Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-06-17
The Candidates.

Rutherford B. Hayes, the republican can
didate for President, is a native OF OHIO,
fifty four years old, a graduate of Kenyon
college and the Cambridge law school, and
lawyer by profession. His first entrance
into public life was in 1853, when he became
city solicitor of Cincinnati. His war record
forms a bright page in his biography. He
went into the service in 1861, and continued
N it until very near the close of the war. He
saw plenty of hard fighting, and his brigade
was one OF the most reliable in the army.
His first appointment was as major; his
first promotion came within less than
year, and in September of 1862 he held
commits zion as lieutenant colonel and was
in command of his regi ment, which he led
into the battle OF South Mountain. During
the action Col. Hayes received a severe
wound in the arm, but remained with his
regiment In the last, AID IL is claimed Was
the first officer whose command established
position at South Mountain. Two years
later he had become Briga1ier General
nomination IN the second Ohio district, a
part of Hamilton county, aud received.
home and army vote together, 3,c9S
date, and two years later was reelected.
In the House of Representatives he made a
reputation for solid ability. In 1867, when
candidate for governor who would match
Judge Thurman, the democratic nominee,
they pitched upon Hayes. He resigned his
seat In Congress, went home, male superb
est democrat In Ohio. A few years later he
was pitted against George E Peadleton,
shining light of the Ohio democracy, and
also whipped him out OF the field. But he is
best known to the country on account of his
victory over William Allen last November.
Allen hal been elected governor In 1873 after
tremendous fight, and his election was
actually the first sign of that tidal wave
which swept over the country the next year,
and sent democratic majority to the House
of Representatives. In 1875 his party reuomi-
I'm
more TO the man who had beaten Thurman
and Pueh, placed him on hard money plat
form, and started him out to conquer Allen.
The campaign that followed was as memoir
able one as any that ever occurred In q
single state of the Union, Both parties
brought in the ablest speakers OF their side
was thoroughly canvassed from one end to
the other. 1t was Hayes and hard money
versus Allen and the rag baby. 1t is scarcely
pos sfble that even in a Presidential cam
paign the excitement ran higher than il did
in Ohio last fall. The democrats had the
prestige OF victory and possession of the gov
whether the delCsive attractiveness of green
back platform would not draw OFF so many
republicans that Allen would surely be re-
elected. But Hayes led the fight with inim-
liable pluck and energy, and when the votes
Were counted IL was found that the voice OF
Allen was silenced and the rag b 1by had
been strangled. The majority was small, but
1t was enough. The en Enthusiastic Ohio peo-
pie even then named Governor Hayes as
their choice for the Presidency, ana the re-
suit shows that they were better prophets
than they dreamed OF being.
William A. Wheeler, the nominee for vice
president, was born at Malone, in New
York, June 3, 1879. A cOmmOa school and
an academic education in his native town
two in the University of Vermont. He left
college after years study, aud making up
In Lawyers office the seven years, study
he began the practice of his profession In
Franklin county. He had been practicing
but q few years when he was elected as q
democratic candidate TO the office OF district
attorney in Franklin county, the election
being the first held under the new cOnstitu-
ton. At the close OF his term of office he
was elected TO the assembly, this time as
whig. A reelection to the assembly fol-
lowed, and for time Mr.: Wheeler retired
from public life. He afterwards became
became president of the Ogdensburg and
Rouse's Point railroad, continuing IA the
supervision OF the road for eleven years.
passed out OF whiggery into republication,
and MI. Wheeler reached the state senate
IN January, 1883, to take his seat IN the first
legislature fully controlled by the republic
can party, and was elected president pro.
tenn. OF that body. Through the sessions OF
1858 and 1859 Mr.: Wheeler served In the Sem
ate, and in the fall of the last named year he
was elected to q seat In the 3Ith Congress-
With the close of the 37th Congress another
inferregnum of four years in his public 'tte
epectsd q member Of Che New PORK e canst Mn
tionsl convention, which met in the follow
ing June, and Of which he was cleo ted presi-
cent. In 1861 Mr.. Wheeler was nominated
for Congress In the nth district, and was
elected, and also with little opposition In
the autumn of 1910. Including the present
and still unexpired session, Mr.. Wheeler has
had over seven years continuous service In
Congress, beginning March 4, 1869, an unusu-
ally long term of service. He has made few
speeches In that time, and such influence as
he has exerted upon current legislation has
been almost exclusively In the committees
with which he has been connected. Latter
ly. he was most distiDguished for originating
year ago the /" Wheeler compr0mtse" In the
they were settled.