The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-01-06

for Seward and Isl for Lincoln. Changes
to Lincoln followed each other in rapid sue
cesSion during the progress of the third
ballot, and before it was ended Lincoln had
25l 1-2 votes, 2SS being required to nominate.
Then Cartier swung four votes from the
Ohio delegation TO Lincoln, assuring his
nomination, aud before the ballot closed
354 ont of the 4S6 delegates had declared in
his favor. William NJ. Eyarts. Henry j;
Raymond and Thurlow Weed, the Seward
leaders, who had been confident of his nom,
instion until the last, were amazed and
promptly moved that Lincoln's nomination
should be made unanimous, and with the
enthusiasm that usually attends an event
of the kind, the molten was carried
I'm Pennsylvania President Lincoln Sc
cured half of the Democratic faction upon
which the Bell and Everett leaders had con-
fdently relied, and his nomination proved,
as had all along believed that 1T would,
the very strongest that could have been
made"
LINCoLN's SECRET JOURNEY.
Returning to Pennsylvania Governor Cur
tin entered upon the most remarkable and
exciting contest in the history of the COM
monwealth. The character of the issues at
stake and the position of Pennsylvania
as pivotal October State-"As goes Penn
sylvania so goes the Union," was one OF the
battle cries of the campaign-made the can
vass of the first Importance. Every one,
and no one more clearly than Governor
Curtin himself, realized that the decision
10 be rendered by the voters OF the Key
stone State in October would mean Tar more
than the defeat or election of the RepuD-
lican candidate for Governor; 1T would
mean also disaster or triumph for the Re-
publican candidate for President.
Governor Curtin at once took the stump
and spoke night and day until the election:
When the votes were counted it was found
that he had been elected Governor by 5000
majority. Brought face to face with this
unmistakable verdict of the electors the
Democracy lost heart and in the following
month Pennsylvania gave the Republican
national ticket a still larger majority. Gov
ernor Curtin had not only won victory for
himself. but he had also done more than
any other to secure the election OF Presl-
dent Lincoln.
Inaugurated in January, 1861, Governor
Curtin was compelled at the very outset of
his administration TO meet the gravest re-
vital questions that can arise In the history
of free people. The import of the events
which followed the election of Presldent
Lincoln was plain to him. From the trusted
special agents whom he sent through the
South. he learned that the leaders of the
slave oligarchy were planning to set up an
independent confederation of States, based
upon the principle of human servltude and
its attendant conditions, and he saw, also.
that Pennsylvania, lying on the border OF
the battle ground of the war, certain to fol-
low such an attempt, would be especially
subject to danger and to all the evils grow
ing out of a great military struggle.
The speedy coming of the contest was
made even more manifest than it had been
before by the circumstances of President
Lincoln's journey from Springfield to wash
ington to enter upon the discharge OF his
duties. President Lincoln jOurneyed by
If II iris hnr arrix o. hQr m Friday
Feb. p, and it was then that Governor Cur
tin met him for the first time. He addressed
the State Legislature III the afternoon and
later held q public reception. After the
vate conference was held in the parlOr of
the hotel at which the presidential party
was stopping. There were present beside
the President, N. b. Judd, Ward II. LamOn,
one or two more of those who were travel
ing with the President. n. b. Judd told
MS that from two different sOurceS-Allen
g. Pinkerton in the first and a party
stance-information had been received of a
plot to assassinate the President during his
passage through Baltimore, and to guard
against danger it had been arranged that
train to Philadelphia that evening, and
take the night express on the Philadelphia,
Wilmington & Baltimore railroad, thus
throwing the conspiratOrs, who expected
MIN 10 &C TO w aSnlngt0n over the northern
Central railroad, off the scent.
Encouraged by the Presidents cool and
collected bearing, / at first discouraged the
idea OF secret journey, advising the Presi-
dent-elect to travel by daylight, volunteer
ing to go with him i'll person. But when
full and convincing proof of the plot was
laid before us by Mr.. Judd, knowing that
the assassination of the head of the
government would bring national
ruin. ! instantly changed my mind and
joined in devising means to secure his safe
ty. In the evening public dinner was
given the President, and at it's close i in
yited him to go and spend the night at my
house. He accepted the invitation, and, to
but Colonel LamOn were left behind at the
hotel We were at once driven, in closed
carriage, to the outskirts of the city, where
special train, consisting of an engine,
tender and p3ssenger-car, was standing. /
stood on the street-crosslng until l saw
them enter the car, and then went home.
The wires between Harrisburg and Wash
lngton, and between the former city and
vent any news of his movements getting
abroad, and, with Colonel LamOn as his
only companion, he started on the journey
TO washington. Early the next morning
made In safety, and that President Lincoln
was In Washington.
Governor Curtin early became one of
President Lincoln's trusted advisers. Their
W
to appreciate the others worth at its full
value. President Lincoln" says the
Governor, when l first met him, did not
impress ME as being a great man. His
greatness was then in a measure, dormant.
The war developed and brought out the
latent qualities of leadership within him
that would never have become manifest save
under such trying conditions. As a judge
OF men and as a gauger of public opinion
and sentiment he was almost infallible
his gifts IN this respect were truly marvel
GUS, and have never, to my knowledge,
been equaled. Every time that met him,
and, for four years, l was with him almost
weekly, l was more and more impressed
with the grandeur of his character. brought
into strong relief, as it was by the lights
and shadows of the war;
THE ALTOONA CONFERENCE.
Governor Curtin stamps as erroneous the
popular impression that the President, in
issuing his Emancipation Proclamation,
was not influenced by the meeting of the
loyal Governors at Altoona to protest
against the further existence of slavery.
AS matter of fact" says the Governor