Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1884-07-09
How David Davis Led LincOln's Forces
to Victory in $50.

ton was called to meet at Chicago on
Wednesday, the 18th of May, 1860, and Mr..
Stewards friends regarded his nomination
for President as certain. The Illinois State
Republican Convention met at Decatur q
fortnight previous. It 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 nomination.
Few of them agreed with him, but they
worked zealously for him, and elected three
Lincoln delegates -at-large David Davis,
Norman B. Judd, and Stephen T. Logan.
The other delegate, Orville H. Browning
was Bates man, but Lincoln approved Of
his election, saying that Bates would have
no show, and that when Browning saw this,
he would not only 60 over to him but would
take some Of his friends with him.
Judge Davis had never attended primary
meeting or caucus, much less conven-
ton, but Lincoln prevailed upon him to 90
to Chicago and conduct his campaign. The
Judge arrived on the Saturday night pre-
vious to the meeting of the convention.
He found that the parlors of the hotels had
all been engaged, and he had to establish
his headquarters in two small connecting
rooms in the third story of the fremont
House. The outlook was not encouraging
as the only Lincoln men on the ground
were few of the delegates from illinois
and Indiana. Thurlow Weed had thor
oughly organizedth the Seward cohorts, and the
streets were filed with thousands who were
shouting the New York war cry. Lincoln's
raw levies were scattered far and wide and
left ct the mercy of disciplined politicians
They had no organization. They were even
without headquarters. The hotels were
packed with the noisy friends of Bates and
Seward.
David Davis proved himself political
Carnot, and threw the lailsplitters flag to
the breeze. The raw levies were gath
cred and disciplined. Night and day was
he busy, forming combinations and visiting
delegations. Horace Greeley, under the
guise Of a delegate from Oregon, appeared
as the leader of the Bates men, and Thur
low Weed footed defiance from his Seward
bugle. Davis visited both leaders, and was
showered with chaff But his raw leyies
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 value would
be greatly enhanced by the presence of his
friends in force. It was an electric shock
4AO OUsto Wtsb t1IOu6cu. vi AOuuAy ana
Tuesday trains poured into the city over
flowing with Lincoln shouters. They were
enthusiastic friends, who gladly paid their
own way out of love for Lincoln. Thew
massed themselves in the streets, and raised
din that astonished the noisy retainers of
Seward. They thronged the corridors of
the hotels and awoke the echoes of 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 un-
wonted activity. Every order was promptly
executed. Lawyers acted as messengers
and judges watched the cars for belated del
egates. Under Davis guidance the work
was thoroughly done, When he entered the
city on Saturday night barely fifty weak
kneed delegates stood under the Lincoln
flag. On the first ballot the rail-splitter
polled 1O2 votes, to 1871 for Seward and 48
for Bates. The lanky cohorts in the gal
leries nearly lifted the roof with their
181, Seward 1874, and Bates IS. Again the
brawny friends Of Old Abe roared with de-
light The Seward men turned pale. and
Thurlows knees smote together as he saw
the writing on the wall. Lincoln was nom
mated on the next ballot BY vote Of 354 to
1104 for Seward, and the whole State Of
Illinois was thrown into ecstasy. That
night Judge Davis went TO bed for the first
time in six days, having conquered at a total
cost, all told, Of 500.
Judge Davis went to Springfield the next
day and had a long interview with Mr.. Lin
coin. The candidate offered to refund the
500, but the Judge said that his friends
would not hear Of Il. Mr.. Lincoln friends
urged Judge Davis to take the stump in his
behalf. he did so, and made the most e.
fechve speeches. Nor did he relax his ex-
ertons until the closing of the polls. Lin
coin carried the State bya plurality q u,eAa