The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-09-21
seward, Weed, Morgan, and Robin

No public man ever encountered de-
feat that brought with IL more keen dis
appointment and bitter modification than
was experienced by WILLIAM II. SEWARD
when the Chicago Convention of 1860 re-
fused 10 nominate him for President. Mr.
SEWARD claimed to he the founder Of the
Republican party. Though this claim was
disputed 10y rivals who had shared with
him in the work of originating the great
movement against the extension of slav-
cry, all admitted that long ere the party
was formed he had advocated its cardinal
principles, and ever since IL existed had
stood in the front rank OF its leaders. For
these reasons Mr. SEWARD believed that he
ought to have received the nomination in
1886 instead OF Fremont; and he was
grievously chagrned at his failure. He
never doubted that he would obtain the
nomination in 1860.
Mr.. SEWARD believed that THrRLow
WEED had been lukewarm in his support
in 1856; and In his free moods lie some
times charged that WEED then sold him
out TO the Pathfinder. But he fully de-
pended upon WEEDS support at Chicago
IN 1860; and he got ii without any stint.
He very naturally placed great reliance
upon WEEDS proverbial skill in managing
men rs individuals and when assembled In
political conventions. At Chicago, WEED
was not only perfectly faithful to SEWARD,
but never did the great manipulation lay
his plans with more circumspection handle
his supporters with greater skill, and play
his own part as n leader with higher
energy and determination, than on that
occasion. His entire mind, his whole heart,
his every faculty, were devoted 10 what he
regarded rs the browning triumph of his
checkered life-that is. making WILLIAM
ii. SEWARD President of tho United States.
or course Mr.. SEWARD had rivals in
other parts of the country, and few
powerful opponents in his own State. All
of these treated the SEWARD canvass at
Chicago rs wholly under the manage
ment of WEED. Indeed, they contrived TO
make it seem az il the great states man and
willy politician were, for all practical pur-
poses, one and the same man, and that q
victory for SEWARD would in reality be a
victory for WEED. From these premises
il was easy for them to draw the conclu-
sion that well-fouuded charges against
WEED would tend directly TO the over
throw OF SEWARD IN the Convention, aud
therefore their true and effective line of
attack was TO assail WEED for his numer-
Gus and notorious corrupt practices IN the
lobby nj Washington, and moro particu-
larly ut Albany, from which latter place
he had emerged with hands aud gar
ments dirty and greasy by close contact
with many tout jobs that he was Just then
engineering through the New York Legis-
lature.
The session of 1850 wna marked by unu-
sual corrupuons at Albany EDWIN d.
MORGAN, whom WEED was understood TO
influence very greatly, if not absolutely to
control, was then Governor. WEED him
self had been crowned King OF the Lobby.
when WEED arrived at Chicago he stunk
IN the nostris of the delegations from
other states. Though Mr. SEWARD had
stood entirely aloof from the rasoally
schemes that WEED was manipulating at
Albany, the eiliuvia OF tho bedragged gar
ments of the lobbyist shed an nnsavory
odor around the pure robes of the
eminent statesman, of which the oppo-
nents Of the latter wero quick to take
advantage. They had rallied in person and
by proxy at Chicago. In the one or the
other aspect there appeared, among
many from tins State, HORACE GREE
LEY JAMES s. WADswoRTH, WILLIAM Crr-