my memories of eighty years- 第14部分

Senator　Conkling　held　an　important　position　in　a　critical　period　of　our　country's　history。　　If　his　great　powers　had　been　devoted　in　the　largest　way　to　the　national　constructive　problems　of　the　time；　he　would　have　been　the　leader　of　the　dominant　party　and　president　of　the　United　States。　　Instead；　he　became　the　leader　of　a　faction　in　his　own　State　only；　and　by　the　merciless　use　of　federal　patronage　absolutely　controlled　for　twelve　years　the　action　of　the　State　organization。

All　the　young　men　who　appeared　in　the　legislature　or　in　county　offices　who　displayed　talent　for　leadership；　independence；　and　ambition　were　set　aside。　　The　result　was　remarkable。　　While　prior　to　his　time　there　were　many　men　in　public　life　in　the　State　with　national　reputation　and　influence；　this　process　of　elimination　drove　young　men　from　politics　into　the　professions　or　business；　and　at　the　close　of　Senator　Conkling's　career　there　was　hardly　an　active　member　of　the　Republican　party　in　New　York　of　national　reputation；　unless　he　had　secured　it　before　Mr。　Conkling　became　the　autocrat　of　New　York　politics。　　The　political　machine　in　the　Republican　party　in　his　Congressional　district　early　in　his　career　became　jealous　of　his　growing　popularity　and　influence；　both　at　home　and　in　Congress。　　By　machine　methods　they　defeated　him　and　thought　they　had　retired　him　permanently　from　public　life。

When　I　was　elected　secretary　of　state　I　received　a　note　from　Mr。　Conkling；　asking　if　I　would　meet　him。　　I　answered：　　〃Yes；　immediately；　and　at　Albany。〃　　He　came　there　with　Ward　Hunt；　afterwards　one　of　the　associate　justices　of　the　Supreme　Court　of　the　United　States。　　He　delivered　an　intense　attack　upon　machine　methods　and　machine　politics；　and　said　they　would　end　in　the　elimination　of　all　independent　thought；　in　the　crushing　of　all　ambition　in　promising　young　men；　and　ultimate　infinite　damage　to　the　State　and　nation。　　〃You；〃　he　said；　〃are　a　very　young　man　for　your　present　position；　but　you　will　soon　be　marked　for　destruction。〃

Then　he　stated　what　he　wanted；　saying：　　〃I　was　defeated　by　the　machine　in　the　last　election。　　They　can　defeat　me　now　only　by　using　one　man　of　great　talent　and　popularity　in　my　district。　　I　want　you　to　make　that　man　your　deputy　secretary　of　state。　　It　is　the　best　office　in　your　gift；　and　he　will　be　entirely　satisfied。〃

I　answered　him：　　〃I　have　already　received　from　the　chiefs　of　the　State　organization　designations　for　every　place　in　my　office；　and　especially　for　that　one；　but　the　appointment　is　yours　and　you　may　announce　it　at　once。〃

Mr。　Conkling　arose　as　if　addressing　an　audience；　and　as　he　stood　there　in　the　little　parlor　of　Congress　Hall　in　Albany　he　was　certainly　a　majestic　figure。　　He　said：　　〃Sir；　a　thing　that　is　quickly　done　is　doubly　done。　　Hereafter；　as　long　as　you　and　I　both　live；　there　never　will　be　a　deposit　in　any　bank；　personally；　politically；　or　financially　to　my　credit　which　will　not　be　subject　to　your　draft。〃

The　gentleman　whom　he　named　became　my　deputy。　　His　name　was　Erastus　Clark。　　He　was　a　man　of　ability　and　very　broad　culture；　and　was　not　only　efficient　in　the　performance　of　his　duties；　but　one　of　the　most　delightful　of　companions。　　His　health　was　bad；　and　his　friends　were　always　alarmed；　and　justifiably　so；　about　him。　Nevertheless；　I　met　him　years　afterwards　in　Washington；　when　he　was　past　eighty…four。

