senator Conkling sat in sunshine or
walked in clover and made no sign that
ambition lurked within him. He was not u
candidate. He was the Presidents friend.
Not superserviceable not running before he
WAS sent; not pushing Lis fortunes, nor
seeming even absolutely to favor him, bat
always discreet, always apparently uncommitted,
and always standing by. When he WAS needed
at the Utica Convention OF 1874, not to push
Grant in the way of the Convention but to
keep the Convention from pushing Grant out of
the way, he was there, and occupied the time to
such good purpose that no third-term or anti
third term resolution was introduced to mar
the harmony When il was thought best by the
managers to pass an anti-third-term resolution
at Saratoga in 1875, he-merely was not
there; no more. lie had no hand in it; that
was all IIe was not uneasy. lie sat in the
sunshine. The President could lot shake his
CORY locks at him; he didn't do it or advise
II or consent to it. And he was not ambitious


Here was Mr.. James G.. Blaine, ambitious,
restless, uneasy. Mr.. Baines State Conyen-
ton III Maine felt impelled to pass an anti
third term resolution, for which Mr. Blaine
was held in some measure responsible. 1t is
believed that this action did not endear Mr.


Blaine to the President, nor did Mr. Blainc's pro-


posed amendment to the Constitution on the Sec
tartan issue, which the uncharitable said was an
attempt 10 slCal OGanIS tntuISI, mihc lue
President more kindly disposed to the gentle
man from Maine. Then there was Mr. Morton
of Indiana, likewise uneasy and ambitious. A
newspaper ut indianapolis, which lad been
careful to state that it was not his organ, NOM
mated him for the Presidency, and came
out positively and in the most pro-
nounced manner against third term. There,
too, was Mr., BristOw, Secretary of the Treas
ury, whom rumor charged with looking higher.
Whether it was through personal ar.Jition or
o sincere desire to be efficient and faithful III
his discharge of duty, he also seemed restless.
He pushed his notions of reform in n
most aggressive and offensive way, until
people began to say he would make a
good President. and there were reports
that President Grant did not consider oil his
movements wise or look upon his ambition
with an approving eye. Upon all these devel-
opments Mr.. Conkling, sitting serene and un-
ambitious in tho sunshine, looked with
calm philosophy and waited the move
ments of his chief. He did not discuss
the third-term question. He took his cue
from the President, and kept in tho neighbor-
hood of the woRdrous machine whence radi-
ated the great network Of wires reaching every
custom house and post-Of1cs and caucus and
convention in the Land. And now it is said
that tho President has fully made up his