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'''Roscoe Conkling''' (October 30, 1829 – April 18, 1888) was a U.S. representative and senator from [[New York]]. He served as a bodyguard to Senator [[Thaddeus Stevens]] of Pennsylvania (a fierce [[Radical Republican]] leader) and helped to organize the Compromise of 1877, which handed [[Rutherford B. Hayes]] the presidency.

'''Roscoe Conkling''' (October 30, 1829 – April 18, 1888), also referred to as '''Lord Roscoe''',<ref name=remarkableroscoept1>[https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/the-remarkable-roscoe-friend-and-nemesis-of-presidents-part-i.htm The Remarkable Roscoe: Friend and Nemesis of Presidents (Part I)]. ''National Park Service''. Retrieved November 19, 2021.</ref> was a U.S. representative and senator from [[New York]]. He served as a bodyguard to Senator [[Thaddeus Stevens]] of Pennsylvania (a fierce [[Radical Republican]] leader) and helped to organize the Compromise of 1877, which handed [[Rutherford B. Hayes]] the presidency.

A member of the Radical Republicans,<ref name=letters>[https://library.syr.edu/digital/guides/c/conkling_r.htm Roscoe Conkling Letters: An inventory of his letters at Syracuse University]. ''Syracuse University''. Retrieved November 19, 2021.</ref> Conkling led the [[conservative]]<ref>[https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/dictionaries-thesauruses-pictures-and-press-releases/stalwarts Stalwarts]. ''Encyclopedia.com''. Retrieved November 19, 2021.</ref> [[Stalwart]] faction of the [[Republican Party]], which firmly supported maintaining the [[spoils system]] to secure the constitutional rights of blacks.<ref>Matthews, Dylan (June 20, 2016). [https://www.vox.com/2016/7/20/12233454/christie-trump-purge-federal-employees Donald Trump and Chris Christie are reportedly planning to purge the civil service]. ''Vox''. Retrieved November 19, 2021.</ref> He opposed the [[Half-Breeds]], the more moderate wing of the GOP which supported demands by some [[Jim Crow]] [[Democrats]] to install a [[bureaucratic]] [[civil service system]].

A member of the Radical Republicans,<ref name=letters>[https://library.syr.edu/digital/guides/c/conkling_r.htm Roscoe Conkling Letters: An inventory of his letters at Syracuse University]. ''Syracuse University''. Retrieved November 19, 2021.</ref> Conkling led the [[conservative]]<ref>[https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/dictionaries-thesauruses-pictures-and-press-releases/stalwarts Stalwarts]. ''Encyclopedia.com''. Retrieved November 19, 2021.</ref> [[Stalwart]] faction of the [[Republican Party]], which firmly supported maintaining the [[spoils system]] to secure the constitutional rights of blacks.<ref>Matthews, Dylan (June 20, 2016). [https://www.vox.com/2016/7/20/12233454/christie-trump-purge-federal-employees Donald Trump and Chris Christie are reportedly planning to purge the civil service]. ''Vox''. Retrieved November 19, 2021.</ref> He opposed the [[Half-Breeds]], the more moderate wing of the GOP which supported demands by some [[Jim Crow]] [[Democrats]] to install a [[bureaucratic]] [[civil service system]].

Conkling first successfully ran for the [[United States House of Representatives]] in the 1858 midterms, defeating Democrat P. Sheldon Root in New York's 22nd congressional district by fifteen percentage points.<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=725369 NY District 20 Race - Nov 02, 1858]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved November 19, 2021.</ref> He was easily re-elected to a second term in the subsequent 1860 elections.<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=725370 NY District 20 Race - Nov 06, 1860]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved November 19, 2021.</ref>

Conkling first successfully ran for the [[United States House of Representatives]] in the 1858 midterms, defeating Democrat P. Sheldon Root in New York's 22nd congressional district by fifteen percentage points.<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=725369 NY District 20 Race - Nov 02, 1858]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved November 19, 2021.</ref> He was easily re-elected to a second term in the subsequent 1860 elections.<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=725370 NY District 20 Race - Nov 06, 1860]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved November 19, 2021.</ref>

During the [[United States presidential election, 1860|1860 presidential election]], Conkling supported the party nomination of [[William H. Seward]].<ref name=remarkableroscoept1>[https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/the-remarkable-roscoe-friend-and-nemesis-of-presidents-part-i.htm The Remarkable Roscoe: Friend and Nemesis of Presidents (Part I)]. ''National Park Service''. Retrieved November 19, 2021.</ref>

During the [[United States presidential election, 1860|1860 presidential election]], Conkling supported the party nomination of [[William H. Seward]].<ref name=remarkableroscoept1/>

[[File:Roscoe Conkling 1860s National Archives picture.tif.jpg|thumb|left|160px|Conkling in the 1860s.]]

[[File:Roscoe Conkling 1860s National Archives picture.tif.jpg|thumb|left|160px|Conkling in the 1860s.]]