The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-07-11
THE MoLURE.NIooLAY CONTROVERSY.

In 1864 furnishes an interesting midsum-
mer diversion. The Issue between them
is clear and well defined. Mr.. Mcclure,
who was q delegate-at-large from Penn
sylvania to the Baltimore convention in
1854, says that "in response to an invita-
ton from the President to visit Wash
ington, on the eve of the meeting of the
Lincoln gravely urged the nomination of
johnson for Vice-president," and that
"it was solely In Difference to Lincoln's
earnest convictions as to the national
and international necessities which de-
manded Johnson's nomination for the
vice-presidency hat the writer's vote
was cast against Hamlin, and other
Pennsylvania delegates were influenced
to the same action by the confidential
assurance of LincOln's Wishes" MIR.
Nicolay, who held confidential relations
with President Lincoln at the time. says
that "Mr. Lincoln's personal feelings
were for Mr.. Hamlin's denomination, as
he ~confidentially expressed to me. but he
persistently withheld any opinion calcu-
lated to influence the convention for or
against any candidate"
What are the proofsf On the one hand
Mr.. Mcclure is positive in his personal
recollection and assertion that Mr.. Lin
coin, in q conference held before the
convention, urged the nomination of
johnson for Vice-president and gave
specific reasons therefor. These reasons
were of a public nature, and he says mo
trace of prejudice against Mr.. Hamlin
was exhibited In the convention Nc
Clure worked for the nomination of
Johnson. and he says it was because Mr.
Lincoln desired it. He also points to the
fact that Leonard SWEET, of Chicago,
who was a very intimate friend of Lin
coin. was opposed to the denomination of
Mr.. Hamlin. SWEET was working Osten-
sibly for the nomination of General Holt.
Mcclure says: 81 saw and conferred
with SWEET almost every hour of the
period of the convention. We both Ia
bored to nominate johnson, and SWEET
made Holt. who was an impossible cam
didate, a mere foil to divide and conquer
the supporters of Hamlin." This would
be in accordance with political meth
DDS her and now. The question arises,
if Lincoln desired the denomination of
Hamlin, why should SWEET. an intimate
friend of Lincoln, be working for Holt9
Mr.. Mcclure also called attention to the
fact that the convention was over
whelmingly, almost unanimously, for
Lincoln, and if he had desired the re-
nomination of Hamlin he had but t. say
the word or intimate his wishes and it
would have been done. This suggestion
has some force.
Mr.. Nicolay. in support of his posi-
ton, says that when B. c. Cook, chair
man of the Illinois delegation at Balti-
more, found that SWEET was working for
Holt he came to Nicolay tn know what
it meant. This shows that Cook did not
know Mr.. Lincoln's wishes. Nicolay
wrote to Col. Hay, the other executive
secretary at Wash ington. saying, 'Cook
wants to know confidentially whether
SWEET is all right, whether in urging
Holt for Vice-president he reflects the
Presidents wishes, whether the Presi-
lent has any preference, either person
ally or on the score of policy. or wheth-
er he wishes not even to interfere
by a confidential indication" This
shows that Nicolay was as much in
the dark concerning Lincoln's prefer
ence as Cook was. If. Lincoln had
previously confided to him his prefer
ence for Hamlin, why did not Nicolay
assure Cook of this fact, and why
did he write this letter to Hayq The
letter was not answered. Evident
ly, Colonel Hay did not get the desired
information from the President. This
seems to show hat Lincoln did not care
to communicate with the convention
through the medium of his secretaries.
The letter never was answered, but
NicOlay says it bears this Endorsement
in Lincoln's handwriting:
SWEET is Internationally all right. Mr..
Holt is a good man, but i had not heard or
thought of him for Vice president. Wish
TO not interfere about Vice-president. Can
not interfere about platforms; convention
must judge for itself.
Nicolay cites this as documentary
proof that Lincoln was in favor of Ham,
lin. We cannot see how it can be so
construed. SWEET was working against
Hamlin, and Lincoln says "Swett is I'M
q~uestionably all right" Neither that
nor the following sentences indicate
Lincoln's preference ior Hamlin. All
they indicate is his determination not to
interfere or to commit himself openly in
favor of any person. Is it not possible
that for public reasons he may nave de-
sired the nomination OF johnson and
yet not have been willing to appear as
openly urging it OIL trying to control the
convention? 1t must be remembered
that at that time Andrew johnson stood
very high in public esteem as a Southern
~lOyalist and Union man, and his nominal
ton was regarded by many as a fine
stroke of policy. Mr.. Hamlin. though
highly respected, was not considered to
add any positive strength to the ticket,
while it was thought by many that the
nomination of a Southern Union man
would do much to ~nationalize and
strengthen the Republican party. We
must look at things as they appeared
then. 1t is quite probable that Mr.. Lin
colin aharad these viaws