Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1891-07-17
LINCOLN AND HAMLIN

Hannibal Hamlin's death has given
rise TO spirited discussion which will
probably make history. 1t is over the
| question as to why the dead statesman
was not renCminated for the vice pre- l.
dency, after serving one term with the
immortal Lincoln. The Philadelphia
Times a few days ago published as an in.
teresting incident connected with the
career OF 4amlin a statement to the effect
that he was left off the ticket in 1864 on
the advice of Mr.. Lincoln, who deemed
it good politics and in the
interest of quieting sectional feel
ing to select a southerner for the place.
Andrew Johnson was the result, and his
choice, coupled with the tragic death of
the president, subsequently made him
chief executive of the nation.
That publication prompted John G.
Nicoay, one of the private secretaries of
Lincoln, who has since in company with
Mr.. Hay become his biographer, to send a
telegram to Mrs. Hamlin, declaring it to
be entirely erroneous. Mr.. Lincoln's
personal feelings, on the contrary" be
says, were for Mr. Hamlin's renomina-
Gon, as he confidently expressed it to me:
but he perSistently withheld any opinion
calculated to influence the convention for
or against any candidate; and | have his
written words to that effect as fully set
forth on pages 70 and 7S, chapter 3, vol
ume 9, of Abraham Lincoln; History,
by Nicolay and Hay
Col. A. X. Mcclure, editor of the Times,
who wrote the FIRST editorial rsminiscence,
has published long substantiation of it,
in which he says:
now repeat that, in obedience to
telegraphic request from President Lin
coin, ! visited him at the white house the
day before the Baltimore convection of
1864 At that interview Mr.. Lincoln ear
nestly explained why the nomination of a
well known southern nan like Andrew
johnson, who had been congressman,
governor and senator by the favor of his
state, would not only natioualize
the republican party and the gov
srnment, but would greatly lessen the
p'ave peril of the recognation of the con-
| tederaCy by England and France. de be-
! heved that the election to the vice preSi
denCy of a representative statesman from
| an insurgent state that had been restored
| to the union would diSarm the enemies of
| the republic abroad and remove the load
of Sectionalism from the government that
seemed to greatly hinder peace "
Johuston's nomination followed almost
as matter of course. Col. Mcclure says,
and he gives further details of both the
| conference and convention which lead I'M
alterably to the conviction that he is right
and Nieolay wrong.
| But Col. McClure's personal opinion of
Nicolay is important as affecting the
merit of the Lincoln history which has re-
Gently had such wide sale Says the
Philadelphia editor;
He was a good mechanical routine
clerk; he was utterly inefficient as the
secretary of the president; his removal
was earnestly pressed upon Lincoln on
more than one occasion because of his
utter want of tact and fitness for his trust.
and only the proverbial kindness of Lin
coin saved him from dismissal. He saw
| and knew President Lincoln; the man
! Abraham Lincoln he never saw and never
new; and his assumption that he was the
trusted repository of Lincoln's confidential
convictions and efforts would have
been regarded as grotesque quarter
of century ago, when Lincoln and his
close surroundings were well understood
His biography of Lincoln is invaluable as
an authentic history cf the public acts Of
the Lincoln administration, but there is
! not chapter or page on the inner per
sonal attributes of the man that is not
burdened with unpardonable errors.
There are many statements in the Nico
lay Hay history exhibiting bitter preiu
dice which has tended to great,
discountenance 1t with the unpreiudiceC
public; but heretofore many assertions
based on assumed relations of intimac,
with the president have gone unques
toned. McClure's disclosures are there
fore apt to exercise strong influence il
the general estimate of that work
The discussion is by no means ended
and it will no doubt result in prett
complete expose of the innermost histor
! of the famous Baltimore convention whicl
e named a vice president destined so sool
to succeed even the great leader himself.