St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1876-06-30
Rutherford B. Hayes.

THE REruBLICAN CANDIDATE FOR PRES
IDENT.
Deleware Is the name of Il thriving
college town on the MILESTONE river
III OHIO, about n miles north of Column
bus, the state capital. The town is the
seat of the Wesleyan University. and is
on the line of the Springfield, Mount
Vernon and Pittsburgh railroad 1t is
Such Il place III MANY respects as Wa
ttr\Ille III this state. and it WAS in this
pleasant village that Rutherford b.
Hayes WAS born on the 18th "f October,
lH22. He WAS educated ut KENYON col
lcSr. III Gambler, about - miles east
oi his birthplace, and graduated after
wards from Cambridge Law School.
Mr.. Hayes began the practice of law
IN Cincinnati, and in lSJi MAS chosen
city solicitor, holding that place until
the war broke out in 1851. when he
joined RoSccrins regiment, the 2}d
Ohio. aS major. His first promotion
came within Il year, and in Septcm her,
le62. he commanded the regiment at the
South Mountain. In this action Lieu
tenant Colonel Hayes received Il severe
wound in the arm, hut remained on the
field, and WAS the first officer Mhos,
command established IL position ON
South Mountain. The 23d Ohio was at
this time Il part of General RenoS di-
vision which formed the right wing of
the army of the Potomac after Gener-
al Rcn"'> death at South Mountain. the
division was commanded 10y Gen. Cox,
afterwards Governor of Ohio.
Colonel Hayes remained in the ser
! he AZ h.. I,..
went home with the well-earIrd rank
of hrigadier general. In I-,il, while he
waS still in the field, he w;S nominated
for Congress 10y the Republicans of the
second Ohio district. which includes Il
part of Cincinnati, and was urged 10y
the district committee to come home
and attend to the canvass, but replied,
Il have other business. ANY man who
would leave the army now To clrr-
tiuueer tnr Congress or ANY other place
ought t" he Scalped." He was elected
however. 10y ii majority of 3.69c, and in
| December, lst5, took his seat in the
| Thirty Ninth Congress.
! During his first term in Congress,
General Hayes. like most new mem
hers. Was content To observe the course
of events, expressing his opinions for
/
one resolutions however. which ought
to he remembered in his favor. 1t WAS
this:
Resoircd. That the committee ON NIL
ilary affairs ht instructed to inquire iu-
to the eXpcdiency of providing 10y law
for Furnishing, hN Imprisonment or 9th
crwISe, ANY person who. as agent or at
torney, shall collect from the govern
! al IN. .,tfi
sailors, oI to their widows or orphans.
for services in the army or navy, or for
| pensions or bountit>. and who shall
| irtudulcntlN convert the same to his
own use; and to report 10y bill. OF 9th
tIwise.
General Hayes served on the com
mittce on private land claims aud on
| the library committee, and his name
appears rarely in the Globe, except
in connection with the business of these
committees. OF with the just claims of
| the soldiers of his district or their heirs.
| He WAS reelected to the Forticth Con
grc>S in IS,G. hut before the close of
! the first session. waS nominated for
/ Governor against the ahlcst Democrat
in Ohio. Nh. Thurman, and elected 10y
Il ma aority of 2.9Sl.
| In 1859. Governor Hayes WAS rcnom
mated for 4; second biennial term. Gen.
RoSecrans, his old commander. had
been nominated on the Democratic
ticket. but had declined the honor, and
Mr.. Pendlcton had been taken in his
place. Against him. Governor Hayes
carried the state 10y II majority of 1,5lS.
and after Il successful and crc,litahle
administration of four wears, retired
from the State House in january, 1872,
and resumed the practice of his profes-
sion.
His successor, Governor Noyes, was
beaten in IS73 by the Democratic can
didate, Mr.. William Allen and i'll 1873,
Mr.. Allen having been renominated,
General Hayes was summoned from his
retirement to rescue the state, being
nominated over Judge Taft, in spite of
his written request that his name should
not be used against that gentleman.
He accepted the nomination thus thrust
upon him. and after Il sharp canvass,
once more carried the state 10y Il major
ity of 5.544.
The good fortune which had marked
every step of this prosperous career.
WAS never more signally apparent than
in the late convention in Cincinnati.
Governor Hayes was not Il leading can
didate for the nomination. lie had, on
the first ballot. only the vote of ohl"
But steadily he gained first two votes !;
then five more; then he mounted t"
the thiId place then to the second
and finally to the first. Promotion has
always come to him without being
sought. He has never been defeated
either in convention, or ut the polls
and it is fair to give him some credit
for this unusual good fortune. t" be
lieve that he deserves it. and that 1t
will not desert him in the national can
yass which has now begun.
William A. Wheeler.