eneral Hayes or to Mr. Tilden. The circumstances were
such that success before the commission did not promise any
advantage to the successful party.

For the moment, I pass by the Convention of 1880 and the events of the
following year. In the year 1884 Mr. Conkling was in the practice of
his profession and enjoying therefrom larger emoluments, through a
series of years, than ever were enjoyed by any other member of the
American bar. He once said to me: "My father would denounce me if
he knew what charges I am making." That conjecture may have been well
founded, for the father would not have been the outcome of the period
in which the son was living. The father was an austere county judge,
largely destitute of the rich equipment for the profession for which
the son was distinguished. After the year 1881, when Mr. Conkling
gave himself wholly to the profession, Mr. Justice Miller made this
remark to me: "For the discussion of the law and the facts of a case
Mr. Conkling is the best lawyer who comes into our court."

If this estimate was trustworthy, then Mr. Conkling's misgivings as to
his charges may have been groundless. If a rich man, whose property is
put in peril, whose liberty is assailed, or whose reputation is
threatened, will seek the advice and aid of the leading advocate of the
city, state, or country, shall not the compensation be commensurate
with the stake that has been set up? Is it to be measured by the
_per diem_ time pay of ordinary men?

Whatever may have been Mr. Conkling's pecuniary interests or
professional engagements in the year 1884, he found time to take a quiet
part in the contest of that year, and to contribute to Mr. Blaine's
defeat.

In the month of November, and after the election, I had occasion to pass
a Sunday in New York. It happened, and by accident, that I met Mr.
Conkling on Fifth Avenue. After the formalities, he invited me to call
with him upon Mr. William K. Vanderbilt. Mr. Vanderbilt was absent
when we called. Upon his return, the election was the topic of
conversation. Mr. Vanderbilt said that he voted for Garfield in 1880,
but that he had not voted for Blaine. Mr. Conkling expressed his
regret that Mr. Blaine had come so near a success, and he attributed it
to the fact that he had not anticipated the support which had been
given to Blaine by the Democratic Party.

On a time in the conversation Mr. Conkling said: "Mr. Vanderbilt, why
did you sell Maud S.?"