Connecticut western news., 1882-11-29
POLITICAL REMINISCENCE.
THE NOMINATION AT CHICAGO OF
 ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
ThurlOw Weeds Efforts to Secure the NOm-
 inatiOn of Seward and his Failure.

ination of Seward and his Failure.
 The late Thurlow Weed put forth the strongest efforts of his life to secure the nomination of his lifelong friend, Wm. H. Seward, by the Republican party, for President in 186O Four years before Buchanan was elected by majority of the popular vote, having only 1884 ,337, to 2,214, 867 for Fremont and Fillmore. Fremont carried all New England, New York, Ohio, Michigan, Iowa, and Wis consin.; Fillmore had Maryland, and Blu chanan all the other slave States, with New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Hi nois and California. Mr. Weed believed the nomination of Seward would ensure his election, and he desired to wind up his political life by the accomplishment of this masterpiece of work.
 The strongest opponent of MT. Seward was Horace Greeley. The letter of Hor- ace Greeley dissolving the firm of Sew ard, Weed & Greeley was the beginning on the part of the editor of the Tribune of unrelenting war upon both the other members of the firm. Weed, however, was safe from assault, as he would have nothing to do with office for himself. Greeley knew, however, that MT. Seward was on the slate for the Presidential nom- nation in 1860, and if he could defeat him in the Convention his vengeance would be satisfied. Greeley had kept his letter from the public, so that only few friends of MT. Seward knew of the oppo- sition to be expected. Of course the trouble had been appreciated by them, and affairs had been so managed that Mr. Stewards nomination was counted upon as nearly certain as any future event could be. MT. Seward himself thought so, and so did MT. Weed.
 The Republican National Convention met at Chicago in May, 1860. It was called to order by Governor Morgan, of New York; David Wilmot, of Pennsyl- vania, was made temporary Chairman, and the Hon. George Ashmun, of Massa- chusetts, was chosen President The party was in excellent condition, and the irreconcilable divisions among their op- ponents promised an easy victory, Not much had been said of Abraham Lincoln. He had been member of Congress for one term twelve years before, and had won some reputation two years before by endeavoring to beat Stephen A. Douglas for United States Senator from Illinois, | The first names for nomination among the people were Seward, Chase, Mclean, and Bates, and all the chances appeared favorable to the New York favorite. At midnight, before the nomination, MT. Greeley telegraphed to his paper that Stewards success was very probable MT. Greeley appeared in the Convention as a delegate from Oregon.
 On the call for nominations, William M. Evarts, of New York, named William H. Seward of New York; MT. Judd, of Illinois, named Abraham Lincoln: and Salmon P. Chase, Simon Cameron, Judge Mclean, and Judge Bates were named by their friends. Besides MT. Greeley, the choice of Seward was opposed by Henry $. Lane and Andrew G. Curtin. The argument was that there was four doubtful States, all of which were neces- sary, and none of which could MT. Seward carry. These were New Jersey, Pennsyl- vania, Indiana, and Illinois. Illinois, it was argued, was sure only with Lincoln; Indiana was in the same condition; Penn sylvania was for Cameron first. would readily go for Mclean, and next for Lin coin; New Jersey adhered to Dayton Thus it appeared that three of the doubt full States were agreed upon Lincoln as a compromise candidate.
 On the first ballot Seward had 173a votes, and Lincoln 1O2. On the second ballot, Seward, 184 Lincoln, 181. On the third trial Seward had 18O, and Lincoln 2313-lacking one and a halt votes of majority. Immediately on the announcement of the result, Mr. D. K. Cartier, of Ohio, (who had been an ap- prentice in MT. Weeds office at Roches. ter) rose and announced change in thai delegation of four votes to be counted for Lincoln. That secured the nomina. tion. Greeley had his revenge-he had defeated the man on whose elevation the great mass of the people had set theil hearts and settled a long-standing spite against both Weed and Seward because they had failed to see the philosopher's wonderful fitness and overshadowinq claims for office. MT. Seward was de. nied the Presidency, but he was fol many years serviceable to his country ir office, and ever true to his. principles
 As soon as it appeared that MT. Lin. coin had majority of the convention Austin Blair, afterward Governor oi Michigan, who had worked ably for MT. Seward, holding Michigan's entire vote for him from first to last, rose and stated that he had been put forward to say that Michigan had nothing to take back; she laid down her first and best beloved choice, and took up the candi date of the convention with some beating of the heart, with some quivering of the veins. We have followed him Steward with an eye single and an unwaverine faith in times past, and we marshal nov behind him in the grand column whic1 shall go out to battle for Lincoln
 Mir, Weed was greatly disappointed 8 the result. It deprived him of a long hoped-for pleasure, that of practical, closing his political career by assisting to place in the highest national office tn friend, almost brother, with whom h. had fought a hundred battles for Anti masonic Whio and Rar11hlican 1,,.i,a