Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-05-30
Of the Wing National
Convention i'll 1874.
ORANaEC. H., May %, 1873.

ORANGE &. H., Nay 70, 1873.
TO the editor Of the Richmond Wig:
Kesdi IN late klchmond papers the an
rouncement Of the death Of Capt Sam'l Watts,
Portsm outh, Va, carries my mind back to
what trsnspired in the Wing National Conven-
ton of 1914, in which he and |, with fifteen other
delegates from Virginia, served all of whom i
beieve) are dead. except SKI. @. George Lewis
William Martin, of enry, Wyndhsm Robertson,
Of Washington county, General Beckley, of W est
Virginia, and myself now in my eighty sixth
year. Henry Clay Of Kentucky, was the only
candidate for President, and received d unani.
nous nomination. For Vice.President there
sylvsnia Theodore FreIinghuys"n, of New j ,r-
scy, (then living in New York; Mill ,rd Fill.
more, of New YORK. and John Davis, of Msssa-
chusetts.
The nigh. before the nomination, by request
of Benj w. Leigh, the seventeen Vrginis delo
gates met at the room of Mr.. William. s. Arch
or. Mr. Lee said he and Mr.. Archer had con.
ierred with sli the de egste, from al the slave
States, and they had lett To the seventeen VIr-
9inis delegates the selection of the Vice Fresi
dent, sn1 lhov would vote for their selection.
As we We're divided in our selection between
Frelinghuysen and Fillmore, it was agreed we
should take ballot, and not agreeing the mi.
| norty should yield to the majority, as 8 united
vote was necessary t. carry the VIII oeslsve State
vote Those ofus who advocated the nomination
Of Mr.. Fillmore SAID New York, in the ele"tion,
would probably hold tn G balance of power; that
MIR. Fillmore would more likely carry. New
York than Mr.. Freinghuysen. as he WAS 4 resi-
dent and native, besides having taking no part
between the Catholics and Protestsnts in the
distribution Of the State public school fund.
Mr.. Erelinghuysen had, and being prominent
Protestant and Presbyterian carried the Catho-
lie and foreign vote against him, and Of course
against Mr.. Clay, by 3 very small minority, in
a vote CT upwards of seven hundred thousand.
Whilst Mr.. Fillmore Was President, after the
the death of General Taylor, l stated to him
what occurred in the Wing Convention Of 1914
estly replied, that Mr. Clay always attributed
his defeat in 1914 to that circumstance.
In speech, IN the session of 1876 II, advo-
eating an application to repair the Statue Of Hen
ry Clay, in speaking OF him, regret did not
then give history vi what OC Cured at his nOml-
nation in 1914
When we look at the condition of the labor of
this country the necessity Of diversifying it to
make it profitable, we can but admire the fsr-see
ing and fay reaching mind Of MT. Clay. AS
early rs 1876 soon after the war Of 1872 IA, he
introduced III Congress and advocated the passage
of his crest American System, to diversity labor
to make it more prti table, and the country
more prosperous and independent
Looking 1T The present state of his American
System and what it is destine ed to bo in the future
I cannot but think that al classes of his country
men owe him very large debt of gratitude
Not having seen any account given OF sll that
transpired in the Wing Convention of 1914 l
send you the above Ms some Of the political his
tory Of the country, believing that there are
10 sny living. like myself, who take deep inter
est in everything connected with the public MIS-
tory of Henry clay. Uk1EL TERRrLL.