The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1879-07-17

P etident, and on him the division had taken
place. The Convention had balloted all day with
out reaching the result, and at night three mes
sengerI were sent to Washington TO say To Allen
that II he would accept the nomination he could
have 1t with no other platform than the strength
Of bis name. With the Democratic party united
then his election would have been certain. and
when the mess sngers awOke him up at midnight
to make the offer his answer was: "For me TO
accept would be an act Of perHdy 10 General Cass,
who is my trusted friend. can not take nom
ination on these terms Tell them to go on bal.
lotiDg aud to stand by Cass,"
They went back, ignorant Of the fact that Gen.
eral Cass was at thatveTy time In the tame houSe
ignorant, tOO OF the further fact that II Allen
said out word to bis friends he would have with
drawn In bis favor, Next day Cass WAS nominal.
ed, and though Allen aud his friends madJ every
tfOrL 70 heal no the breach between the mo.
crHts ana the Free SoileIs Van Buren was nOmi
Dated Dy the latter and az a cOnse quence General
Taylor, the Wing candidate, was elec,ed.
Agsiu, III 1860 another opportunity Was offered
To Allen to become the Presidential candidate
During the time the Charleston Convention was
III session, when the BreckinridRe Democrats ou
the one side and the Douglas Democrats on tn
0ther had built up an impaBSab barrier between
them tho word was telegra Dbed TO William AlltD
II you Will accept the nomination tor President
II Will hea' 10 all our differences. VIII you ac-
ceptY his reply was that he could not unless
the irlenus OF douglas were consentinR. They
were appealed to aud refused, and tine COnven-
ton split Breckinrldge was nominated by the
south and Douglas by the North, aud Lincoln
Was elec ed. So that twice he has had the Prebi
dency within his grasp, aud twice has he refused
because OF his devotion TO his friends who were
Already in the fed.
But tnis is not all OF the public service or the
0ieIs Of public service that belong to The political
history OF William Alien. DurinV his first term Of
service IN the Senale, President Tyler offered him
place In the Cabinet When President POlb or
RanlZed his Cabinet he offered him place In M
Cabinet. When President Pierce Wok his lat he
Offer d him hrstClas] foreign mission, and when
Buchanan became President he offered him the
mission 10 France. These hOnOrs were ali deClin
ed, the Cabinet positions because ne did not wan
10 accept and be held ACcOuu tA 10 for the admin
htratOn OF affairs where he could not be absolute
master, and the foreign missions btcause he had
no fancy for that kind OF life that such Off et
made II necessary that their acCeptanls should
lead.
A LITTLE OF HIS DOMESTIC LIFE.
Thus far we have referred only to the public
career Of VIM. Allen and altogether ignored hiI
domestic relations, Yet nothing in his whole life
shows h m in a more beautiful light.
At the time he was candidate for Congress HI
was q sultor for the hand OF the daughter of Gen
we believe, engaged to be married to her, Per
haps not engaged, though, as she afterward mar
ried Col, COons OF Louisiana. Col Coons, how.
ever, soon died, and in the course of time Allen
renewed hir suit and was accepted During hi
g. cOnd term III the Senate the wedding day wa
appoin ed, and every thing made ready for tht
marriage. Just about this time the Texas annex
alton question came up, and he wrote to his afi
anced, who was at that time living In Cincinnati
asking her to postpone the ceremony until tina
question was decided. To this she consented
aud the Dnplials were celebrated as soon after
ward as he could leave He took his bride bacl
with him to Washington, and for nearly two
years lie was to him but a long summers day o.
happiness. Never was husband loved mort
| faithfully or trustngly than he by her; ueVe
wife more tenderly and affectlonately than sht
by him. In January, lS47, his wife died, leavinI
| an infant child, the daughter who has sine
| grown up TO be the head of his household and o
her husbands At the time Of his wife's dealt
| there were no railroads connecting the Capita
| with the West. The fond husband would no
| think 'Of moment Of cons gnlng the remains o
| the one he loved and held most dear TO grav
| amid strangers and 10 he decided to tIanapOr
| them u ChlnteOthe for burial So he procureT
| the services OF an undertaken aud started will
| night wti1ld Overtake them they would stop a
the nearest hotel and he would have the cOfir
taken irpm the hearse aud horne to his owu
apartment where he kept watch over 1t unl
morning came and time TO start again. More
| than week elapted In this mOurnGul trim; yet al
no momhpt during that time was his m" urnfu
| gaze taken away from the last remains of hel
whom he had lived no dearly in life, ard could
| scarce part with in death. Aftfr her burial ht
returned 70 Washington and finished his tern
of office, and then he betOOk himself with BIZ
child 10 the home which he now enjoys, aud
where he for 30 long led a life Of retirement
among his books and the study of science ant
| philosophy.
The career Of VIM. Allen as Governor is 80 well
known TO- the people that II needs no word O
praise at this time. He was called 10 that posi-
ton tn rescue the Democratic party from detea
and disintPgration-a -annihilaiion. He served 81
Chief Magistrate OF the Stale With distinguished
ability, and on his leaving I Office lost mar
who ornamented 1t. The American people will
have something for him to do yet His public
car eer Is not ended.