Sample Chapter—
7. May 18: Day Three- For President.

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7. May 18: Day Three- For President.
From the New York Tribune, May 18, 1860.

THE LATEST NEWS.
Received By

MAGNETIC TELEGRAPH.
---------------------------------------------------------THE CHICAGO CONVENTION.
-----------Naming of Candidates.
---------INTENSE ENTHUSIASM.
----------The Struggle between Seward and Lincoln.

------------

LINCOLN NOMINATED.
---------------ONLY THREE BALLOTINGS HAD.
------------THE VICE-PRESIDENCY.
-------------

Hon. Hannibal Hamlin Nominated.
--------------

HOW THE NOMINATIONS ARE RECEIVED.
-----------Salutes, Bonfires and Pyrotechny.

-------------GREAT JOY AND ENTHUSIASM.
______________________________________________REGULAR REPORT OF THE PROCEEDINGS.
Chicago, Friday, May 18, 1860.
The Wigwam was closely packed for a full hour before the Convention assembled thismorning. The interest in the proceedings appears on the increase as the time for balloting

3

approaches. A crowd numbered by thousands has been outside the building since 9 o’clock,anxiously awaiting intelligence from the inside. Arrangements have been made for passing theresult of the ballots up from the platform to the roof of the building, and through the skylight, men
being stationed above to convey speedily the intelligence to the multitude in the streets.
A large procession was formed by the various delegations to march to the hall, preceded bybands of music, New-York being by far the most numerous.
As the delegates entered on the platform the several distinguished men were greeted withrounds of applause by the audience.
The opening prayer was delivered by the Rev. Mr. Treen of the Tabernacle, Baptist Church.
Three or four meetings were held at a distance outside and during the silence of the prayer in
the Convention, the roars and shouts of these meetings could be distinctly heard in the Wigwam.
The PRESIDENT, on opening the proceedings, begged the audience to refrain as much as
possible from applause, and to preserve, as far as consistent, the decorum and dignity of themeeting.
The PRESIDENT announced an invitation for an excursion over the Chicago and Galena
Railroad; also a communication from the workingmen of Brooklyn, Williamsburg, and Greenpoint,
New-York, in favor of bestowing the Government lands on actual settlers, and for arresting thefurther sale of the public lands.
Both communications were ordered to be entered on the record.
The PRESIDENT announced the motion pending to be to take a ballot for a candidate for
President of the United States.

Another quarrel over Maryland
Mr. Blair of Maryland announced that, in consequence of the adoption by the Convention of
the rule restricting the vote of Maryland to the number of delegates present, the delegation had last
evening filled up its number, and asked leave to present the credentials of five new delegates to fill
the number from that State.
Mr. Sargeant of Chicago inquired whether the five additional votes now added would
increase the vote to sixteen, or leave it at eleven, which was the number of votes assigned to that

4State by the report of the Committee on Credentials. If it desired to increase the vote above eleven,he was opposed to it.
W.T. Cole of Maryland said that his State had been entitled to eleven votes only, because thenecessary number of delegates for the sixteen votes were not present. The delegation had power, by
the action of the State Convention, to fill vacancies. They had now done so, under that authority,and claimed the right to and a full vote.
The PRESIDENT said he understood the rule adopted in the report of the Committee on
Credentials to have restricted Maryland to eleven votes. The additional delegates would not entitle
them to a greater vote.
Mr. Blair of Maryland desired to correct the error of the Chair. As he understood, thenumber was only limited because the delegates were not present. The delegation had a right to fillvacancies, and had done so in consequence of the rule adopted yesterday by the Convention.
Mr. Armour of Maryland protested against the reception of the credentials of new delegates.
Eleven representatives only were present from his State. The delegation had met without his
knowledge and without the knowledge of at least more than one delegate, and filled up their numberswith men who lived God only knows where. A resident of the State had been refused admission to
the delegation, and what object his colleagues had in filling the delegation with non-residents he did
not know. He hoped the motion to admit these delegates would be voted down.
The motion to admit the extra delegates was lost amid applause.

