Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-06-06

NATION FROM FREMONT AND DAYTON TO HAIR
BISON AND MORTON.
There have been nine national conventions
since the organization Of the republican party,
and seven of the nine Presidents of the United
States elected since 1856 have been chosen by
republican conventions. The first convention
which nominated Fremont was scarcely more
than preparation for the greater convention
which gave to the republican party a successful
candidate for the presidency i'll Abraham Lin
coin. Between 1856 and 1860 the party was be-
coming better and better disciplined. Its ideas
were more clearly established and more aocu-
rately enunciated.
SEWARD AND LINCOLN.
The two giants Of the convention of 1860
were VIM. H. Seward and Abraham Lincoln. A
month before the converting it was the belief of
the country that Seward would be nominated
He had been governor of his state before he
was forty years Of age, and his state was the
most influential in the Union, politically and
commercially, at that time. He had also been
Senator from the time of the administration Of
President Taylor, and his name was familiar to
every voter in the United States, and his abili-
ties were admired even by his bitterest political
enemies.
The other man. Abraham Lincoln, had en-
jOyed no such experience or such advantages as
were the lot of Seward He had served two or
three terms in the Illinois legislature and had
been once a member of Congress. His political
experience, SO far rs the handling of men and
the welding of organizations were concerned.
was naught; and even those who knew him best
and most respected his abilities were of the
opinion that he WAS no politician.
THE CONVENTION OF 1860.
The convention met at Chicago May 16, 1860,
with 465 delegates present Under the leader
ship of Thurlow Weed, who was then at the eli
max Of his powers as a master politician, and
under the inspiration of William NJ. Evarts,
who, then only little over forty years Of age,
had already attained a reputation for brilliancy
and ability which had not been achieved by any
man of his years since the time of Alexander
Hamilton. the Seward following was made a
compact, well-disciplined and apparently ire
sistible force. None of Sew IDS friends had
serious doubts of his ability to command the
convention.
The convention met at noon. and it was
magnificent body of young and enthusiastic
men. Many of them afterward gained great
fame. A score of them became governors. a
good many represented their states in the Sem
ate and in presidential cabinets. There were
David Davis. Leonard SWEET John A. Andrew
Geo. Boutwell,, Vim. VI. Evarts, Geo. VIM. Cur
tbs. Thad. Stevens. A. X. Mcclure. Tom Corwin,
Joshua Giddings and Horace Greeley.
Inc COmDllldtlOn against seward was formed
by Indiana and Pennsylvania. where it was
| feared that Stewards connection with the Amer
lean party would lose him votes. Andrew G.
Curtin was the candidate for governor of Penn
sylvania, and as the state election then occurred
| in October 1t was regarded of the utmost con-
| sequence that Curtin should not be defeated.
defeat in October in Pennsylvania would
| presage u defeat in the national election in No.
veniber following.
Henry $. Lane had been nominated for gov
| ernor of Indiana and Oliver T. Morton for
| lieutenant governor the understanding being
, that If Lane elected and the Legislature
| chosen republican he should be sent to the SEN
! ate and Morton become governor by succession.
| Lane and Morton feared that the nomination of
| Seward would prove disastrous to their canvass.
The Indiana leaders and those of Pennsylvania
| met III the evening and found that their Opn-
ions agreed. and Col. Mcclure asked: IF not
Seward. who then? At last it agreed with
the Illinois men. and it has always been said
that the agreement was bound by promises and
pledges made by David Davis. that the dele
gates from those states should be swung over
TO Lincoln at the proper time upon the follow
ing day.
LINCOLN NOMINATED.
The balloting began and on the first Seward
received 17315 votes. Lincoln 1902. On the sec
ond ballot Seward received 1s41z and Lincoln
Isl. Vermont then gave the cue changing her
vote to Lincoln. and upon the third ballot Lin
coin received within L. votes of majority.
The result was not at once announced. 1t
could not be. Hundreds of men had kept
score and they saw that Lincoln would be nom
mated even before the chairman could declare
the poll. and in the midst of the excitement
Carter of Ohio arose and announced "A change
Of four votes to Lincoln. which nominated him.
| and a second after the cannon on the outside
began to boom and Chicago went wild.
Upon motion OF VIM. VI. Evarts the nomina-
ton was made unanimous.
CONVENTION OF 1864.
The convention of 1864 a memorable one.
For year previous to it there had been at
| tempts to undermine Mr.. Lincoln. The orig
inal abolitionists were against him because he
had not proclaimed abolition from the start
and many strong and anti-slayery men were OPP
posed to him. deemlng his measures half
hearted On the other hand, he had offended a
! good many union men who believed he should
/ have left slavery alone, and he had made enc
| mics of some distinguished men because he had
| not taken their advice. Abortive attempts were
made to put Grant and Fremont in opposition
\ to lin. but both of these men refused to stand.
| The convention was held in Baltimore June
\ =. 1864. with 500 delegates present. Breckin-
ridge of Kentucky was temporary and Ex-Gox.
| Dennison Of Ohio permanent chairman. Lin
coin nominated on the first ballot. every
state voting for him except Missouri, which was
instructed. At Lincolns request Andrew John
son nominated as Vice President.
| GRANTS FIRST NOMINATION.
| The conventions which nominated Grant did
/ not excite Us much interest as others. for the
| reason that his selection practically deter
mined upon months in advance. Yet there was
IA glorious gathering Of republican chieftains,
who met at Chicago May 20. 1868.
| They had some distinguished men there
Gen Hawley fresh from his single term as gov
| ernor of Connecticut Gen. Daniel Sickles i'm