The sun., 1891-07-09
N,CLURE SCORES NICOLAY.


s.,xrHHrE EsHoRErARY'S IGNORANCE
OF LINCOLN THE xAM
-.,,S.v "a Mr.. Nicolsy's Asssrtisa
..., a. President Favored the Rsne.i.
,atisn OF HsnIia for Viee-rresAasAs
N.tvsth staaaine Mr.. MsCiure's 1eoAssi
.rAs Inside Facts or tho convenaeH.
pun.pxnrHrA, July a-Tho following sdi-
.n,isl al Col Mcclure will appear In to-mor.
.ov,s Times with his initials appended:
.Tbs Ignorance exhibited BY John u Nioolay
a.. h,s n,,blio telegram to the widow OF ex.Vice-
p,.sIdent Haml,n is euuallsd only BY his AFRO
..nca In assuming to speak for Aoraham
1,nno,n IN matters about which Nioolay was
..sv,,. consulted and OF which no hed NO moro
knowledge than any other routine CLERK ABOUT
D}ths White House. l do not regret tnat Mr.
Nicolay has rushed into dispute tnat must
iesd to the clear establishment OF tno exact
truth as TO tho defeat OF Hamlin IN 1853. IL
vill surely greatly impair. II not destroy,
Mcolsv's hitherto generally accepted claim to
.ncnracy as tho biographer Of Lincoln. but hs
ean complain OF mono but himself.
IT .aw Abraham Lincoln at all hours OF the
a.v and night during his Presidential service.
and he has himself abundantly testified to tho
trnst that existed between US. Having had the
attraction OF his battle in the pivotal State OF
Che Union, he doubtless accorded mo more
crsdlt than merited. as tho only success in
nolitics and war is success and tho fact that
ns,sr sought or desired honors or profits from
Ria Administration and never embarrassed
him with exactions OF any kind made our rela-
tions tie most grateful memori,s OF my life.
I'm all OF the many grave political emergen-
oies arising from tue new and often appalling
duties imposed By internecine war. was one
Of those called to the inner councils OF Abra-
ham Lincoln. He distrusted his own judgment
In poitics, and was ever careful to gather tho
best counsels from all the varied shades OF
opinion and interest to guide him in his con.
olusions; and there were not only SCORES Of
confidential conferences in the White House OF
which John G. Nicolay never hoard. but no
man ever met or heard OF John G. Nicolay In
such councils. He was good mechanical.
routine clerk he was utterly inefficient as the
secretary OF the President: his removal was
earnestly pressed upon Lincoln on more than
one occasion because OF his utter want
of tact and fitness for his trust. and
only tho proverbial kindness Of Lincoln
saved him from dismissal. He saw
and knew President Lincoln; the man
Abraham Lincoln he never saw aud never
knew; and bis assumption that he was the
trusted repository OF Lincoln's confidential
convictions and efforts would have been 70.
garded as grotesQue quarter OF century
ago. when Lincoln and his close surroundings
were we'll understood. His biography OF Lin
coin is invaluable as an accurate history OF tho
public acts OF the Lincoln Administration. but
there is not chapter or page on tho inner Dor.
dsned with unpardona able errors; Nicol.y was
70 dass and nss
ligentiy and correctly. but there his fitness as .
now repeat that. In obedience to tels.
visited him at the White House the day before
tthe nomination Of welI-known southern man
s sa %hs aia q Gss1
ban party and the Government, but would
q hnssnd .ss leo
sa tai s To an 81 sss
that ha; been restored to the Union would
dissrm tho enemies Of The republic abroad: and
ernknent that seemed to greatly hinder peace.
No intimation. no trace Of prejudice against
NJ Hnmn was and vel knew
Had he believed Mr.. Hamiln 10 DO the man
direction foil solely upon himself he would |
nave favored Ham Inns nomination regardless !
OF his rersnnal wishes: but he believed that q
w the electio Of johnson. and returned to |!
Baltimore to work aud vote for Johnson, al |
though against all my personal predictions |
:, Mr.. .Niroluy's public telegram to Mrs. Ham
IN tIn.is SAYING THAI TIE foregoing statement is en-
% by NdeaYs n9s
eS sS% nsfsn EVEN in 2 4s hsos9 s
pages 12-3. and copied in another columnj |
proEEes pr simply .nat Nieo!ay wss dress parndlng
that 70 had responsible charge o1>t6e eSecu.
ieitrr 70 Mr. hay. Who had Nts been lstt tois in
charge OF the executive Office asking whether |
ihsGnard SWEET one Of the Presidents most
Inomination no. Of Judge Advocate General Holt
iGr Vice i'TesiaenI h had Ncolay ever learned
known That OF all living men men. Leonnrd e M sWett s
coin. s2L:.. and he should bave known that when
yearning for Hamlin's rsnomination Then
SGme, s,n Mm. nincons answer to Eicolay's bombas-
sIl il li;ht.' and C:canse Lincoln aid not pro-
claim caIn himself fol by giving Nico!ay an OPP
TO seEad "a ID sasscdy private
Z sumes that ho hns Iincoln's written words
s. 60 Justly his contradiction OF circumsta nclal
statiement i and executed purpose OF which ho
ssonia n,i have l had no knowledge. When Leonard
Ime.t thn WAS against iamin none could escape
lne conclusion that opposition to Hamlin WAS
sG %,b phSnse snss, to Lincoln saw and conferred
Tnh ~ sWett almost every hour Of the period OF
Y 5he Convention. We both lahored to Nominate
Iioansoh. n,ans ana SWEET made Holt. who was an
.mpos, ,ible candidate. mere foil to divide and
0ch9ner Haa the slpportcrs 81 Hamliu.
q naN Lincoln desired Hamlin's nomination
SWIFT ) W. would have desired and iabored Tor it,
aha thsa a. ahamlin would have been renominated on
ha thne llEst ballot: The convention was a Lincoln
bbssg pat pnrs and nd ana
not tpnwn now on ,o me ticIet With Lincoln who was
s%ho SverEhd 6pt It was i3 the air and pretty much
n,s,o o M the w few men rho enjoyed Lincoln's Is COM
nnne nte1e e@onnasnce @ Charles A. Dana was conspic-
uuus' yn ana his statement. given in another col
SIVen n; 10 an as SCI horede testimony as cou now be
con O. 10 most delicate matters. poiiticai and
iSfIy, seisrtIyn,na ana "a he logically tells Of Johnsons
81 my nSSs. s,o With Nh. Ranas direct corroboraton
ratiye iacts ADDED to the strongly corrobo-
mieOaiHy aOa and the dispute his mingled