The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-06-06
REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONvEN.
TIONS.

The first national Republican conven.
tion met at Philadelphia in 1856. Its NOM
inees on the first ballot were Fremont and
Dayton. They were beaten by Buchanan
and Breckenridge, who were elected by
popular minority vote. On the heels Of
this defeat the Republicans issued an adj
dress containing the prophetic words,
Seldom have two parties emerged from
conflict with less Of joy in the victors.
more of hope in the vanquished." The
Republican convention of 1850 was held in
Chicago and Abraham Lincoln, of blessed
memory, was nominated on the third bal
lot. width Hannibal Hamlin for vice presi-
dent. The convention Of 1854, held at
Baltimore. June Z, nominated Lincoln and
johnson on the first ballot, although the
state of Missouri cast her vote for
Grant. While Mr.. Lincoln easily
triumphed in the convention It was no Sc
cret that early in 1884 Secretary Chase was
much talked of as presidential candidate
by an important faction of the Republican
party. including Ben Wade. lack Chan.
dler, Henry Winter Davis. g. c. Pomeroy,
Charles Sumner and others who were dis
satisfied with Lincoln's 'border state"
policy. The Union League, at that time a
powerful secret organization. was cold to
Lincoln. Chase, a very ambitious man,
wanted the nomination, but the radical
malcontents nominated General Fremont
at their convention held in Cleveland in
May, 1864. Up TO the middle of August.
1864, Lincoln did not conceal his appre-
hension of defeat, but in September,
1864, 3 convention OF loyal govern
ors was held at Pittsburg, and as
Q result of this conference, Wade
and Winter Davis interviewed Lincoln
and assured him of their support; his cleo
ton was then assured. for Atlanta had
been won and the election of Mcclellan on
a"peace at any price" platform made i'm
possible. II was the end of the Republic
can cabal. Fremont on his nomination had
resigned from the army June 4, 1864, and
Chase knew that he was 10 succeed fancy
as chief justice of the supreme court.
In 1868 the Republican convention was
held in Chicago and Grant was nominal ted
on the first ballot. although there was a
powerful faction of the party opposed TO
his nomination as military man, and
this faction would have voted against him
had the movement to nominate Judge
Chase in the Democratic national conven-
ton, held July 4, 1868, at New York
city, succeeded. The movement came
very near success. Governor Horatio
Seymour worked hard TO nominate Chase:
he addressed the Wisconsin delegation a,
their rooms at the Metropolitan hotel.
pointing ont that the only possible chance
for Democratic success for many years
was to accept the results of the war as
irreversihle: that the nomination of Judge
Chase would be accepted by the people as
a pledge Of security; that thousands 81
radical anti-slayery Republicans who dis
trusted Grant as military candidate
and as an old-tlme Democrat would b,
glad to accept Chase. who antedated Lin
coin as 8 radical anti-slavery man. Tn,
movement came dangerously near success
bu. II was defeated by the Ohio copper
heads" of the convention, who, angry al
the refusal Of the convention 10 accept
Pendleton. dashed the cup of pros
pectivs victory from Seymour's hand
just when he was about to propose that il
be offered TO Glasses lips. Seymour wa