The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-08-19

strongly to this fact because, although he
had been elected to the Senate when he was
nominated for the presidency AMI was sem
ator-elect when he was elected President,
vet be was never q member of that body.
He had not been sworn in. He went from
his seat In the House Of Representatives
into the presidential office, or would have
done 80 had he not resigned that place.
Senator Conkhng used. when speaking to
his friends about the conditions which
caused the Senate, to breed unhealthy can
didates for the presidency, to say that
there was nothing strange that this should
be so, neither was there any superstitious or
ominous association between the seat In the
Senate and a defeated ambition for the
presidency. The senator, Conkling used to
say, who aspired TO the presidency, was
sure to betray that ambition and at once to
become an object Of jealousy to those who
had similar aspirations. 1t has, therefore,
happened a number of times that sena-
tors who were themselves ambitious have
combined to defeat the aspiration or one or
their associates who had gained more prom
inence and who possessed more apparent
strength than they. Having thus killed him
of, they turned their attention to one an-
other with an unbroken record of successes
in this respect. The pathway said Conk-
ling, "that leads from the Senate 70 the
white house is strewn with political corpses,
Senate chamber"
Senator Ingalls, was of the opinion that
another influence operated to inJure a oan-
didate who was a senator. The very con-
spicuousness of the office, Ingalls, used TO
say, made him who held 1t a target, and
moreover the record of the Senate is a dan
gerous thing. A vote given on a question
which at the time seemed trivial has cost
more than one senator the nomination for
the presidency, and sentence uttered in
speech or letter written off-nsnd has served
to defeat these ambitions. On the other
hand the man who is living In comparative
retirement, who has been for some time OUT
of public life so that jealousies and enmities
are not concerned with him Is likely 10 be
accepted as the party's choice. That hap
pened In the case Of Harrison, Cleveland,
Hayes, Lincoln, Buchanan, Pierce, Taylor,
Polk and William Henry Harrison.
A single anecdote will tend to further IL
lustrate the working of this developed law
of the Senate. At the time the Republican
party was organized Lyman Trumbull,
who is still living, was one of the great
lights of the party in the west. Abraham
Lincoln, who was without political expert
ence of the maneuvering sort. had devel-
oped much prominence and great popularity
in Central Illinois, A senator was to be
chosen. Trumbull was OF the widest repute.
Lincoln Of the greater popularity, and it
appeared almost inexplicable TO Lin
coins friends that he should have
taken himself out OF the way, as
he did most graciously, and per-
NIT Trumbull to be chosen for that office.
Those who read the story Of Lincolns life
with care think they can detect purpose
of Lincolp's in so doing, and that he, with
that wonderful intuition OF his, saw that
the man who sat in the Senate chamber
could not hope to be nominated for the
presidency. Trumbull was chosen and
Lincoln stayed at home practicipg law. Two
years later Lincoln and Douglas met in q
Joint debate, which has become one of the
great political traditions, and In that debate
Lincoln set trap for Douglas. He pro-
posed TO ask him a certain question. His
friends demurred saying: "Ah, bus if
Douglas answers the question in this way
it will make him senator again"
"True," replied Lincoln, but II he
answers it in that way, IL he takes that
| shoot, he may go to the Senate, but be never
can become President
Douglas did SO answer 1t and became
senator; Lincoln stayed out Of the Senate
and became President, beating for the
| presidential nomination the most con-
spicuous senator Of his party, William Ii,
Seward.
The political nisfortunes of Senator Hill
| are likely to cause renewed interest IN this
| mysterious law which seems to have de
| veloped In the Senate with respect to presi
Dental aspirations.