Morris tribune., 1886-01-06
A PRESiDmNT-MAKER.
Justice Carriers Part in Nominating Lin
coin and Grant.

coin ana Grant.
Chief Justice Cartier, of the District
of Columbia, has been largely instru-
mental in the making of two presidents,
writes a Washington correspondent OF
the Philadelphia Press. He was the
man who, in connectiou with John w.
Forney. persuaded Gen. Grant to be-
come presidential candidate IN 1868,
and it was his action i'll the convention
of 1860, as chairman of the Ohio dele
CATION, that more than anything else
Accomplished the nomination OF Abra-
ham Lincoln over William H. Seward.
| asked him the other night for the
story of Grants nomination. He re-
piled:
"4he republican party was in a crit
ical condition during the closing days
of the term of Andrew johnson, and
the question as to who should lead the
party during the coming campaign was
agitating the minds of ali the leaders.
Among the candidates thought of was
Gen. Grant, but his name had not got
ten into the newspapers, and it was
only whispered here and there I'D prl-
waite conversation. One great objection
to him was his unknown political stand
inc, He had been ii democrat before
the war. The democrats were talking
of him as candidate, and there was
serious danger that they would noml-
nate him.
81 thought the matter over and de-
cided that the republican party ought
to bring him out as its candidate. Ii
he accepted, we'll and good. We could
make the race with him and win. Ii
not, the democrats could not take him
ND as their candidate after we had
claimed him as ours, and we would
thus keep him out of the campaign.
Gen. Grant was at this time a very
strong man before the people. He was
fresh from his great career as general,
full of patriotism, and possessed OF a
great love for the union. felt sure
that if elected republican president
he would be true to his party and to the
country.
thinking thus met Mr.. Forney on
the corner of Twelfth street and Penn
sylvania avenue, just where the pension
Office now is, and asked:
(" 'Forney, who is your candidate for
the preSluency!
"I have no candidate was the re-
ply.
:. What do you think of Grants?
said I. g. -,- KS
upon his demurring explained my
reasons for thinking Grant good can
didate, and the danger which threaten
ed US provided the democrats should
nominate him. Ispoke of his patriot
ism, and the fact that he wanted to see
the union preserved. He has a good
record, said l, and editorially you can
turn it into better one l closed by
telling him that he must go to the
Chronicle office and write a leader NOM
mating Grant as the candidate of the
republican party. After you have
written it, said l, wait few days and
then take occasion to meet Grant, and
you will find how he takes it.
' I don't know whether I will or
| not said Forney. I don't know
whether we dare trust Grant He fin
ally consented, however, and went off
and wrote the editorial, coming out
strongly for Grant The article created
a great sensation, it was widely noticed,
and brought Grant out prominently be-
fore the country.
''Mr. Forney, as suggested, met
Gen. Grant few days later, and Grant,
in speaking of it, appeared very indif-
ferent, and said he did not want to be
candidate. He was perfectly satisfied
with his position as general of the
army, and he did not want to 60 into
the white house. Mr.. Forney remon-
strated with him on the ground of pa
triotism and on the ground of the ne
cessity of his election to the preserva-
ton of the union, and made a strong
plea without getting any satisfaction.
81 met Gen. Grant few days after
this. He was still Indifferent, and as
serted his unwillingness to become a
candidate. But could see that he was
somewhat interested, and left him sat-
| isfed that it was all right, and that he
would accept told Forney this, and
before the convention met there was no
doubt but that Grant would accept.
President Lincoln's first nomina-
tion," said Judge Carter, in reply to a
question as to the convention of 1860,
was very doubtful up to the hour at
which it was accomplished. When the
convention met Seward was by all odds
the strongest of the several candidates,
and had ballot been held the day the
convention first came to order he might
have been nominated. The Ohio dele
| cation was elected at Columbus and
was instructed for Chase. I was one
| of the delegates-at-large and the chair
/ MN of the delegation. The Ohio dele
CATION of 1860 was made up of mature
politicians. Among the delegates were
such men as Tom Corwin and Column
| bus Delano. The majority of the dele
gation were unfriendly to Chase.
| knew Chase could not be nominated,
| but thought Ohio ought to give him q
| complimentary vote and tried to ac-
| comI,lish this. Delano and Corwin
wercvery much opposed to Chase, but
| majority of the delegates finally de-
| cidee. to vote for him in the convention.
! The remainder scattered their votes
among the other candidates. When
we net in convention ] had secretary,
who kept close tally of the votes as
| they were given, and who told me how
each candidate stood at tho close of the
announcement of the vote of each state.
| In the course of the second ballot of
the second day, from his statement
saw that three votes would nominate
Lincoln