At　Mr。　Conkling's　request　Mr。　Clark　made　an　appointment　for　a　mutual　visit　to　Trenton　Falls；　a　charming　resort　near　Utica。　　We　spent　the　week…end　there；　and　I　saw　Mr。　Conkling　at　his　best。　He　was　charming　in　reminiscence；　in　discussion；　in　his　characterization　of　the　leading　actors　upon　the　public　stage；　and　in　varying　views　of　ambitions　and　careers。

When　the　patronage　all　fell　into　his　hands　after　the　election　of　General　Grant；　he　pressed　upon　me　the　appointment　of　postmaster　of　the　city　of　New　York。　　It　was　difficult　for　him　to　understand　that；　while　I　enjoyed　politics　and　took　an　active　part　in　campaigns；　I　would　not　accept　any　office　whatever。　　He　then　appointed　one　of　the　best　of　postmasters；　who　afterwards　became　postmaster…general；　but　who　was　also　one　of　the　most　efficient　of　his　lieutenants；　General　Thomas　L。　James。

When　Mr。　Conkling　was　a　candidate　for　United　States　senator　I　was　regarded　as　a　confidential　friend　of　Governor　Fenton。　　The　governor　was　one　of　the　most　secretive　of　men；　and；　therefore；　I　did　not　know　his　views　to　the　candidate；　or　whether　he　had　preferences。　I　think　he　had　no　preferences　but　wished　Conkling　defeated；　and　at　the　same　time　did　not　want　to　take　a　position　which　would　incur　the　enmity　of　him　or　his　friends。

One　night　there　was　a　great　public　demonstration；　and；　being　called　upon；　I　made　a　speech　to　the　crowd；　which　included　the　legislature；　to　the　effect　that　we　had　been　voiceless　in　the　United　States　Senate　too　long；　that　the　greatest　State　in　the　Union　should　be　represented　by　a　man　who　had　demonstrated　his　ability　to　all；　and　that　man　was　Mr。　Conkling。　　This　created　an　impression　that　I　was　speaking　for　the　governor　as　well　as　myself；　and　the　effect　upon　the　election　was　great。　　Mr。　Conkling　thought　so；　and　that　led　to　his　pressing　upon　me　official　recognition。

How　the　breach　came　between　us；　why　he　became　persistently　hostile　during　the　rest　of　his　life；　I　never　knew。　　President　Arthur；　Governor　Cornell；　and　other　of　his　intimate　friends　told　me　that　they　tried　often　to　find　out；　but　their　efforts　only　irritated　him　and　never　received　any　response。

Senator　Conkling's　peculiar　temperament　was　a　source　of　great　trouble　to　his　lieutenants。　　They　were　all　able　and　loyal；　but　he　was　intolerant　of　any　exercise　on　their　part　of　independent　judgment。　　This　led　to　the　breaking　off　of　all　relations　with　the　two　most　distinguished　of　themPresident　Arthur　and　Governor　Cornell。

A　breach　once　made　could　not　be　healed。　　A　bitter　controversy　in　debate　with　Mr。　Blaine　assumed　a　personal　character。　　In　the　exchanges　common　in　the　heat　of　such　debates　Blaine　ridiculed　Conkling's　manner　and　called　him　a　turkey…cock。　　Mutual　friends　tried　many　times　to　bring　them　together。　　Blaine　was　always　willing；　but　Conkling　never。

Conkling　had　a　controversy　which　was　never　healed　with　Senator　Platt；　who　had　served　him　long　and　faithfully　and　with　great　efficiency。　During　the　twenty　years　in　which　Platt　was　leader；　following　Senator　Conkling；　he　displayed　the　reverse　qualities。　　He　was　always　ready　for　consultation；　he　sought　advice；　and　was　tolerant　of　large　liberty　of　individual　judgment　among　his　associates。　　He　was　always　forgiving；　and　taking　back　into　confidence　those　with　whom　he　had　quarrelled。

