The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1884-09-06
THE DAYS OF '4s AND OF '84.
Hoc Zach Taylor ,cds Officially Informed
Of His Nomination aud Ho,c He
Responded.

Responded.
From Washington Letter.
Nowadays q train of cars is barely
sufficient to accommodate those who
travel hundreds of miles charged with
the important duty of informing can
didate that he has been nominated for
the presidency. Long speeches are
made, and the notification costs many
thousands of dollars. But this is not
all. The candidate must write letter
of acceptance, giving his views on
pretty much every subject he can
think of. These journeys, parades,
speech-makings and long letters are of
comparatively recent origin.
The convention that nominated Gen
eral Taylor met in Philadelphia June
Z, 1913. The chairman was the Hon
orable John Morehead, of North Caro-
lima. On the 10th of that month Gov
ernor Morehead addressed General
Taylor letter officially notifying him
of his nomination. The distraction
into which the wing party was thrown
by General Taylor's nomination was
not made less in the ensuing thirty five
days by the silence of General Taylor:
Governor Morehead in reply to inqui-
ries by leading whigs-notably Mr..
Weed-said he had positively written
to the general, and he knew of no rea-
son why the reply was not forthcom-
ing. General Taylor was such
crotchety old fellow, and the whig
leaders in general knew so little of
him personally, that it was not thought
best to stir him up on the subject.
Letters from the old soldiers were ap-
pearing in different quarters, some of
them not altogether satisfactory to
whig leaders, but not word came
from him about the nomination. 1t
began to look like an indignity. Mr..
Weed, to whom more than any other
man General Taylor owed his nominal
ton, was desperate under the sus-
pense. Meetings were proposed, and
one was actually called in Albany,
looking to the reputation of the NOM
ination. When it met, however, other
counsels prevailed, though the sus-
pense continued.
On July %, the postmaster at Baton
Rouge, where Gen. Taylor lived, adj
dressed the postmaster general a letter,
saying that with the report for the cur
rent quarter from that Office two bum
dies of letters were forwarded for the
dead letter office, they having been de-
clined on account of the non payment
of the postage by the senders. 1t was in
the ten-cent and non-prepayment time.
Of the forty-eight letters thus forward
ed to the dead letter office, the Baton
Rouge postmaster said a majority were
addressed to Gen. Taylor, who had de-
clined to pay the postage on them and
take them out of the office because his |
mail expenses had become burdensome.
The general had since become aware |
hat some of the letters were of import |
ince and asked for their return. In |
iue course the letters were sent back |
o Baton Rouge. Among them was
1ov. Morehead's letter notifying Gen.
Taylor of the action of the Philadelphia
Gen. Taylor's response was dated
July Is, month and five days after
he letter of notification was written.
t had lain in the Baton Rouge post
'ffice four weeks, after Gen. Taylor re-
used to pay the ten cent postage.
Gen. Taylor's acceptance was couched
respectful TERMS, III Il lelleT nOt eN- |
eeding $50 words. He expressed his
hanks for the nomination, said he did
lot seek it, and that if he were elected
for which position he did not
hink he possessed the requisite qualifi-
atoms, he would do his best. He dis
used nothing, laid down no princi-
les, and gave no indications of what
curse he would pursue. In this the
eneral cut it too short to satisfy the
Ihigs. He had to write another letter
-one of considerable length-to his
-iend, Capt. Allison, in which he set !
Kings right. The authorship of this ,
,tter was the subject of no little con- !
,cture. If living, Thurlow Weed and /.
lexander H. Stephens could shed light {
n the subject. t
After that the campaign went ahead
noothly and successfully. Although
lr. Weed makes no mention of this
latter in his book, it was one of the 7
-. l.