Nominations for President
The Convention then voted to proceed to ballot for a candidate for President of the UnitedStates.
Wm. M. Evarts of New-York did not rise for the purpose of making a speech, but only to ask
if at this time it is in order to put candidates in nomination.
The PRESIDENT – The Chair considers it in order to name candidates without debate.
A delegate from Pennsylvania drew attention to the fact that delegates’ seats were
occupied by outsiders.
A Voice – The same here in Ohio.

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The PRESIDENT – This affords an opportunity to the Chair to read a communication
just received from the doorkeepers. The communication stated that delegates, as soon as they
got into the hall, passed their tickets out to friends. The officers therefore found it impossible toprevent the admission of outsiders, but the fault rested with the delegates. [Early that morning,
David Davis reportedly had packed the Wigwam with Lincoln supporters by printing thousandsof tickets, handing them out to friends, and instructing them to come early and crowd out the
Seward men who were busy that morning marching through Chicago with their brass band.]The PRESIDENT suggested that the only method to pursue would be for each delegate toclaim his own seat with vigor.
After some delay, occasioned by the clearing of the platform and distributing ballots, theConvention proceeded to ballot.
Wm. M. Evarts rose and said – I beg leave to offer the name of Wm. M. Seward as a
candidate before this Convention for the nomination of President of the United States. [Evarts,
in 1860 still a rising New York lawyer and former district attorney, would later become Secretaryof State under President Rutherford Hayes, a United States Senator from New York, and chiefcounsel to President Andrew Johnson during his 1868 impeachment trial.]
This nomination was received with loud and long continued applause.
Mr. Judd of Illinois rose and said: Mr. President, I beg leave to offer as a candidate before
this Convention for President of the United States the name of Abraham Lincoln of Illinois.
The crowded audience greeted this nomination with perfectly deafening applause, the shouts
swelling into a perfect roar, and being continued for several minutes the wildest excitement andenthusiasm prevailing. At the close of the applause some hisses were heard, but the pressure for
Lincoln was tremendous.
________________________
From Joe Howard Jr. of The New-York Times:
Mr. Judd, of Chicago, begged leave to suggest the name of Abram Lincoln, of Illinois.
If Mr. Seward’s name drew forth thunders of applause, what can be said of theenthusiastic reception of this name Lincoln? I have never seen anything which compares with it.

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The greetings which Jenny Lind or Grisi or La Geange [famous actresses of the time] at Castle
Garden or the Academy of Music did not begin to equal that which I now record. Ten thousandpeople were in the Wigwam, and the crowd without could not be numbered. The vast throng rose
simultaneously, hats and handkerchiefs were waved, cheers and hearty hurrahs were given, andthe air seemed full of some magnetic influence, which moved all alike to exhibit to the full extent
of their powers of lung and length of wind. The President rapped and ordered silence, but invain. The audience, like a wild colt with bit between his teeth, rose above all cry of order, andagain and again the irrepressible applause broke forth and resounded far and wide. The crowd
outside took it up, and cheer after cheer from them indorsed the sentiments of their brethren
within.
After this scene was concluded, the names of other gentlemen were mentioned, andreceived with some applause, but all was cold when compared with that which greeted the namesof those above.
______________________________REGULAR REPORT OF THE PROCEEDINGS – continued.
Mr. Dudley of New-Jersey presented the name of Wm. L. Dayton. [Light applause.]
Gov. Reeder of Pennsylvania. [Andrew H. Reeder, a Pennsylvanian, actually served as
territorial governor of Kansas prior to 1860, not as governor of Pennsylvania.] The State ofPennsylvania desired to present as her candidate the name of Simon Cameron. [Applause.]
Mr. Carter of Ohio put forward the name of Salmon P. Chase of Ohio. [Loud Applause.]
Mr. Smith of Maryland – I am instructed by the State of Indiana to second the nomination of
Abraham Lincoln. [Another outburst of enthusiastic applause from the body of the Hall, mingledwith some hisses.]
Francis P. Blair of Missouri nominated Edward Bates of Missouri. [Applause.]
Mr. Blair of Michigan said, on the part of Michigan I desire to say that the Republicans ofthat State second the nomination of Wm. H. Seward for the Presidency.
Tremendous applause followed, thousands of those present railing and waving their hats andhandkerchiefs, and swelling the applause to a thundering roar through several minutes.

