Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-07-07
THE DROPPING OF HAMLIN.
a Political Secret Of the Republican Conver
ton of 1864 Revealed.

In leading editorial entitled Lincoln and
Hamlin, the Philadelphia Times makes the
following important statement regarding the
defeat of Hannibal Hamlin for the nomina ton
of Vice President in 1864:
1T is true that Hamlin. an entirely unob.
jectionable Vice President, and a leader with
| peculiar claims upon the republican party,
was rejected as Vice President by the republi-
can convention of 1864 to place a southern man
| i'll that Office. and it is equally true that il
! would not and could not have been done had
President Lincoln opposed it. SO far from
opposing ii. Lincoln discreetly favored it; in
deed. earnestly desired it. The writer hereof
was delegate ut large from Pennsylvania in
the Baltimore convention Of 1864. and in re-
Spouse from an invitation from the President
to visit Washington on the evening of the
meeting of the body conference was had. in
which Lincoln gravely urged the nomination
of Johnson for Vice President. 1t was solely
IN Difference to Lincolns earnest convictions
as TO the national and international necessities
which demanded JohnsOns nomination for the
vice presidency that the writer's vote cast
against Hamlin, and other Pennsylvania dele
gates were influenced to the same action by the
confidential assurance of Lincolns wishes.
ut should not be assumed that Lincoln was
ambitious to play the role of political master
or that he was periidious to any. His position
was not only one of the greatest delicacy in pol
ltics, but he WAS loaded with responsibilities to
which all former Presidents had been stran-
gers His one supreme desire was the restora-
ton of the Union and he would gladly have
surrendered his own high honor, and even his
life, If thereby had restored the discovered
states. The one great shadow that hung over
him and his power was the sectional character
of the ruling party and the government 1t
weakened his arm to make peace; it strength
enod European hostility to the cause of the
Union, and it left the south without even II
silver lining to the dark cloud OF subjuGation.
Lincoln firmly believed that the nomination Of
johnson, ali old democratic southern Senator
who had been aggressively loyal to the Union
and who was then the military governor OF his
rebellious but destroyed state, would not only
desc ctionalze the party and the government.
but would chill and curb the anti Mon senti-
timent OF England and France and inspire the
friends OF the Union in those countries to nee a
leading statesman from conquered iusurgent
state 10 the second office ~ he republic.
''Such were LIncolp's sincere convictions and
such his earnest arguments in favor of the NOM
inaIion of johnson ill 1854. and but for Lin
coins convictions on tie subject Hamiin would
have been renominated and succeeded to the
presidency instead of johnson. 1t is easy. in
the clear light of the present. to say that the
nomination of Johnson was a grave mist ortune.
and to speculate On the countless evils which
could have been averted, but the one man who
was most devoted to the endangered nation
and who could lest judge of the sober neces-
stiles of the time. believed that it was not only
wise, but an imperious need. to take a Vice
President from the south. and that is why Han
moai HaniIn was not renominated in 1854.