New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-07-09
LINCOLN AND HAML1N.
COLONEL MCCLURE STATES WHY THE LAT
TER WAS NOT RENoNnNATED.

AFFIRMING LINCODN'S PEEFERENCb FL"
1oHNsoN-A SOUTHERN MAN WAS WANTED.
PHILADELPHIA. July 9.-The following editorial
nv Colonel Mcclure will appear in to-merrows
"Timesn:
The Ignorance exhibited by John q. Nieolay In MS
.ublie alarram TO the widow exVicePresident Hanln
ouaund onv tv his arrogance assuming TO speak Tor
Abraham Lincoln In matters about which NicolaS was
never consulted and Of which he had no more kno"eus
thsn any other routine clerk about the White HOUSE
do not that Mr.. Ncolay has rushed INTO
thu. must lead to the clear establishment Of the exact truth
a. 70 the defeat OF amn IN 1854 II will surely greatly
mpo, II not destroy Ncolay's hitherto generally &C.
oeed claim TO accuracy as the bographer Of Lincoln ou'
he can complain Of none but himself
saw Abraham Lincoln at all hours OF the day ana
n,eb. DURING his Presidential service, and he has himself
sbnndanyy testified TO the trust that existed between US
Having had the direction Of his battle in the pivotal state
NJ the Union he doubtless accorded me more cred hsn
morited as the only success In politics and war s sue
cess and the fact sought or desired hsnors
cr nro0t from his Administrator and never embarrassed
him with exactons Of any Kind made our reatons inc
most grateful memories Of my life
In al the grave political emergencies arising from The
new and ott,n appalling duties imposed by internecine
war was one those called 70 the inner councils OF
Abraham Lincoln. He distrusted HIS own Judgment In
pocs and was careful TO gather the best counses
from all the varied shades Of opinion and interest 70
ou,de him fn concusons and there were not only
scores OF confidential conferences in the While House Of
which John g. NcoIay heard, but no man ever
met or heard OF John c. Nicolay in such councils He
was good mechanical, routine clerk; he was utterly
inefficient as the secretary Of the Presidents his removal
wa, earnestly pressed upon Lincoln more than one
occasion because his utter want Of tact and fitness for
his trust and only the proverbia Kindness OF Lincoln
saved him from dismissal He saw and knew President
Lincoln; the man Abraham Lincoln he never saw and
never knew; and hs assumption that he was The trusted
repository Lincolns confidential convictions and eff
forts would have been regarded gretesque quarter
OF century ago. when Lincoln and his close surround
inss were we'll understood. His biography OF Lincoln
is invaluable an accurate history Of the public acts OF
the Lincoln Administration, but there Is not chapter
or page the inner personal attributes Of the man mat
is no, burdened with objectionable errors Ncolay was
ploddins precise mechanical clerk well fitted to pre-
serve historical data and present them ntelgenty and
correctly but there his fitness blographer ended
now repeat that, In obedience TO telegnphic re
quest from President Lincoln, visited him at the white
House the day before the Baltimore convention OF 1854
At Interview Mr.. Lincoln earnestly explained why the
nomination Of well.known Southern man Ike Andrew
Johnson had been Congressman Governor and SEN
aor BY the favor Of his state would not only Nationwide
the Republican party md the Government but "ouiu
greatly peril Of the recognition Of the Con-
federacy by England and France He believed that the
election to the Vice Presidency Of representative states
man from an nsursent state had been restored to the
Union would dsarn the enemies Of the Republic ABROAD
and remove the secaonasm from the Governments
that seemed greatly hinder peace NO intmatoh' no
pace of prejudice against Mr. Hamln was exhibited ana
Il
enced Mr. Lincoln in such an emergency. Had ne Dc
eved Mr. Hamlin to be the man who could best promote
the great work direction fell solely upon hs nc
would have favored Hams nomination, regauess Of MS
personal wishes but he believed that great puONc
achievement would be attained by the election Of Johnson
and returned to Baltimore and vote for Johnson
although against all my personal predictions In the natter
Mr. Nicoay's public telegram TO Mrs Hamlin' saying
that the foregoing statement us entirely erroneous Il d"
nsolent as II is false and the correctness Of my statement
IIv
ton from Lincoln. On the contrary Ncolays statement
given in his history (Vol 0, pages 72-9 proves simply
that Nicoay was dfess-paradne at Baltimore and Kne"
nothing Of the Presidents purposes. True he seems
TO assume that he had responsible charge Of the
Executive duties. a. he SAYS that "Mr. Nicoay
wrote letter Mr.. Hay, who lad been leit IN
charge Of the Executive Office" asking whether
Leonard SWEET one OF the Presidents most Intimate
friends was "all right urging the nomination of
Judge Advocate General Holt for Vice.Presdent Had
Nicolay ever learned anything In the White House ne
would have that OF all living men, Leonard Sweet
was the one trusted by Abraham Lincoln anu DC
should have that when SWEET was opposing HamD
Lincoln was not yearnng for Hamun's denomination.
Then comes IAncon's answer 10 NicOay's bombastc
query saying: "Swett Is unQuesuonaby all right ana
because Lincoln did not proclaim himself 1901 by gVug
Ncoay opportunity to herald ncons sacreiy private
convictions a. 10 the VicePresdency no assumes that
he has Lincon's 'wrltten worlds justify his con
radct!on Of circumstanta statement and an executed
purpose Of which he could have had no knowledge
When Leonard SWEET against Hanilin, mons could
eseape the conclusion that opposition Hamlin
orance 70 Lincoln saw and conferred with SWEET oil.
most every hour Of the period Of the convention We
both abored 10 nominate Johnson, and SWEET made Holt
who was an impossible candidate, mere foil to divide
and conquer the supporters Of Hamln. Had Lincoln
desired Hamln's nomination, SWEET would have desired
and abored for IT, and Hamn would have been renomI-
mated on the first ballot. The convention was Lincoln
body pure and simple, and no man could have been put
on the ticket with Lincoln who not known 10 be his
choice 1t was proclaimed but it was in the air and
pretty much everybody but John C. Nicooy scented and
bowed to II.
OF the few men who enjoyed Lncolns complete conf
dence Charles A. conspicuous, and his state
ment given in another column s as credible testimony a.
could now be given the subject He was trusted by
Lincoln In most delicate matters political and military
and he logically tells Of Johnons selection by Lincoln"
for the Vce.Presdency in 1864 With Dana's direct cor
roboaton Of my statement added TO the strongly eoro5o
rative facts herein given, may safely dismiss John g.
Nicolay and dispute his mingled ignorance and AFRO
gance has thrust upon me. A H. NJ