7This was followed by some hisses and loud applause for Lincoln, when the friends of Seward
again rallied, determined not to be put down in applause by the friends of Lincoln. At this second
trial of lungs, however, it was evident that the crowd was more divided than at first appeared, andthe Lincoln men apparently had the majority.
Tom Corwin of Ohio nominated John McLean of Ohio for the Presidency. [Loud applause.]
Carl Schulz of Wisconsin, on the part of his State, here seconded the nomination of Wm. H.
Seward.
Upon this, another scene of the greatest enthusiasm and simultaneous excitement ensued.
Mr. North of Minnesota also seconded, on the part of Minnesota, the Nomination of Mr.
Seward. [Tremendous applause.]
Mr. Wilson of Kansas – The delegates and people of Kansas seconded the nomination.
[Renewed cheers.]
Mr. Delano of Ohio, on the part of a large number of people of Ohio – I desire to second thenomination of the man who can split rails and maul Democrats. Abraham Lincoln. [Rounds ofapplause by Lincoln men.]
A delegate from Iowa also seconded the nomination of Mr. Lincoln, on the part of that State,amidst renewed applause and excitement.
A Voice – Abe Lincoln has it by the sound now. Let us ballot.
Cheers and hisses.
Judge Lugar of Illinois – Mr. President, in order or out of order, I propose this Convention
and audience give three cheers for the man who is evidently their nominee.

The First Ballot[Ballots, then as now, were announced state by state as each state’s name was called aloud.
The Tribune reporters grouped the tallies by candidate for ease in transmitting them by telegraph.]
The first ballot results are as follows
For Mr. Seward.
Maine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
New-Hampshire . . . . . . . . 1
Massachusetts . . . . . . . . . 21

Wisconsin . . . . . . . . . . 10
Iowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
California . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

8New-York . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Pennsylvania . . . . . . . . . . 11/2
Maryland . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Virginia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Kentucky . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Michigan . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Texas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Minnesota . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Kansas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Nebraska . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
District of Columbia . . . 2_____
Total . . . . . . . . . . 1731/2
For Mr. Lincoln.

Maine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
New-Hampshire . . . . . . . . 7
Massachusetts . . . . . . . . . . 4
Connecticut . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Pennsylvania . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Virginia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Kentucky . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Ohio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Indiana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Illinois . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Iowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Nebraska . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1____
Total . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
For Mr. Bates.

Rhode Island . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Connecticut . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Maryland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Delaware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Missouri . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Texas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Iowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Oregon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5______
Total . . . . . . . . . . . .
48

For Mr. Cameron – Pennsylvania,47 1/2; Virginia, 1; Iowa, 1; Nebraska, 1 – Total 50 ½.
For Mr. McLean – Rhode Island, 5; Pennsylvania, 1; Kentucky, 1; Ohio, 4; total, 1 –Total 12.
For Mr. Chase – New-Hampshire, 1; Rhode Island, 1; Connecticut, 2; Kentucky 8; Iowa,
1; Ohio, 34; Nebraska, 2 – Total, 49.
For Mr. Wade – Connecticut, 1; Kentucky, 2; Total, 3.
For Mr. Dayton – New-Jersey, 14.
For Mr. Read – Rhode Island, 1.
For Mr. Fremont – New-Hampshire, 1.
For Mr. Collamer – Vermont, 10.
For Mr. Sumner – Kentucky, 1.
Whole number of votes, 465.
Necessary to a choice, 233.
__________________________
From Joe Howard Jr. of The New-York Times:

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The balloting, as telegraphed, was then commenced. At the close of the first ballot, it
was evident that something was in the wind not known to outsiders generally. Quietly I
wandered toward the Pennsylvania delegation. There I heard “Drop Cameron,” “Defeat
Seward,” “Unite on Lincoln.” “Perhaps get REEDER or HICKMAN [two popular
Pennsylvanians] as Vice President.” I heard enough to warrant me in saying to a distinguishedmember of the New-York delegation that “Pennsylvania would change front on the next ballot.”He shook his head and smiled so complacently that I was at sea again, and not knowing what tothink, I kept still and didn’t think at all.
[Shortly before this vote, David Davis had promised a key leader of the Pennsylvaniadelegation that Simon Cameron, Pennsylvania’s candidate, could have a cabinet seat in a Lincoln
presidency in exchange for Pennsylvania’s vote on the second ballot.]_________________________REGULAR REPORT OF THE PROCEEDINGS – continued.

