The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-03-06

me. and the delegation be thus divided. l
agreed TO this. provided the anti-Bristow men
were allowed to labor with the others until the
ballot was taken. The result was that we gos
TWENTY-FIVE out OF the thirty Indiana delegates
to vote for Hayes. When this result was ue-
clared to the convention the shout that went
up almost took the roof of. IL created STAN
pede toward Hayes, and at the close OF that bal
Tot HAYES had 3s4 ana Blaine 35l, and Hayes was
declared the nominee for the presidency.
Speaking of the enthusiasm of the con-
vention of 1876, the most enthusiastic con-
vention of our history was the Garfield
convention of 1880. Secretary Foster, who
was the leader of the Sherman forces OF
this convention, told me not long ago that
the applause which began during the last
ballot, when it was seen that Garfield was
going to be nominated, lasted over an
hour, and that they were still applauding
when he took Garfield out of the conven-
ton. Said he:
Garfield did not know what to do. He turned
as pale as sheet, and he sat there looking ike
death while the convention cheered. While he
waited, kilograms began to pour in, and he
would hand these over to me and would open
them. We got in that hour over hundred tel
egrams, and cougratulatory kilograms came
from long distances before the result was offici-
ally announced by the chairman OF the conven-
ton. / remember one from Baton Rouge,
La, ana there were others equally far away. At
last Garfield said: "Cant you get me out OF
here" And / told him that would try. With
y.
out of the convention hall / got Garfield into
a carriage at just about the time the crowd re-
allied that he was coming out, and as l DID so
the crowd seemed to grow wild. They tore the
roof right of the carriage in their anxiety to see
Garfield. and / remember that had to pay 500
to the eabman to make the thing square.
The nomination of Garfield was almost d.
reetly the result of hero worship. The conven-
ton of 1850 was one made UP OF hero-worship-
ers. The followers OF Grant and Blaine were
full of enthusiasm, fire and of the determina-
ton to nominate their candidates. The rest OF
the delegates were actuated by the same feeling.
Every man seemed to have come to that conyen-
ton with a purpose, and as the convention went
this enthusiasm spread, and as the con-
test was narrowed down to two or
three candidates it became stronger and
stronger Soon after the convention was
Grant against the field. Roscoe Conkling was
the Idol OF the friends of Grant He was cheered
again and again whenever he rose in the hall,
and his speeches were received with long and
continued applause. think that Conkling en-
joyed his position. He never looked better nor
to feel his power. Now the opposing elements
required an idol, and that idol they found in
Garfield. He was pre-eninently the great Leader
OF the opposition, and his eoquence, his mag
nifeent presence and the courage he showed on
the floor made him the god OF the anti-Grant
encouraged this sentiment. He would not havo
been mortal had he not liked II, but he was
modest about it, and he did not court applause
nor pose for it as it seemed 10 me Conkling did.
As the convention went on, this worship of the
leaders grew stronger and stronger, and when
the time came that Garheld's name was sprung
by those sixteen votes from Wisconsin, it was at
its climax. 1t created perfect stampede toward
him, and in two ballots he was nominated.
FRANK g. CARPENTER.