my memories of eighty years-第15节

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　and　his　talent　in　debate；　he　made　little　impression　upon　the　country　and　none　upon　posterity。　　His　position　in　the　Senate　was　a　masterful　one；　and　on　the　platform　most　attractive；　but　none　of　his　speeches　appear　in　the　schoolbooks　or　in　the　collections　of　great　orations。　The　reason　was　that　his　wonderful　gifts　were　wholly　devoted　to　partisan　discussions　and　local　issues。

His　friends　regarded　his　philippic　against　George　W。　Curtis　at　the　Republican　State　convention　at　Rochester　as　the　high…water　mark　of　his　oratory。　　I　sat　in　the　seat　next　to　Mr。　Curtis　when　Conkling　delivered　his　famous　attack。　　His　admirers　thought　this　the　best　speech　he　ever　made；　and　it　certainly　was　a　fine　effort；　emphasized　by　oratory　of　a　high　order；　and　it　was　received　by　them　with　the　wildest　enthusiasm　and　applause。

The　assault　upon　Mr。　Curtis　was　exceedingly　bitter；　the　denunciation　very　severe；　and　every　resource　of　sarcasm；　of　which　Mr。　Conkling　was　past　master；　was　poured　upon　the　victim。　　His　bitterness　was　caused　by　Mr。　Curtis's　free　criticism　of　him　on　various　occasions。　The　speech　lasted　two　hours；　and　it　was　curious　to　note　its　effect　upon　Mr。　Curtis。　　Under　the　rules　which　the　convention　had　adopted；　he　could　not　reply；　so　he　had　to　sit　and　take　it。　　The　only　feeling　or　evidence　of　being　hurt　by　his　punishment　was　in　exclamations　at　different　points　made　by　his　assailant。　　They　were：　　〃Remarkable！〃　〃Extraordinary！〃　　〃What　an　exhibition！〃　　〃Bad　temper！〃　　〃Very　bad　temper！〃

In　the　long　controversy　between　them　Mr。　Curtis　had　the　advantages　which　the　journalist　always　possesses。　　The　orator　has　one　opportunity　on　the　platform　and　the　publication　the　next　day　in　the　press。　　The　editorand　Mr。　Curtis　was　at　that　time　editor　of　Harper's　Weeklycan　return　every　Saturday　and　have　an　exclusive　hearing　by　an　audience　limited　only　by　the　circulation　of　his　newspaper　and　the　quotations　from　it　by　journalistic　friends。

The　speech　illustrated　ConkIing's　methods　of　preparation。　　I　used　to　hear　from　the　senator's　friends　very　frequently　that　he　had　added　another　phrase　to　his　characterization　of　Curtis。　　While　he　was　a　ready　debater；　yet　for　an　effort　of　this　kind　he　would　sometimes　devote　a　year　to　going　frequently　over　the　ground；　and　in　each　repetition　produce　new　epigrams；　quotable　phrases；　and　characterizations。

There　used　to　be　an　employee　of　the　State　committee　named　Lawrence。　He　was　a　man　of　a　good　deal　of　receptive　intelligence　and　worshipped　the　senator。　　Mr。　Conkling　discovered　this　quality　and　used　Lawrence　as　a　target　or　listening…post。　　I　have　often　had　Lawrence　come　to　my　office　and　say：　　〃I　had　a　great　night。　　The　senator　talked　to　me　or　made　speeches　to　me　until　nearly　morning。〃　　He　told　me　that　he　had　heard　every　word　of　the　Curtis　philippic　many　times。

Lawrence　told　me　of　another　instance　of　Conkling's　preparation　for　a　great　effort。　　When　he　was　preparing　the　speech；　which　was　to　bring　his　friends　who　had　been　disappointed　at　the　convention　to　the　support　of　General　Garfield；　he　summoned　Lawrence　for　clerical　work　at　his　home。　　Lawrence　said　that　the　senator　would　write　or　dictate；　and　then　correct　until　he　was　satisfied　with　the　effort；　and　that　this　took　considerable　time。　　When　it　was　completed　he　would　take　long　walks　into　the　country；　and　in　these　walks　recite　the　whole　or　part　of　his　speech　until　he　was　perfect　master　of　it。

This　speech　took　four　hours　in　delivery　in　New　York；　and　he　held　the　audience　throughout　this　long　period。　　John　Reed；　one　of　the　editors　of　the　New　York　Times；　told　me　that　he　sat　on　the　stage　near　Conkling　and　had　in　his　hands　the　proofs　which　had　been　set　up　in　advance　and　which　filled　ten　columns　of　his　paper。　He　said　that　the　senator　neither　omitted　nor　interpolated　a　word　from　the　beginning　to　the　end。　　He　would　frequently　refer　apparently　to　notes　on　his　cuffs；　or　little　memoranda；　not　that　he　needed　them；　but　it　was　the　orator's　always　successful　effort　to　create　impression　that　his　speech　is　extemporaneous；　and　the　audience　much　prefer　a　speech　which　they　think　is　such。

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　th