Second Ballot
The second ballot was then taken.
Mr. Cameron’s name was withdrawn.
For Mr. Lincoln.
New-Hampshire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Vermont . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Rhode Island . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Pennsylvania . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
The whole vote for Lincoln was 181.

Delaware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Kentucky . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Ohio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Iowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5[This report of the tally left out several key state votes for Lincoln: 22 from Illinois, 26 from
Indiana, 14 from Virginia, so on. The total of 181 is correct.]
For Mr. Seward.
Massachusetts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Kentucky . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
New-Jersey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Texas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Pennsylvania . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 1/2
Nebraska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
The whole vote for Mr. Seward was 184 1/2

10[As with Lincoln’s, the tally for Seward leaves out several key individual states: 70 from New York,
12 from Michigan, 10 from Maine, 8 from Virginia, so on. The total of 184 ½ is correct.]Bates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Cameron . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
McLean . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Dayton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Chase . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 1/2 Cassius M. Clay . . . . . . . . . . . 2___________________________________
From Joe Howard Jr. of The New-York Times:
The call of the [second ballot] roll proceeded – “Pennsylvania, 2 ½ Seward, 1 Cameron,2 ½ McLean and 48 for Abram Lincoln,” was the announcement from the Chairman of thatdelegation, and then I knew that Lincoln was nominated ….
________________________________REGULAR REPORT OF THE PROCEEDINGS – continued.

Third ballot
The third ballot was taken amid excitement; and cries for “the ballot.” Intense feelingexisted during the ballot, each vote being awarded in breathless silence and expectancy.
For Mr. Lincoln.
Massachusetts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Maryland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Rhode Island . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Kentucky . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
New-Jersey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Ohio (Applause) . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Pennsylvania . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Oregon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
This gave Lincoln 231 ½ votes, or within 1 1/2 of a nomination.
[This telegraphed tally of the Third Ballot vote for Lincoln again leaves out several states, though
the total of 231 ½ is correct. Seward still held on to 180 votes, including all 70 from New York.
Bates had 22, and Chase 24 ½.]__________________________
From P. Orman Ray, 1916 address to the Chicago Historical Society.
“As the contest narrowed down, the crowd became silent. Most of the delegates andmany spectators had tally sheets in order to keep track of the balloting as it progressed. When11

the roll of the states [on the Third ballot] had been called and every state had voted, the ballot
stood Seward 180, a loss of four and a half, while Lincoln had 231 ½, and lacked only one and ahalf of the number necessary to nominate. While these totals were being footed up, a profoundstillness suddenly fell upon the Wigwam; the men ceased to talk and the ladies to flutter theirfans; one could distinctly hear the scratching of pencils and the ticking of telegraph instrumentson the reporters tables.
___________________________REGULAR REPORT OF THE PROCEEDINGS – continued.

Mr. Andrew of Massachusetts then rose and corrected the vote of Massachusetts, bychanging four votes, and giving them to Lincoln, this nominating him by 2½ majority.

