The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-06-08
TMo CnNNENrIoNs.
nlaiue's First Defeat ana Final victory in
tho Fight for Nomination.

tho Fight Tor Nomtuhtion.
The Republican convention OF 1875
marked the beginning Of new era, for
the candidates at the four previous
conventions had been pretty well indi-
Gated. But the party was to meet in
convention 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 6. Blaine.
He was then very young man, at
least for presidential honors He was
only torty-six. He had served three
terms as speaker Of the house, and dur
ing that service had displayed those
rare intellectual and personal qualities
which gained for him the peculiar hold
upon the masses which has been liken-
ed 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 as
sistants about him. He knew that dur
ing his services as speaker he had
necessarily alienate1 many men Of in
fuence, and that ii he were defeated for
the nominations it 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 cul-
ture, and hampered by physical infirmi-
ties. Senator Conkling, of New York,
then perhaps at the climax OF his re-
markable, brilliant, but anxious and
tempes.uous career as a politician, was
also a candidate, and represented much
OF the strength of what WIS called the
Grant wing OF the party. Benjamin II.
Bristcw, who had been secretary OF the
treasury under Grant, was the candi-
date OF the so-called reform element,
Pennsylvania had candidate in Gov
ernor Hartranit, and Ohio offered one
in Governor Hayes, who had won
brilliant campaign in Ohio the year be-
fore.
The convention met in Cincinnati on
the l4th OF June, and it absorbed pub
lie interest. There were many able
men among its members. James Rus
sell Lowell was there, really his first
appearance as an active politician.
Richard H. Dana was member, and
the brothers Hoar; William T. Frye
and Eugene Hale were Mr.. Blaine's
personal representatives, and A. i.
Cornell, afterward governor OF New
York, and Thomas @. Platt who was
afterward 10 gain peculiar but re-
markable fame as a politician, were
there IN Conklings interest So was
Charles Emory Smith, who was one Of
the Youngest members of the de'ega-
tion, and there were Don Cameron and
the venerable Ben Wade and William
Pitt kellogg and Senator John p, Jones
aud Nathan GOT. who was aiterward 10
be member Of the cabinet, and Henry
II. Teller, who. six years later, served
in Arthur's cabinet, and is now senator
from Colorado. Another man was
there who was togain an instantaneous
fame in that convention. BOB" lnger-
soil was practically unknown when he
entered the convention, and he left 1t
with a unique and mighty repute as an
orator.
Theodore NJ. Pomeroy, of New York,
was chosen temporary chairman and
Edward Mcpherson, before and alter
wards clerk OF the house OF representa-
tives, was permanent chairman. The
platform was reported before the nomi-
nations were nude. 1t represented no
new issues, but pledged the party to
the maintenance OF the constitutional
amendments and 10 steady progress
toward the resumption of specie pay
ments. It was adopted without dis
sent, and then Richard Thompson pre-
sented the name OF Governor Morton,
and Judge Harlan that Of Mr.. BIistow,
seconded by George William Curtis.
Stewart L. Woodtord, in brilliant
speech, nominated Conkling, and Gov
ernor Noyes placed Hayes in nomina-
nation without u ripple 81 enthusiasm
When the state OF Maine was called,
sBob" Ingersoll went to tho platform.
The delegates knew that he was to
place Blaine in nomination, but they
did not know Ingersoll. Fifteen min.
utes after no mounted the platform he
found himself famous, for the delegates
with amusement and delight asked:
"Who is this man who has made this
wonderful speech?" II was in this
speech that Blaine was first called the
White Plumed knight,
Had the ballotinG Immediately fol-
lowed these nominating speeches there
is no question but Mr.. BlalEe would
have been nominated. BlAine, himself.
in speaking OF what occurred, says, with
with almost pathetic suggestion Of
humor: "The gathering shades OF
evening made 1t necessary for the con-
yention to adjourn" But he might
have added that the politics that was
being played at the convention made it