, 1891-07-10
WHICH IS RIGHT?
John 6. Nicolay Replies to Col
McCIure's Editorial.
LincOln's Attitude Toward the
Convention of 1884
Horrible Tale of Cannibalism
" From Brazil.

~ 49,
WASHINGTON. Jnly John G. Mic
o!ay today addressed an open letter to
Col. Mcclure, editor of the PHILADELPHIA
Times, replying TO his latest editorial on
the subject. Nicolay saws, in part, that
he was at the Baltimore convention as a
spectator. B. G. Cook. chat man of the
Illinois delegation, had a conversation
with him about the course of certain
disaffected leaders in Illinois. That con
yersation Nicolay reported to the presi-
dent in a letter to Maj. Hay, assistant
private secretary. What he had heard
had made Cook suspicious that SWEET
might be untrue to Lincoln. Oue Of the
straws which led 10 this belief was that
SWEET had teIegraphed 10 Bllu-
more. urging tho Illinois delegation to go
for Holt. Cook wanted to know cOnfdeu-
tally whether. 10 urging Holt Tor the vice
presidency. Sweet reflected the president 5
wish-Whether the president had any
preference, or whether he wished not
even to interfere by confidential indica
ton. Upon this letter President Lincoln
made the following endorsement IN hls
own handwriting. SWEET Is uuquesUo1-
ably all right. Mr.. Holt Is "a good man,
but | had not heard or thought of him
for vice president. | wish not To intir
fere about the vice president. | cannot
interfere about the platform. aud the con
%vention must judge for ITSELF
This written evidence, says Nic0lny.
clDno lie turned. Ia trying TO evade its
force, YOU assert that Lincoln called YOU
to WASHINGTON aud Urgei the nomination
- IL -
Baltimore to work aud vote in obedience
to that request against your personal
predictions. The proceedings of the
convention" says Nicolay, show that
you acted an entirely minor part. Is it
probable thai Lincoln among all the
other men in the Pennsylvania delcrati ~
(Simon Cameron. Th.idrus Stevens. a.
II. Reeder, & lusha A Grow. and other>)
would have called you alone. Ia receive his
secret Instructions? IL is a matter OF
public history that Simon Cameron was
more prominent AID efficient thrn any
other Pennsylvania IN the movement IN
thai state 10 gIys Lincoln a second term.
and that on the l4th of January. lSGi
be trau,miuad tn the president the
written request Of every Union member
of the PENNSYLVANIA legislature to accept
"A reuummatipu. THIS end ht~ subsequent
open and unyaryIUg support left no doubt
OF Camerols st,ituic. How was 1t with
you?'
Nicolsy then quotes a letter from, Me
Clure 20 President Lincoln. May >, 1861
protesting against the infimation IL one
or two papers that he tMrCiure) was rot
cordially m favor of Linculu's renominA-
.tT0H, NM aSyTTTTE UImU -HTS Cur4+T1 y=r-
port, aud continues: "Ihst is. only a
month before tie convention YOU felt
called upon to personally protest against
accusations Of parry d~t>luyalty. But tlls
is not all Whom the rIme came to make
the nominations for vice president, Simon
Cameron. chairman of the PENNSYLVANIA
delegation. and one of the earliest aud
most uer>is, Out trends OF Lincoln, him
SELF nominated Hannibal Hamlin for vice
president While the who'll vutc II Penn
s%ylvaniu wa ON the first ballot
cast tor Hanhr's reorganization. so
also oil the Illinois dcl"gaIpn cast it, en-
tire vote tor Namrr o. the first ballot
Doc. It stand to REASON that Lincoln called
upon yuu to desert llamtlu aud dominate
johnson. and gave no iutImuIOn IT this
desire To the chairman Of the PruEsyl-
wanna ,ui l|tlIuur- ,ict-psUous? Dare YOU
venture the a>sriUun that Linrnlu wa de
ceivi1g Cameron, d epivi,.g Cook. ra-ry-
iug on a ), cres intrigue against llamliu
and 1un'ier secret T. triTue az amt Holt.
anl that, un tep 1t the Whole, he was
writing a d. hcra,c 10 ~ o.? That may
boz v1nr inception OF Abraham Lincoln,
but u Is not mlne.