Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-07-10
AN OPEN LETTER
From John G. NicOlay, President
LincOln'S Private Secretary,
IN ANSWER TO EDITOR MCCLURE,
bat Lincoln Was Opposed 10 Hamlin's RsnOmlna-
ton as Wee PrsSidsnt-NicOlay Draws Some
Documents on the Pennsylvania Bdior,
Mixed With Some Sarcastic Refer
snOss as to the OOlOnsls Methods

WASHINGTON, d. c., July 9'-Mr'
1ohn G.. Nicolay, President Lincoln ;
private secretary, has to-day addressed
ne following open letter to A. n NC
Clure, editor of the Philadelphia Times:
ST will not reply to your personal
abuse; it proves nothing but your rage
and wounded vanity at being expoSeu IN
q gross historical misStatement-
"You asserted that President Lincoln
onposed the denomination OF Hannibal
Hamlin for Vice President. L refuted
thai assertion by calling attention 10
the written record wherein Lincoln, In
his own handwriting, explicitly states
the contrary. You now reassert your
efatement. or. in other words, you ac-
rnse President Lincoln OF acting low,
noh,ical deceit, and with his own hand
writing a deliberate lie. The country
VII not believe the monstrouS applica-
Hon.
Allow me to re-State the fact. l was
n the Baltimore convention as specta-
for. The chairman of the Illinois dele
estion, Hon. II. G. Cook, had con-
rersatlon with me about the course OF
certain dissatisfied leaders in Illinois,
That conversation l reported TO the
President.
The President, after hearing the con-
FersatiOn, wrote:
"Swett is unquestionably all right. Mr..
bolt is a good man, but had not heard or
rhought of hlm for Vice President. Wish
moi to interfere about Vice President. Can
not interfere about platform; convention
must Judge for itself"
You assert that Lincoln called you to
Washington and urged the nomination
of Johnson, and that you returned TO
Baltimore 10 work and vote In
obedience TO that request against your
personal predictions. The official
Proceedings of the convention show
fhat you were one of the four delegates
In large from Pennsylvania, the Others
being Simon Cameron, w. w. Ketchum,
M. b. Towry. The proceedings also
show that you acted an entirely minor
|part. You were a member OF the Com
mittee on Organization, and presented
BITS report recommending the permanent
officers, which were elected. Beyond
4 give IOrGn the squeak OF the smallest
mouse. Is II probable that Lincoln
&amOug all these men would have called
you as one TO receive his secret inStruc-
tions?
II is q matter Of Public history that
Simoa Cameron was more prominent
eud efficient than any other Pennsyl-
vauiaD IN the movement in that State 70
give Llccoin a second term. How was
it with you? find among Lincoln's
papers the following letter from you:
Franklin REPOSITORY OFFICE,
II CHAMBERsBURG, Pa, May :, 1864. J
To the President:
SIR:-I have been amazed 10 see IL init
mated in one or two journals tina: am not
cortially in favor Of your denomination.
shaQ notice the intimatiOns no further than
to assure You that you will have no more
cOrdial. earnest or faithful supporter III
the Baltimore convention than
Your obedient servant,
n. X. MCCLURE.
That is, only a month before the Bal
ktimOre convention you felt called upon
b personally protest against accusations
Df party diSlOyalty.
Dare you venture the assertion that
Lincoln was deceiving Cameron, deciv-
ing Cook, carrying on secret intrigue
against Holt, and that on top OF the
whole he was writing a deliberate lie to
MS? That may be your conception Of
abraham Lincoln, but it Is not mine.
That may be your system Of politics but
it was not his. JOHN G.. NIcoI.AY."