Omaha daily bee., 1884-01-10

preceding, but was not at this time. The
balloting started out with Payne away
ahead, and it continued 30 off and on for
twenty-four ballots, scattering votes be-
ing cast for Ewing, the elder, Joshua r.
Giddings, Sherlock J. Andrews, Tom
Corwin, and others. On the twenty-fifth
ballot Ben Wade's name was presented
to the assembly, and on the twenty
seventh he was elected.
"Just before Wade's name was pro-
posed Senators Converse, of Muskingum,
and Vinal, of Clarke, called upon me for
consultation. They said the situation was
such that it was impossible to elect Girls
void or any other wing unless they could
get the votes of the N i-slavery members
of the legislature. They told me that
Judge Wade had ~beensuggested as q good
compromise candidate, but it go happened
that nc wing member of the legislature
knew him personally. They wanted my
advice as to what they should do in the
premises. 1 told them / would consider
the matter and let them know within an
hour,
son u meeting at my office at the
appointed time, / told them my personal
acquaintance with Judge Wade was limit
ed to a single interview with him during
the presidential campaign of 1848, when,
being a member of the wing state central
committee, l went to the Reserve to meet
MI. Ford, then whig candidate for
governor, and other gentlemen in the
interest of General Taylor, our candi-
date fog the presidency and it was
Oh this subject that / went to Ravenna
to see Judge Wade, he having been a
warm supporter of General Taylor. |
said to Messrs. Converse and Vinal that
so favorably was l impressed with Judge
Wade's panliness in my conversation
with him that l was prepared to advise
them and all my wing friends of the leg
~islature to give him their hearty support
for the senate. At their request I called
Immediately upon the leading whig MEM
bers and urged them so to vote. Some of
them hesitated because of their fear
of his extreme anti-slavery views. To
| this / replied that without any authority
from Judge Wade and without any espe-
cial knowledge on the subject to which
they referred, l would take the respon-
sibility, as far as n could under the
circumstances, that if Judge Wade were
elected he would do and not do certain
things, and 1 further said that 1 would
communicate to Judge Wade immediate.
ly the pledges 1 had made for him, leav-
it to his sense of honor to redeem the
pledges. This was accepted by objectine
members az sufficient. The result wai
from these assurances and other inhu
ences common on such occasion, thai
Wade was Immediately elected by comb
nation of votes of the whig and the fire.,
soil members of the legislature. l wrot,
Immediately to the judge, who wal ther
holding court at Akron, informing hin
in detail of the circumstances connected
with the election, of my pledges in hi
behalf, to which he promptly replied
expressing his thanks for my friendl,
offices, and saying that had he been oil
the ground he would have made ever,
pledge directly that / had made for him
l would only odd that he faithfully re
deemed every pledge by his votes an.
acts in the senate OF the United States.
Such is the history of Henry b
Psyne's first contest for the senate. Hi
! defeat seems almost providential, in tina