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19 and 20,—Conkling having the former day, and Schurz the latter.
On the first day the friends of the President crowded the galleries,—among whom were conspicuous the ladies from the White House.
Conkling's speech was characteristic in manner, gesture, and style.
The next day, when Schurz was to reply, ladies were admitted into the Senate chamber, where they filled the sofas and the standing-room.
Inspired by the controversy and by his audience, he never spoke in the Senate with such nervous energy, fire, and immediate effect.1 The galleries were with him, and their outbursts of applause were with difficulty repressed by the chair.
Sumner thanked him warmly, and said to others as well as to him that it was the greatest speech he had heard in the Senate for twenty years. Morton led in the debate that followed, and was called to order by the chair for saying that he had ‘extreme contempt for the senator's extreme insolence.’
The next day Schurz and Conkling had another encounter, in which the former described the latter's manner in language recalling a similar description of the New York senator by Mr. Blaine some years before in the House.2 After this the two senators did not speak to each other.
Schurz on a later day repelled Carpenter's charge that it is unpatriotic to expose a breach of neutrality on the part of the Administration, saying, ‘The senator from Wisconsin cannot frighten me by exclaiming, “My country, right or wrong!”
In one sense I say so too. My country,—and my country is the great American Republic, —my country, right or wrong: if right to be kept right, and if wrong to be set right!’3 a retort which drew applause from the galleries.
Sumner made his principal speech February 28, in which he was more effective than when he opened the debate.4 It was a calm and dignified statement, without personality towards his opponents; and it won the favor of his audience, which was large and inspiring.5 The next day he spoke briefly.6 He defended
1 New York Tribune, February 21. See as to Schurz's other speeches in the debate, New York Tribune, February 26, 27, 28.
2 Ante, pp. 348-350.
3 Harper's Weekly, April 20, 1872, took exception to Carpenter's standards of patriotism.
4 Works, vol. XV. pp. 5-44; New York Tribune, February 29; New York Herald, February 29; Boston Journal, February 29.
5 Hamlin objected to Logan's motion for the admission of ladies to the Senate chamber, which had been allowed on previous days. He was at the time very bitter against Sumner.
6 February 29. Congressional Globe, pp. 1292-1295.
Cambridge, MA. Press of John Wilson and Son. 1877.
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