St. Paul daily globe., 1892-06-05
TWO CONVENTIONS.
Blaine's First Defeat and Final
Victory in the Fight for
Nomination.
He First Entered the Presi-
Dental Lists Sixteen
Years Ago.
Dubbed the Plumed Knight
by IngepsOll and Beaten
by Hayes.
Eight Years Later He Wrested
the Nomination From
Chester A. Arthur.

The Republican convention of 1876
marked the beginning of new era. for
the candidates at the four previous con-
ventionS had been pretty well indicated.
But the party was to meet in conven-
ton in 1876 with an open field and with
men of younger generation than that
which had been prominent earlier in the
party's history, who had come to the
front after the war.
The most conspicuous candidate for
the nomination WAS James q. Blaine.
He was then very young man, at least
for presidential hOnOrs. lie was only
fOrty-six, He had served three terms
as speaker of the house. and during that
service had displayed those rare intel
lectual and personal qualities which
gained for him the peculiar hold upon
the masses which has been likened to
that which Henry Clay enjoyed. Blaine
was a confessed candidate. He directed,
so far as he could do so with dignity.
his own canvass, but he had a splendid
staff of enthusiastic Young assistants
about him. He knew that during his
services as speaker he had necessarily
alienated many men Of influence, and
that if he were defeated for the nomi-
nation ii would be due to them.
But there were other strong men be-
sides Blaine offered as candidates, says
the New York Press. There was Sena-
tor Morton, of Indiana. man of great
intellectual power without great cult
ure, and hampered by physical intirmi-
ties. Senator COnkling. of New York,
then perhaps at the climax of his re-
IL l,..ftf t,f,N Il
tempestuouS career as a politician. was
also a candidate, and represented much
of the strength of what was called the
Grant wing of the party. Benjamin II.
BriStow, who had been secretary of the
treasury under Grant, was the candi-
date of the sU-called reform element.
Pennsylvania had a candidate in Gov.
Hartranft, and ohio offered one in Gov.
Hayes, who had won a brilliant CAM
paign in Ohio the year before.
The convention met in Cincinnati on
the 14th of June, and it absorbed public
interest. There were many aDle men
among its members. James Russell
Lowell was there, really his first ap-
pearance as all active politician. Rich
ard IL. Dana was a member, and the
brothers HOar; William p. Frye and
Eugene Hale were Mr.. Biaine's per-
sonal representatives, and A. B. Cor
neil, afterward governor of New York.
and Thomas C.Platt, who was afterward
to gain peculiar but remarkable fame
as politician, were there in COnkling's
interest. So was Charles Emory Smith,
who was one of the youngest members
Of the delegation, and there were Don
Cameron and the venerable Ben Wade
and William Pitt Kellogg and Senator
John p. Jones and Nathan Golf, VINO
was afterWard to be member of the
cabinet, and Henry NJ. Teller, who, six
years later, served in Arthur's cabinet,
and is now senator from Colorado. An
other man was there who was to gain
an instantaneous fame in that cOnven-
ton. Bob IngersOll was practically
unknown when he entered the cOnven-
ton, and he left it with a unique and
mighty repute as an orator.
Theodore NJ. POmeroy, of New York.
was chosen temporary chairman and
Edward Mcpherson, before and after
ward clerk Of the house of representa-
tiyeS, was permanent chairman. The
platform was reported before the NOM
nations were made. 1t represented
NO new issues, but pledged the
party to the maintenance of the
constitutional amendments and to
tiOn of specie payments. 1t was
adopted without dissent, ami then Rich
ard Thompson presented the name of
Gov. Morton, and Judge Harlan that of
Mr.. Bristow, seconded by George
William Curtis. Stewart L. WOodf0rd,
in brilliant speech, nominated COnk-
ling, and Gov. Moves placed Hayes in
nomination without arIpple of enthuSi-
RSm.
When the state of Maine was called,
"BOb' lngerSOll went to the platform.
The delegates knew that he was to
place Blaine in nomination. but they
did not know IngerSoll. Fifteen min
uteS after he mounted the platform he
found bimself famous. for the delegates
with amaZement ard delight asked:
"WhO is this man who has made this
wonderful Speech?' 1t was in this
speech that Blame was first called the
White Plumed Knight.
had the ballOting Immediately fol-
lowed these nominating speeches there
is no question but Mr.. Blaine would
have been nominated. Blaine himself,
in speaking of what occurred, says. with
almost pathetic suggestion of humdr:
1.-The gathering shades of evening made
1t necessary for the convention to ad-
iOurn.' But he might have added that
the politics that was being played at
the convention made il impossible to
procure lights so that the convention
could proceed with its business. Dur
ing the night combinations were made
against Blaine. 1t was seen that he had
a plurality of the delegation, and that un-
less union could be effected upon some
one he would after a few ballots attract
delegates from other candidates.
The Indiana delegation. led by Gen.
Tyne, now an associate of Blaine in the
administration of President Harrison,
made propositions to the Ohio delega-
ti0n. and there was also much cOnSulta-
ton with some of the Pennsylvanians.
who for personal reasons were oppused
to Blaine. 1t was found that there
could not be a combination OIL Morton.
1t was also discovered that it would
be impossible to bring any con-
quering support TO COnkling. Most of
them who are opposed to Blaine would
nevertheless prefer his nomination to
that of Briston, against whom, especially
on the part of Gen. Grants friends,
there was intense personal hospitality.
That left only Gov. Hayes
or Gov. Hartranft. and it was
seen-that the Pennsylvania dele
CATION was not as whole since
in its support OF Hartranft' hayes mad
the advantage of having entailed no
personal enemies. and he had the pres
tige of having defeated Allen q. Thur
man in desperate. battle for tine gov
ernorship of Ohio. So in the night the
combination was perfected looking to
the ultimate nomination of Hayes as
the only man upon whom the opposition
to Blaine could unite.
On the following morning the con-
vention proceeded to ballot, and on
the first ballot Nj, Blaine received 2S5