Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-07-11
MCCLURE REPLIES.
Another Chapter of that Ancient
Political History.
THE EDITOR EVIDENTLY VERY HOT

And not a Little Bit Choice or Courteous
Pennsy lvania Delegation Explained
The Vote for Hamlin Only a Compile
mentaly Blind-What Lincoln Meant
by Saying That SWEET was all Right
More Evidence.
PHILADELPHIA, July 11.-Under the
head of spanked and Dismissed" The
Times prints in its editorial columns an
open letter to John G. Nicolay, in which
the editor first takes up and explains his
letter to Lincoln assuring him of his fidel-
ity. He SAYS the Cameron people were
spreading it abroad that he (McClure) was
unfaithful to Lincoln, and adds: THE mo-
ment I saw the statement in print wrote
the letter you quote to dismiss from Lin
coins mind all apprehensions about either
open or passive opposition from Curtin's
friends. Had you stated these facts you
would have been truthful. As you proba-
bly, did not know of them, you may be ex-
cused for not stating them, but your ignor-
ance can De no excuse for the entirely false
construction you put upon my letter.
The Pennsylvania Delegation.
"Equally-indeed, even more fiagrantiy
false is your statement of the minor part
of the truth about the action of the Penn
sylvania delegation to Baltimore in 1864.
You say that General Cameron cast the
solid vote of the state for Hamlin. Had
you told the whole truth, ignorant as you
seem to be of the force of important polit-
ical facts, you would have known that
your assumption that johnson had no
votes in the delegation was untrue. Had
you desired TO be truthful you would have
added that General Cameron cast the solid
vote of the delegation for johnson before
the close of the first ballot.
Only a Compliment to Hamlin.
THE Pennsylvania delegation was per-
sonally harmonious, although divided on
vice president. In the PENNSYLVANIA
caucus an informal vote put johnson in
the lead, With Hamlin second and Dickin-
son third. Cameron knew that Hamlin' s
nomination was utterly hopeless and he
accepted The result without special grief
He urged a solid vote just as a compliment
to Hamlin, and it was given with the
knowledge that il could not help Hamlin
and that solid vote for johnson would
follow The solid vote for johnson was
the only vital vote cast for vice president,
| and that record, accessible to every school
boy, you stuGiously suppress to excuse
a falsehoOd.
What did or did not. or how important
or how unimportant | was as a member
| OF the convention is an issue that l have
| not raised or invited. / stated the simple
| fact that Lincoln had sent for me, had
urged me TO support johnson, and that
| had done So Had Lincoln chosen to con
| fGe his wishes TO another than myself
would not have initiated the secretary
and charged him with deceit and falsehood
because h didn't tell me all MS purposes.
He did not trust you with what you prob,
| ably could not have understood had he
| told you. but that is no reason why you
| shonld accuse him of deceit, intrigue and
writing deliberate lie
| Explaining About SWEET.
He wrote you the exact truth in the
only paper you have as the basis of your
| ineXcusable misconception of his language
| In il he says that SWEET is unquestionably
! all right, and the only thing he could have
| been right about in the matter was in his
active opposition to Hamlin's renomina
ton. Had you sought the truth as al
honest biographer you could have obtained
it without offensive disputation, not only
| from me so far as / knew it, but from
such living witnesses as Charles \. Dams
and Murat Halstead, and from the re
corded testimony of General Cameron
| Colonel Forney, and Others, who knew
much of Lincoln, and but little of you.
The rest Of the letter is abuse.