Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1883-05-25


political parties were already casting about
rather anxiously for suitable Presiden.
tai candidate for the next campaign
Line Democrats were very much in earnesI
That iyea', and had pretty strong nope Of
being able to elect their next candidate,
since, the johnson administration was
turning out SO badly. The Democratic
party at that time was under the manages
me a Il Of Dean Richmond, IAN exceedingly
wlse.1 honest judicious man. who had
Dever aspired for Office himself, and who
had the confidence of his whole party.
flcnmond was a man really very greatly
admired. Another good man, Peter Gag
gar, was at that time secretary of the
Democratic State COMMITTEES.
II was in Albany then, and one day
called at CaeRar's office there to see him
about some business matter. AS enter
ed the room I saw Richmond. Caggar,
Erastus Corning and one or two other gen.
tlemen seated closely around table. and
overheard the words: Yes Grant is un-
doubtedty the man; If ece-' and then the
speaker saw me and suddenly turned the
conversation upon some commonplace
topic.
''From this and the confusion expressed
upon the faces of the man, saw at once
that had INTERRUPTED a private converse
tlon. A few moments later, having &C.
complished my errand. I left the Off CO.
and then the words I had heard came back
to my mind. 1t flashed across me almost
Immediately that these men had been dis
cussing General Grant as possible DEM
ocrdtic candidate for the Presidency!
"At that time General Grant was COM
mitted to no political party. but it was
known that be had been Democrat be-
fore the war, and it was not unreason-
able presumption that he was still Dem
ocrat. I realized in moment that if the
Democrats should nominate Genera.
Grant. and he should accept the nomina-
ton, they would undoubtedly elect their
candidate, for the General was then prob
ably the most popular man in the country,
and could be elected no matter whose can
didate he might be. As 1 thought the
matter over I was impressed more and
more strongly that the Democrats had this
end in view. 4
Not long after this I net Erastus
Corning on the street. Mr.. Corning was
evidently feeling very we'll satisfied about
something. He said to me:
. We'll Weed, what are your people 60
ing to do for Presidential candidate next
time p
"'Oh, I do.not know yet what we shall
do. There is plenty of time for attending
to that, and the Republican party does not
lack eligible men, l answered.
"'Well, said Corning, you had better
put on the strongest man you have, or we
shall heat you pretty badly-in fact, l
think we shall do that at any rate.'
"Then felt moderately confident that
the Democrats had decided upon nomi-
mating General Grant as their candidate :;
but if any doubt of this fingered in my
mind it was eff-ctually dispelled. an hour
later, by moments conversation 1 had
with Dean Richmond. After some talk
upon general matters, 1 said to him:
Corning tells me you expect to bring
out pretty strong candidate for the Pres
idency some of these days, and that you
actually expect to elect him. ~
"'Did Corning tell you who it was p
asked Richmond, rather anxiously, with
a disturbed expression.
mo; only he said that you had de-
cided upon very strong man,
"'Oh. WE'LL responded Richmond,
Corning talks too much-altogether too
much, and he doesn't know what he is
talking about half the tlme!'
THAT completely satisfied me; and then
I began to consider if we could do some
thing to head off this contemplated move
ment OF the Democrats. felt pretty sure
that Richmond and his friends had very
lately conceived the idea of nominating
General Grant, and had not likely gone
80 far as to send him any communication
upon the subject. 1t then occurred to me
that if the Republicans cou Id see General
Grant first we might effectuslly beat the
Democrats in this particular scheme.
With that end in view, 1 took the first
train for New York, arriving in the city
late In the afternoon. AS soon as possible
saw Abram Wakeman, Sheridan Shook.
Thomas Murphy, James Kelly, Owen w.
Brennan. William A. Darling. Hugh
Gardner. DR. Van WICK and some more
staunch Republican friends-all represen.
tative men in the party-and we met to-
gether, organized and held meeting that
same evening at the Astor House, in old
Room No. IL, where so many political
movements were planned in those days.
At this meeting l explained what had
heard. and suggested that we might cap
tule the General for our own ticket by a |
flank movement, as it were-by seeirp
him at once and asking him If he would
sccept the nomination of the Republican
party for President, and then, in case we
received satisfactory assurance and we
we had no doubt as to this, We should, il |
we were in time, publish the Generals
reply, committing him to us and thus
the Democrats from approach
ing him at all upon the subject.
THE meeting was unanimously in ia.
vor of this, and was delegated to visit
General Grant at once The afternoon
papers of that day had chronicled the Cen
erals arrival at Long Branch. so hurried