Roscoe Conkling

RoscoeConkling has been at death's door tliis week and as these words are penned it is not known whether he will survive the week or notRoscoe Conkling is the proud, fearless and honest partisan, who tiring of politics, or rather torced out of them, has devoted himself to law and built up one of the best legal practices in the country. He has been the mainstay ol the republican party in New York. Without him they have been unable to win. Between him and Blaine a natural antagonism has existed. Both are republicans, but they are far different types of men. Blaine is magnetic, Conkling, haughty. Against Conkling's character no one has dared breathe the least suspicion while Blaine's whole life has been such as to cast suspicions upon him. Conkling was a politician and so was Blaine; the one supported his position by solid intellectual attainments, the other supplied the lack of statesmanship by brilliancy. Both entered public life, without fortunes. Conkling left it as poor as he entered it. Blaine lelt it with a fortune. This illustrates the character of the men, for both must have spent their salaries each year. It was Conkling, who in 18S4, elected Garfield. As is well known, Hancock seemed certain of election until after Conkling's great New York speech. Then Grant, whose right hand man, Conkling always was, rallied his followers and theold guard turned the tide of battle. Conkling was a republican and his teachings were always undemocratic. His jleanings 'were toward the monarchical fonn of fovernment and on this account, he can never have the sympathy of democrats. but as a man, as an honest politician we can admire him.