Roscoe Conkling
Roscoe Conkling was a prominent American politician and lawyer in the 19th century, known for his oratory skills and influential role in the formation of the Republican Party. Born to a congressman, he studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1850. Conkling's political career included service in the House of Representatives and multiple terms in the U.S. Senate. He was a strong advocate for Radical Reconstruction following the Civil War and played a significant role in the impeachment proceedings against President Andrew Johnson. Although offered a Supreme Court position twice by Presidents Ulysses S. Grant and Chester A. Arthur, he declined both opportunities. Conkling also made notable arguments regarding the Fourteenth Amendment and its implications for corporations. However, as politics evolved in the 1880s, he gradually lost his influence in the political arena. His legacy reflects the complexities of post-Civil War America and the shifting dynamics of political power during that era.
Subject Terms
Roscoe Conkling
Senator
- Born: October 30, 1829
- Birthplace: Albany, New York
- Died: April 18, 1888
- Place of death: New York, New York
Significance: In 1882 Conkling argued before the Supreme Court that the due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment applied to corporations as well as individuals. He also played a prominent role in bringing impeachment proceedings against President Andrew Johnson.
The son of a New York congressman, Conkling studied law in Utica and was admitted to the New York bar in 1850. A skilled orator, he made campaign speeches for Zachary Taylor and Millard Fillmore. An advocate of vigorous prosecution in Civil War (1861-1865) cases, Conkling promoted a policy for Radical Reconstruction of the South and helped bring impeachment proceedings against President Andrew Johnson. He helped form the Republican party, served in the House of Representatives, and was elected to the Senate in 1867, 1873, and 1879. In 1873 President Ulysses S. Grant offered him a position on the Supreme Court, but Conkling declined. A presidential hopeful in 1876, he lost the Republican nomination to Rutherford B. Hayes.
In 1882 President Chester A. Arthur offered Conkling a seat on the Supreme Court, but he once again declined. Later in 1882 Conkling argued before the Court that the drafters of the Fourteenth Amendment intended to protect corporations as well as African Americans. However, little positive evidence was or has been discovered for this theory. With politics becoming more issue oriented in the 1880’s, Conkling faded from public prominence.