The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1884-07-11
Hsw Lincoln Was Nominated in 1869.
The second National Republican Con.

Hsw Lincoln Was Nominated in 1860.
The second National Republican Con-
venrion was called to meet at Chicago
on Wednesday, the 18th of May, 1900,
and Mr.. Stewards friends regarded his
nomination for President as certain.
The Illinois state Republican Conven-
ton met at Decatur fortnight previ-
ous. 1t was attended by the political
friends of Abraham Lincoln, who had
written urging them to come, as he
thought that if supported by the Illinois
delegation he might secure the nomina-
ton. Few of them agreed with him,
but they worked zealOusly for him,
and Gle ted three delegates-at-large -
David Davis, Norman b. Judd and
Stephen T. Logan. The other dele
gate, Orville H. Browning, was Bates
man, but Lincoln approved of his cleo
ton, saying that Bates would have no
show. and that when Browning saw
this. he would not only 90 over to him,
but would take some of his friends with
HIM.
Judge Davis had never attended a
primary meeting or caucus, much less a
convention. but lincoln prevailed upon
him to 60 to Chicago and conduct his
campaign. The Judge arrived on the
scene OF act on the Saturday night
previous to the meeting of the conven-
ton. He found that the parlors at the
hotels had all been engaged, and he
had to establish his head quarters in two
small connecting rooms in the third
story OF the fremont House. The out
look was not encouraging. as the only
Lincoln men on the ground were a few
of the delegates from Illinois and In
diana. Thurlow v eed had thoroughly
organized the seward cohorts, and the
streets were filled with thousands who
were shouting the New York war cry.
Lincoln's raw levies were scattered far
and wide, and left at the mercy of dis
ciplined politicians. They had no Or
ganization. They were even without
headquarters. The hotels were packed
with the noisy friends of Bates and
Seward.
David Davis proved himself a politi-
cal Carnot. and threw the Railsphtter's
flag to the breeze. The raw levies were
gathered and disciplined. Night and
day was he busy, forming combinations
and visiting delegations. Horace Gree
>ky, under the guise of 4 delegate from
Oregon. appeared as the leader Of the
Bates men, and Thurlow Weed footed
defiance from his Seward bugle. Davis
visited both leaders, and was showered
with chat. But his raw levies were not
without backing. On Saturday night
he telegraphed to the lawyers of the
eighth circuit, assuring them that Old
Abe's stock was rising, and that its val
ne would be greatly enhanced by the
presence of his friends in force. 1t was
an electric shock. The State was
aroused. On Monday and Tuesday
trains poured into the city overlooking
with Lincoln shouters. They were en-
thusiastic friends. who gladly paid their
own way out of love for Lincoln. They
massed themselves in the streets, and
IA sed din that astOnished the noisy
retainers of Seward. They thronged
the corridors of the hotels, and awoke
the echoes o. the night with their
cheers. Hourly their number increased.
They poured into the wigwam as soon
as the doors were opened, and the very
atmosphere of the convention seemed
surcharged with their enthusiasm.
The two small rooms on the third
floor of the fremont House were the
scene of unwonted activity. Every
order was promptly executed. LAWYERS
acted as messengers and Judges watched
the cars for belated delegates. Under
Davis's guidance the work was thor
oughly DONE When he entered the
city on Saturday night barely fifty
weak-kqeed delegates stood under the
Lincoln flag. Tn the first ballot the
Railsplitter polled 102 votes to 1871 for
Seward and forty eight for Bates. The
lanky cohorts in the galleries nearly
lifted the roof with their cheers. The
second ballot gave Lincoln Isl, Seward
lS4! and Bates thirty-tive. Again the
hrawny friends of Old Abe roared with
delight. The Seward men turned pale,
and ThurlOw's knees smote together as
he saw the writing on the wall. Lin
coin was nominated on the next ballot
by a vote of SOL to llOt for Seward, and
the whole state Of Illinois was thrown
INTO ecstasy. That night Judge Davis
went to bed for the first tine in six
days, having conquered at total cost,
all cd. of 800.
Judge Davis went to Springfield on
the next day and had long interview
with Mr.. Lincoln. The candidate
offered to refund the 800, but the
Judge said that his friends would not
near of it. Mr.. Lincoln's friends urged
Judge Davis to take the stump in his
behalf He did so. and made most eff
iective speeches. Nor did he relax his
,xertions until the closing of the polls.
Lincoln carried the state by plurality
# IL, y46 over Douglas, and majority
If only 1929 over all the candidates, in
popular vote of 49,, 693.-Ben. Pertey