Page:The World's Famous Orations Volume 10.djvu/122

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CONKLING

HIS SPEECH NOMINATING GRANT FOR A THIRD TERM[1]

(1880)

Born in 1829, died In 1888; elected to Ctongress in 1859, 1861 and 1865; elected to the United States Senate in 1867, serving until 1881, when he resigned in consequence of a dispute with President Garfleld; came to New York and began to practise law in 1882.

When asked whence comes our candidate, we say, from Appomattox.[2] Obeying instructions I should never dare to disregard, expressing, also, my own firm conviction, I rise in behalf of the State of New York to propose a nomination with which the country and the Republican party can grandly win. The election before us will be the Austerlitz of American politics. It will decide whether for years to come the country will be "Republican or Cossack." The need of the

  1. ↑ Delivered before the National Republican Convention on June 5, 1 880. and printed here by kind permission of Alfred R. Conkling, author of "The Life and Letters of Roscoe Conkling."
  2. ↑ There was current at this time, among the supporters of Grant for a third term, a bit of campaign doggerel which usually ran as follows — lines which Conkling quoted before he began his speecil W an answer to the question: "What State ?"
    "Do you ask what State he hails fro? Our sole reply shall be: He hails from Apjomattox  And its famous apple tree."

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