One　summer　I　was　taking　for　a　vacation　a　trip　to　Europe　and　had　to　go　aboard　the　steamer　the　night　before；　as　she　sailed　very　early　in　the　morning。　　One　of　my　staff　appeared　and　informed　me　that　a　very　serious　attack　upon　the　New　York　Central　had　been　started　in　the　courts　and　that　the　law　department　needed　outside　counsel　and　asked　whom　he　should　employ。　　I　said：　　〃Senator　Conkling。〃　　With　amazement　he　replied：　　〃Why；　he　has　been　bitterly　denouncing　you　for　months。〃　　〃Yes；　but　that　was　politics；〃　I　said。　〃You　know　the　most　brilliant　lawyer　in　the　United　States　might　come　to　New　York；　and　unless　he　formed　advantageous　associations　with　some　of　the　older　firms　he　could　get　no　practice。　　Now；　this　suit　will　be　very　conspicuous；　and　the　fact　that　Senator　Conkling　is　chief　counsel　for　the　Central　will　give　him　at　once　a　standing　and　draw　to　him　clients。〃　　His　appearance　in　the　case　gave　him　immediate　prominence　and　a　large　fee。

Senator　Conkling's　career　at　the　bar　was　most　successful；　and　there　was　universal　sorrow　when　his　life　ended　in　the　tragedy　of　the　great　blizzard。



VI。　　HORACE　GREELEY

While　secretary　of　state　of　New　York；　the　decennial　State　census　was　taken；　and　the　appointment　of　three　thousand　census　takers　involved　as　much　pressure　from　congressmen；　State　senators；　assemblymen；　and　local　leaders　as　if　the　places　had　been　very　remunerative　and　permanent。　　I　discovered　what　a　power　political　patronage　is　in　party　organization；　because　it　developed　that　the　appointment　of　this　large　number　of　men；　located　in　every　town　in　the　State；　could　easily　have　been　utilized　for　the　formation　of　a　personal　organization　within　the　party。

I　was　exceedingly　fond；　as　I　am　still　and　always　have　been；　of　political　questions；　issues　affecting　the　general　government；　the　State；　or　localities；　party　organizations；　and　political　leaders。　　So；　while　devoted　to　my　profession　and　its　work　and　increasingly　enjoying　its　labor　and　activities；　politics　became　an　interesting　recreation。　　With　no　desire　for　and　with　a　determination　not　to　take　any　public　office；　to　be　called　into　party　councils；　to　be　at　an　occasional　meeting　of　the　State　committee　and　a　delegate　to　conventions　were　happy　relief　and　excursions　from　the　routine　of　professional　work；　as　golf　is　to　a　tired　business　man　or　lawyer。

The　nomination　of　General　Grant　for　president　by　the　Republicans　and　of　Horatio　Seymour　by　the　Democrats　had　made　New　York　the　pivotal　State　in　the　national　election。　　John　T。　Hoffman；　the　most　popular　among　the　younger　Democrats；　was　their　nominee　for　governor。　The　Republicans；　with　great　unanimity；　agreed　upon　John　A。　Griswold；　a　congressman　from　the　Troy　district。　　Griswold　was　the　idol　of　his　colleagues　in　the　New　York　delegation　in　Congress；　and　his　attractive　personality　and　demonstrated　business　ability　had　made　him　a　great　favorite　with　politicians；　business　men；　and　labor。　　The　canvass　for　his　nomination　had　been　conducted　with　great　ardor　by　enthusiastic　friends　in　all　parts　of　the　State；　and　the　delegations　were　nearly　all　practically　pledged　to　his　nomination。　　No　one　dreamed　that　there　would　be　an　opposition　candidate。

On　the　train　to　the　convention　John　Russell　Young；　then　managing　editor　of　the　New　York　Tribune　under　Mr。　Greeley；　came　to　me　and　said：　　〃Mr。　Greeley　has　decided　to　be　a　candidate　at　the　convention　for　the　nomination　for　governor。　　You　are　his　friend；　he　lives　in　your　assembly　district　in　Westchester　County；　and　wishes　you　to　make　the　nomination　speech。〃

I　tried　to　argue　the　question　with　Young　by　portraying　to　him　the　situation　and　the　utter　hopelessness　of　any　attempt　to　break　the　slate。