The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-09-06
LINCOLN IN 1860.
EIs FIRST NOMINATION ron rREsF.
DENT At CHICAGO

now ROWAN was Ovarthrown-CurthA Ana
Lave Defeatea Him ssa Neni.stss Liza.
soIn-TNe School Question M.de sewa ard
Unavailable - Tho Bitterness or Sow.
ards Friends Alter lr,s Defeat
1t was the unexpected tha. happened In OIL
engo on that fatsfu, 18th OF May. 1860. whom
Abraham Lincoln was nomlu ated for Presi-
deA. OF the United States 1t was wholly un.
expected By the friends OF Seward; II was
hoped for. bat not confidently expected. By
tho friends OF Lincoln. The Convention was
tho ablest assembly Of tho kind ever called
toEother In this country. 1t Was the nrst
national delibsrative body Of the Republican
party that WA to attain such ilustrlous
achievements In tho history Of FREQ govern.
mont Tho first National Convention OF that
party. held In Philadelphia In 1886. wns COM
posed OF Loose aggregation OF political free
thinkers. embracing many usually dsnomi-
mated as "o,anks." The party was without
organization or cohesion: its delegates we're
self appointed and removable to no regular
constituency. It was the sudden eruption OF
tho Intense resent mont OF the people Of the
North against the sucroachments OF slavery
In Northern TsrrItor o.. and neither In tho
character OF lts leaders nor In the record
OF its proceedings did 1t rank as . distino-
lively delibsrativs body. 1t nominated =
romantic advsntursr for p. esidsnt-a man
untricd In craftsmanship. who had done
little to commend him to tho consid.
crate Judgment OF tho nation as its
Chtsf Magistrate In a period Of uncommon
pcrll. The campaign that followed was ono OF
unusual brtlliaucy. and resulted In anchorue
nearly all OF the old Democratic States Of tho
West In the Republican column. In 1860 the
principles OF the Republican party had boon
clearly defined: Its orsanization had been
perfected In every Northern State. and each
delegate to that convention at Chicago was
regularly chosen AMI represented q great
party. inspired BY q devotion TO Its faith that
has seldom been euualled anil never surpassed
IN all our political history. The halo OF
romance that encrclsd Gen. Fremont. the
Pathfinder" four years before hal persisted.
and he was unthought OF Us candidate.
For nearly two years be ore the meeting OF
the Chicago Conven ion in 1860 the Rspubli-
can parry had ono pre- minsn. leader who was
recognized as the comlng candidate for Presi-
dent Tho one man who had done most to In.
spirs and crystallizs the Republican organizes
ton was William H. Seward OF New York.
Certainly two-thirds o: the delegates chosen
TO the Convention preferred him for President.
and decided majority went to Chicago ex-
DsctinR to vote for his nomination. Had
the Convention been held IN any 9TH
or place than Chicago 1t Is quito prob.
able that Seward would have been sue
cessfu: but every circumstance seemed to
converge TO his defeat when tho delegates
came faco to face in Chicago to solve the y, OBJ
lem OF Repu blican nation al victory. or the 231
men who voted for Linz on on the third and last
ballot not less than 100 OF them voted reluc-
family against tho candidate OF their cnoice.
1t was Republican Seward Convention: it
WAS not a Seward Republic N Convention.
With all Its devotion to Seward it Welded to a
higher devotion t, Republican success, and
that led 10 The nomination OF Lincoln.
have read scores OF magazine and news
paper articles assuming to explain how AMI
why Lincoln was nominated at Chicago In
1860. Few Of them approach accuracy. aud no
one OF them that l can recall tells the true
story. Lincoln was not seriously thought OF
for President until but few weeks before tho
meeting Of tho National Convention. Blaine
has truly said that the State Convention Of II.
nnois. hold but short time before tho meet
ing OF tho National Convention was surprised
at its own spontaneous aud enthusiastic nom
ination OF Lincoln. He had been canvassed ut
homo and In other States as more than DOS.
slble candidate for ce-presidsnt l well
remember Lincoln mentioning the fact
that his own delegation from Illinois
was not unitedly In earnest for his
nomination: but when tho time came for
casting their votes tho enthusiasm for Lincoln
In Chicago. both inside and outside tho Conven-
ton. was such that they could do no loss than
give him the united vote OF the S, ats. Leon
ard swett, who was one OF the most potent Of
the Lincoln leaders in that struggle. In a letter
written to Mr.. Drummond on the 9th Of May.
1850. In which he gives deta led account OF
tho battle made tor Lincoln. states that eieht
OF the twenty-five delegates from Illinois
would gladly have como for Seward" Thus,
not only In may OF the o hsr States did Lin
coin receive reluctant votes in tina. Con vention,
but even his own State furnished full share
Of votes which would have been given gladly
to Seward had he been doomed available.
The defeat OF Seward and tho nomination OF
Lincoln wero brought about BY two men
Andrew G. Curtin OF Psnnsylvania AMI Henry
8. Lnne OF Indiana. and noithor accident nor
intrigue was n material factor In the struggle.
They not only defeaei Seward In q Seward
Convention. but they decided tho contest In
favor OF Lincoln against Bates. his only real
competitor after Seward. Curtin had
been nominated for Governor In PENN
sylvanta and Laae had boon nominated
for Governor II Indiana. Ths States In
which their battles werc to be fought wore
the pivotal States OF tho national contest
1t was an ab 4oiuto no % ,sity that both Penn
sJlvsnia and Indiana should elect Republican
Governors in October to secure thu election OF
tina Republican candidate for President in No.
vember Curtin and Lane we're naturally tho
most Interested OF all tho great host that at
tended the Chicago Convention In 1860.
Neither Of ths!r States WAS Republican In
rennsy!yania tho namo Of nopubllcen could
not 'opIod by the party e. at hal chosen
Curtin Tor Governor. Tho cali Tor tho f'onven-
lion summoned tho opposition to Tho Demo-
cratic party to ~ end the PeoIle's State Lon-
!entlon. aud all sha'ios OF antaeonlsm to the
cordial and s.ual p1,,jspa,ion ia, ne dsiiH.r.
mad made stlnet baltic for GOV:
sIIrDor three years roiore with David
Wilmot as the,r candidate against
Is1so Hs;Ssl,hurst.,, the American can:
sSsnI!.lals. The result ras mo eisclon OF
Of both me oppo.inx ;mln.e. The imerI-
81 9r Is. s. a Em%os1ss had Of r.ca s1 ss
mont Fillmore fusion electoral tiiet IN
PEOPLES party in PENNSYLVANIA in tho State
sh ctions OF 1898 and 1859. and tho Dsmoci ats