____________________________

This, too, was a reporting error by the Tribune in its telegraphed report. Publisher Horace
Greeley explained the error in a signed editorial on May 22: “… it was not till after the roll had
been called through that Mr. Carter of Ohio (not Mr. Andrew of Mass., as the telegraphreported) rose and changed the four votes to Lincoln which gave him a majority of the whole
number.
Thirty years later, Chicago Tribune publisher Joseph Medill, a strong Lincoln ally, would
take credit for this final step, telling the Saturday Evening Post (August 5, 1899) that he wasstanding with the Ohio delegation on the convention floor next to Carter at that moment and told
him “[Ohio Senator Salmon P.] Chase could have anything he wants” if Ohio put Lincoln over
the top to seal the nomination, prompting Carter to switch the four votes.
______________________________REGULAR REPORT OF THE PROCEEDINGS – continued.
The Convention immediately became wildly excited.
A large portion of the delegates, who kept still, at once said the struggle was decided,12and half the convention rose, cheering, shouting, and waving hats.
The audience took up cheers, and the commotion became deafening.
State after State rose, striving to change their votes to the winning candidate, but the noiseand enthusiasm rendered it impossible for the delegates to make themselves heard.
Mr. McCrillis of Maine, making himself heard, said that the young giant of the West, is now
of age. Maine now casts for him her 14 votes.
Mr. Andrew of Massachusetts changed the vote of the State, giving 18 to Mr. Lincoln and 8
to Mr. Seward.
Intelligence of the nomination was now conveyed to the men on the roof of the building, who
immediately made the outside multitude aware of the result. The first roar of the cannon, soon
mingled itself with the cheers of the people, and the same moment a man appeared in the hallbringing a large painting of Mr. Lincoln. The scene at the time beggars description; 11,000 people
inside and 20,000 or 20,500 outside were yelling and shouting at once. Two cannon sent forth roarafter roar in quick succession. Delegates bore up the sticks and boards bearing the names of theseveral States and waved them aloft over their heads, and the vast multitude before the platform
were waiving hats and handkerchiefs. The whole scene was one of the wildest enthusiasm.
Wm. M. Evarts, of New-York, having obtained a hearing, said: “Mr. Chairman, can NewYork have the silence of the Convention? [Cries, yes; yes.] I ask if the vote has yet been announced.
[Cries Not yet.] Then, sir, I wait to be in order.”Mr. Brown, of Missouri, desired to change 18 votes of Missouri for the gallant son of theWest, Abraham Lincoln. Iowa, Connecticut, Kentucky, and Minnesota also changed their votes. The
result of the third ballot was announced:
Whole number of votes cast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 465
Necessary to a choice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Mr. Abraham Lincoln received 354, and was declared duly nominated.
The States still voting for Seward were Massachusetts, 18; New-York, 70; New-Jersey 5;
Pennsylvania, ½; Maryland, 2; Michigan, 12; Wisconsin, 10; California, 3 – total, 120½.
Mr. Dayton received one vote from New-Jersey and Mr. McLean half a vote from

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Pennsylvania.
The result was received with renewed applause.

Concession.
When silence was restored, Wm. M. Evarts came forward on the Secretary’s table and spoke
as follows:
Mr. Chairman, Gentlemen of the National Convention: The State of New-York, by fulldelegation, with complete unanimity in purpose at home, came to the Convention and presented oneof its citizens, who had served the State from childhood up, and labored for it and loved. We came
here, a great State, with, as we thought, a great statesman [applause]; and our love of the great
Republic from which we are all Delegates. … Gentlemen, it was from Gov. Seward that most of us
learned to love Republican principles and the Republican party. [Cheers.] His fidelity to thecountry, the Constitution, and the laws, his fidelity to the party and the principles that majorities
govern, his interest in the advancement of our party to its victory that our country may rise to its true
glory, Reduces me to declare that I speak his sentiments, as I do the united opinion of ourdelegation when I move, Sir, as I do now, that the nomination of Abraham Lincoln of Illinois as theRepublican candidate for the suffrages of the whole country for the office of Chief Magistrate of theAmerican union be made unanimous. [Applause, and three cheers for New-York.]______________________
From Joe Howard Jr. of The New-York Times:
The various states changed their votes so that, with the exception of New-York, all voted
for Lincoln. Mr. Evarts claimed the floor. Mounting a table, with grief manifest in his
countenance, his hands clenched nervously, and every nerve quivering with excitement, hedelivered one of the most interesting and able speeches I have ever heard from him or anyoneelse. As he feelingly and affectionately described his friend and leader, detailing his efforts inthe cause of the Republican Party, and claiming for him the credit which is so eminently the dueof Mr. Seward, the spectator could not fail to be impressed with the idea that a man who could
have such a friend must be a noble man indeed, and that this token of unswerving devotion to14

principle and friendship was preeminently honorable in the eloquent speaker.

