Roscoe Conkling

Roscoe Conkling 1829-88, American politician, b. Albany, N.Y. On his admission to the bar in 1850, he was immediately appointed district attorney of Albany. The son of Alfred Conkling, Congressman and federal judge, he became a U.S. Representative (1859-63, 1865-67) and Senator (1867-81) and undisputed leader of the Republican party in New York. Conkling's machine was built upon federal patronage, which was entirely his during the Grant administrations. But in 1878, President Hayes, an advocate of civil service reform, removed two Conkling lieutenants, Chester A. Arthur and Alonzo B. Cornell , from the management of the New York customhouse in defiance of Conkling, who claimed that a Senator had the right to control federal patronage in his state. Conkling was reelected, and another lieutenant, Thomas C. Platt , became his colleague in the Senate, while Cornell won the governorship. Conkling headed the third-term movement for Grant in 1880 and placed him in nomination at the Republican national convention. Although his Old Guard or "Stalwart" faction was unsuccessful, he prevented the nomination of James G. Blaine , his bitter personal enemy. The deadlocked convention chose James A. Garfield as a compromise candidate, and Chester A. Arthur was named for Vice President as a sop to the "Stalwarts." Conkling gave Garfield only lukewarm support but claimed afterward that the President-elect had promised him the patronage in return. Garfield denied this and further antagonized Conkling by making Blaine Secretary of State. When an anti-Conkling man was appointed collector of the port of New York, Conkling resigned from the Senate in protest. Platt soon followed his leader, earning for himself the nickname "Me Too." The two expected vindication through reelection by the state legislature, but both were defeated. Conkling then retired to the private practice of law, in which he was highly successful.

Bibliography: See biography by his nephew, A. R. Conkling (1889); study by D. M. Jordan (1971).

Conkling, Roscoe (b. Albany, N.Y., 30 Oct. 1829; d. New York, N.Y., 18 Apr. 1888), lawyer and senator; declined a confirmed nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court. Conkling studied law in the offices of Spencer & Kurnan in Utica, New York, and became a member of the New York bar in 1850. Eight years later, he was elected to the House of Representatives, where he served until 1867, with the exception of the 1863–1865 term. Elected to the Senate in 1866, he became the undisputed leader of the Republican party in New York through the judicious use of federal patronage. He was reelected to the Senate in 1872 and 1878.

Conkling's friendship with President Ulysses S. Grant induced Grant to offer Conkling nomination as chief justice of the Supreme Court to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Salmon P. Chase in November 1873. Conkling declined this offer. In 1881 Conkling lost a bitter struggle with President James A. Garfield for control of federal patronage in New York. He resigned his Senate seat in protest two weeks later. After Garfield's death, President Chester A. Arthur on 24 February 1882 nominated Conkling as associate justice of the Supreme Court. The Senate confirmed Conkling on 2 March 1882 by a vote of 39 to 12. Five days later, however, Conkling formally declined the position. The New York Times suggested that the reason was that the position paid too little money and did not carry any patronage.

Conkling moved to Manhattan and resumed the private practice of law. He established a reputation in a short time and reportedly made a fortune. He died in New York City on 18 April 1888.

Judith K. Schafer