The National tribune., 1891-07-16

YET WAS Mlthlh the grasp OF MCOluIesf
Nioolay's chiefclaim for public consideration
is that he was Lincoln's Private Secretary
a good, faithful, efficient elerk-and that is
all. Ills duties in those momenious times
were simply TO keep records, write letters
and transmit messages. lie had no more
control OF the m ghty men and movements
than The humble clerk who checks off freight
at steamboat landing has TO DO with run
ming the boat lie has since won much
praise by collaborating in writing an adj
mirable history Of Lincoln, which is parti-
culariy valuable on account Of the industry
and fidelity with which he and his associate
have collected ali the facts bearing on the
career of the great President
Everyone at all familiar with the war
knows that there are really no "develop-
meuts, OF revelations" or secret history"
connected with the substitution Of johnson
for Hamlin in 1864 II was the logic Of the
situation which compelled this, and no one
mans schemes OF wishes
The charge which the Republicans fel!
most FESTIVE under in the campaign Of 1850
was that theirs was "a sectional party -
that both their candidates were from the
North, All their votes were cast in that sec
lion and that, therefore they could not claim
TO be National party, in the sense that the
Democrats, Wings Know-Noihings and
other parties were or had been. The open
ing Of the war Effected a radical change in
this, Cor great numbers of Democrats, Wings
and Know-No,hings, North and South, put
themselves in line, temporarily or perma-
ncntly, with the Republican party to aid
tie Administration in asserting the National
supremacy. Andrew johnson was by a long
ways The leading man among the Southern
Unionists. lie was man Of great ability,
of sterling integrity, an ardent Democrat, a
Senator rom the State Of Tennessee, and the
only Senator south Of The Border States who
did not join the Southern Confcderacy. lie
was the representative and leader Of the
loyal East Tennesseans. lie had gone back
TO has own State and fought the rebels
coprageously and uufinchingly as Military
Governor OF Tennessee. What, therefore,
more natural, when it was decided 10 re-
nominate Lincoln, than TO put johnson on
the ticket with him? This had everything
10 commend it TO the good sense Of the party.
Itwould make the Republican party National
In character; ii would he a compliment and a
recognition 10 the War Democrats who were
giving such valuable help toward saving The
Unioni il would be n great compliment 70
Southern UHionis;s Of all parties. Nothing
was to be gained by renominating Ham
lin, for the men who would vote for
him would vote FOR Lincoln anyway,
while everything was 70 be gained by placing
johnson on the ticket. ii was felt at he
time that this might have the happiest
effect in aiding forward the work Of Recon
struetion. We are not speaking now Of
whaI Johnsontuned out 10 bcallerward, only
Of the way things appeared at the time OF
holding the Republican Convention at BalH-
more, in 1854. HanI.n's denomination was
simply Out Of the question-not on account
Of any objection TO him, but because Of the
general feeling that Lincoln should be re-
nominated as a war measure. and the second
place on the ticket given to some War Dem
ocrat Everyone who remembers the polit-
ical conditions Of the time will corroborate
this. Therefore, most Of the stuff that is
being written and talked now is mere bald
ignorant chatter.