In conclusion, hemoved that the nomination be made unanimous. This was carried, and after some delay the
Chair announced feebly and not with much spirit, that Abram Lincoln was the choice of theConvention for their candidate for the office of President of the united states of America.
I have described one
SCENE OF APLAUSE
and cannot described another. It was like the first, only more so. A huge cannon was
wheeled up to the door, and bang it went every half minute for seventeen minutes steady. Someone brought in a large crayon portrait of Mr. Lincoln and carried it like the Host, up and down
the platform. The Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio delegates seemed wild. They acted like madmen.
One smashed his hat on another’s head, who returned the compliment, which was followed by amutual embrace. Henry G. Lane teetered up and down on a chair, not saying a word, but
grinning all over his expressive countenance, while he waved in a huge circumference a pole,damaged somewhat from its frequent contact with the head of a fellow delegate. At every
discharge of the cannon, the cheering would break out anew, and the wildest confusion reigned,
which occasionally would reach such a pitch as to send the blood tingling through one, and stir
up the fountains of his sympathies as the storm arouses the seas of the great deep.
No human body could attend to business after such scene, and the Convention adjourned
to 5 o’clock this afternoon.
_______________________________REGULAR REPORT OF THE PROCEEDINGS – continued.

A life-size portrait of Abraham Lincoln was there exhibited from the platform amid
renewed cheers.
Mr. Andrews of Massachusetts on the part of the united delegation of that State, seconded
the motion of the gentleman of New-York, that the nomination be made unanimous. Afterdeclaring the devotion of Massachusetts to the principle of freedom and equality, he extolled
Gov. Seward as a statesman and patriot, and pledged the State to roll up over 100,000 majority

15

and give its 18 electoral votes to the candidates.
Eloquent speeches, endorsing the nominee, were also made by Carl Schurz, F. P. Blair ofMissouri, and Mr. Browning of Illinois, all of which breathed a spirit of confidence andenthusiasm.
At the close, three hearty cheers were given for New-York, and the nomination of Mr.
Lincoln made unanimous.
With loud cheers for Lincoln, the Convention adjourned till 5 o’clock.
___________________________________
From Joe Howard Jr. of The New-York Times:
Since the adjournment, there has been a grand Lincoln demonstration – a Lincoln massmeeting and serenades without number. The rooms of the Massachusetts Delegation are
directly opposite mine, and Gilmore’s band is now in there playing “When Swallows Homeward
Fly.” The rooms of the Pennsylvania Delegation are “round the corner,” and the Pittsburgh
band strokes up “Hail Columbia,” after which the “Light-guard band” of Chicago, which isstationed in the hall below, gives us the benefit of the “Star Spangled Banner”; so you see wehave pretty lively times, and all that quiet which is so desirable when a man is sleepy and taggedout as I am, or when he has a letter to be written and mailed in half-an-hour as I have. The halls
are filled with politicians, all laboring for an end. Everybody has been or is drinking, but I havenot seen a drunken person since my coming here. Though there is great confusion and a great
deal of loud talk, there is no ill-nature visible and no single row has occurred since theConvention sat.
I should be glad to continue, but for three good reasons I must close:
1.

The mail closes in five minutes.

2.

Convention meets in twenty minutes.

3.

I am physically exhausted.

As old Plumb Gut used to say, when he wrote those tearfully and wonderfully madeRepublican leaders in 1856, “That’sall.”--Howard

16

P.S. It will be too late for me to send anything by this mail. The particulars of thenomination will be sent by telegraph and you will have written half a dozen articles thereon
before this reaches you. Nevertheless, I shall for my own individual fun, take the liberty ofguessing, and recording a bet made just now, that the ticket will be either Lincoln and Hickman
or Lincoln and Banks. [Howard was wrong on both of his predictions. The ticket would be
Lincoln and Hannibal Hamlin.]----------------------------------