Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-07-09
HAMLIN AND LINCOLN.
Colonel Mcclure Takes Issue With Nicolay
on Political History.

Colonel Mcclure Takes Issue With Nicolay
on Political History.
PHILADELPHIA, July s.-The following edf
toria1 of Colonel Mcclure will appear in to-
morrow's Times:
The haste of John G. Nicolay in his public
telegram to the widow of ex-Vice President
Hamlin, is equaled only by his arrogance,
in assuming to speak for Abraham Lincoln
in matters about which Nicolay was never
consulted and Of which he had no more
knowledge than any other routine clerk
about the White House. 1 do not regret that
Mr.. Nfcolay has rushed into dispute that
must lead to clear establishment of the
exact truth as to the defeat of Hamlin in
1854. 1t will surely greatly impair, if not
destroy, Nicolay's hitherto generally ac-
cepted claim to accuracy as the biographer
of Lincoln, but he can complain of none but
himself
1 saw Abraham Lincoln at all hours Of the
day and night during his Presidential ser
vice, and he has himself abuntantly testified
to the trust that existed between rs. Hav-
ing had the direction Of his battle in the
pivotal State of the Union, he doubtless ac-
corded me more credit than merited, and
the fact that l never sought or desired
honors or profits from his administration,
and never embarrassed him with exactfons
of any kind, made our relations one of the
most grateful memories of his life.
In all of the many grievfous politi al ques-
tions arising from the new and often impall-
| ing duties imposed by war, / was one Of
those called to the inner councils Of Abra-
ham Lincoln. He distrusted his own judg-
| ment in politics, and was ever careful to
gather the best counsels from all the varied
shades of opinion and interest to guide him
| in his conclusions and there were not only
scores of confidential conferences In the
White House OF which John G. Nicolay never
heard, but no man ever met or heard Of
John G. Nicolay in such councils. He was
good, mechanical routine clerk. He was ut
terly inefficient as the Secretary of the Pres
ident. His removal was pressed upon Lin
coin on more than one occasion because OF
trust, and only the proverbial kindness of
Lincoln saved him from dismissal He saw
and knew President Lincoln. The man
Abraham Lincoln he never saw and never
trusted repository of Lincoln's confidential
convictions and efforts would have been re-
garded as grotesque quarter of century
ago, when Lincoln and his close surround
ings were well understood.
His biography of Lincoln is invaluable as
an accurate history of the public acts OF the
Lincoln administration, but there is not q
chapter or page on the inner personal at
tributes of the man that is not burdened with
unpardonable errors. Nicolay was a plod-
ing, precise, mechanical clerk, well fitted
to preserve historical data and present it in
telfigently and correctly, but there his fit
ness as biographer ended.
now repeat, that in obedience to q tele-
graphic request from President Lincoln I
"
fore the Baltimore Convention of 1854. At
that interview Mr.. Lincoln earnestly ex-
planned why the nomination of a well-known
Southern man like Andrew johnson, who
had been Congressman, Governor and Sena-
tor by the favor of his State, would not
only, nationalize the Government, but
would greatly lessen the grave peril
of the recognition of the Confederaoy
by England and France. He believed that
the election to the Vice Presidency of a rep
resentative statesman from an insurgent
State that had been restored to the Union
would disarm the enemies of the Republic
abroad and remove the load of sectionalism
from the Government that seemed to great
ly hinder peace. No intimation, no trace of
prejudice against Mr.. Hamlin was exhibited,
and 1 well know that no such consideration
could have influenced Mr.. Lincoln in such
an emergency. Had he believed Mr.. Hamlin
to be the man who could best promote the
great work whose direction fell solely upon
himself, he would have favored Hamlin's re-
nomination regardless of his personal
wishes; but he believed that great public
achievement would be attained by the cleo
tion of johnson, and returned to Baltimore
to work and vote for johnson although
against all my personal prediction in the
matter