The history of New
York, on the whole, has been a noble history. It must be
considered that any people that opens its hospitable door of
welcome to all mankind, with the elective franchise, must
itself, for a time, seem to suffer in the process, and must be
strongly tempted to protect itself against evil government
by getting control of the powers of Government by unjustifiable
methods.

For many years a large majority of the people of the city
of New York were of foreign birth or parentage. But how
wonderfully most of these have grown in the elements of good
citizenship, and of honorable manhood; and how wonderfully
their sisters and daughters have grown in the elements of
womanhood. Freedom is the best schoolteacher.

Sometimes a political leader in New York who had got power
by forbidden ways, has used it for the good of the Republic.
I suppose the worst examples of all low political leadership
were the Pelhams, the Duke of Newcastle and his brother; yet
without them, Lord Chatham's glorious career would have been
unknown to the history of English liberty. Chatham used to
say: "The Duke of Newcastle lends me his majority to carry
on the Government."

Let me not be understood as meaning to compare Roscoe Conkling
with such characters. He was fearless. He was a powerful
debater. He never flinched in debate from the face of any
antagonist. There was something almost sublime in his lofty
disdain. He was on the side of the country in her hour of
peril. I like Charles Sumner and John Jay and John Adams
better. Neither of these men could have lived long on terms
of friendship with Conkling. I do not think George Washington
could have endured him. But let what was best in him, after
all, be remembered, even if we do not forget his great faults.

I ought not, in speaking of the eminent Senators whom I have
known, to omit Blanche K. Bruce of Mississippi. Except Mr.
Revels, from the same State, he is the only negro who ever
sat in the Senate of the United States. He conducted himself
with great propriety. He was always courteous and sensible.
He had a clear understanding of great questions which came
up, and was quite influential with his fellow Senators. When
the Chinese matter was up, he stated in a few words that he
could not, when he recalled the history of his own race, consent
to vote for any measure which discriminated against any man
by reason of his race or color. He left the Senate Chamb