Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-07-11


Mr.. John @. Nicolay today prepared the
following open letter.
To Col A. Il. NcCl,Ire. Editor PHILADELPHIA
Times:
will not allow you 10 retreat in cloud Of
vituperation from full conviction Of having
made misstatement of history. need only to
sum up the points Of evidence.
You sllege that Mr.. Lincoln called and n
structed you to oppose Hamlin and nominate
johnson.
l. This is proven to be Q misstatement by
Llncoln's written words: "wish not to inter-
fere about V. P. Cannot interfere about plat
form. Convention must judge for itself" 1t
Is not question between your assertion and
my assertion. but between your assertion and
Lincoln's written words.
IL: 1t Is proven to be a misstatement by the
testimony OF Hon. B. {. Cook, chairman OF the
liiinols delegation, who says: Mr.. Nicolay s
statement that Mr.. Lincoln was in favor Of
Hannibal Hamln is correct. The dispatch.
which is published this morning. was sent to
me In reply to an inquiry to Mr.. Lincoln in re-
gard to the matter. II read: Wish not to in
terfere about V. p. Cannot interfere about
platform. Convention must judge for itself.
Il went to see Mr.. Lincoln personally, how
ever. There are always men who say the pres
idential candidates prefer this man OF that.
and they do 1t without the slightest authority.
1t was SO in this campaign. II was reported
that Andrew johnson WAS Mr.. Lincoln .
choice, and it was my business to
ma out whether 1t was not. We were be-
yond all measure for Mr. Lincoln first last and
TOT an time. II he desired Mr.. johnson he
would have been our choice, but he did not.
AS the dispatch indicates Mr.. Lincoln was
particularly anxious not to make known his
preferences on the question Of his associate on
the ticket But that he had preference posi-
lively know. After my interview with him Twas
as positive that Hannibal Hamlin WAS his
fsvorite as l am that l am alive today. The
TACT Is further proven by the action of the
entire Illinois delegation, which was a unit tor
Mr. HHmiin, and, as l stated before, We were
at his service in the matter
Ill. 1t is proven to be a misstatement by Col.
Hay, who says: II have nothing to say about
MIR. Nlcolays assertion nor about this tele-
gram, but j do corroborate the statement
that Mr. Lincoln withheld all opinion calculated
to influence the Baltimore convention of 1854. -
Anu further. Il stand simply by the PROPOSE
ton contained in our History. For
several days before the convention. the Presi-
dent had been bea;e1ed by inquiries ~
to his personal w'sres in regard TO
his. associat. on the ticket. He had
persistentiy refused to give the slightest intimu-
ton Of such wish. I" = 1t was therefore
with minds absolutely untrammeled by any
knowledge OF the Presidents wishes that the
convention went about the work Of selecting
his associate on the ticket"
Nv. II Is proven 70 De q mlSstatement Dv The
action OF Simon Cameron. chairman OF the
Pennsylvania delegation, in nominating Ham
lin as a candidate for Vice President and cast
ing for him the whole hfty-two votes OF the
Pennsylvania delegation.
'. 1t IL proven to be u misstatement by YOUR
own action in the Baltimore convention when,
at the fret vote for Vice President. after the
supposed instructions which you claim 20 have
received from Lincoln. and having, as you say,
returned to work and vote for johnson,
you us u member of the Pennsylvania delega
ton voted for Hannibal Hamin for Vice Presi-
dent II You did this willingly You betrayed
Llncoln's confidence ana instructions
which you allege to have received. II
you did it unwillingly you proved
yourself political cipher-s pretended
agent to manipulate a national convention
who had notinfiuence enough in his own dele
cation to control his own vote The frs,
roll-caH was decisive in showing Johnson
strength against the Pennsylvania vote
yourself included) and it shows that Won
contributed nothing for but everything
against the result you were commissioned. as
you say, to bring about. Subsequent changes
still Oh the first ballot Cfor there was no sec.
ond) were simply the usual rush to make the
choice unanimous. in which Pennsylvania did
not lead. but only joined after the rush became
evident, just Maine and Illinois did.
JNO Ii. NIcoLAY.