New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-06-01

only two or three times to hold Office ana theh
with reluctance, at some personal sacrihce'
Whatever complications might arse III
Democratic National Convention, there Is haru-
IL a possibility that a Connecticut caldiu''c
would ever be selected. There is trad'uoh
among Connecticut Democrats that Governor
IngersolIs father, the late Ralph l. lngersoii,
was very near being nominated In lso2, anu
only failed because of jealouses ana oiSseh-
sions in the delegation. Had the Connecticut
DELEGATION been as united and harmonious as
the New-Uampshire delegates were, it is be-
Ieved that Ralph !. Ingersoll would have been
President instead of Franklin Pierce. 1t makes
ones head swim to think how the course OF
history might have been changed had that
happened.
Another time when a Connecticut Democrat
stood high up in the list OF chances Tor the
Presidential nomination was IN 1861. Inc
Connecticut State election at that time was
held i'm April and led off the elections of the
Presidential year 1t had more significance
than now. 1t sounded the keynote of the cam
na;cn and its result was waited for with in
tense interest in all parts OF the country ms
was especially the case in 1860. The opposl-
tion TO the Democrats, which had been grad
ually crystallizing into the Republican party,
had been moving steadily forward Till 1t had
practically solicited the whole North, and the
Southern Democratic leaders had become con-
WINGED that unless this firm array OF Northern
States could he broken, they must either sur
render the sceptre they had held from time
immemorial or take refuge in disunion. New
IIompshre and Connecticut red off the cleo
49, lam Of no In
mist fall. Thomas II. Seymour, a lifelong
Democrat of great personal popularity who had
two or three times been elected Governor, had
been ont of the country as Minister to Russla
for several years, during which the Demo
cratic party had been gradually disintegratng
in the heat of the slavery controversy, and he
was consequently free from the embarrassmentS
surrounding those leaders who had been hotly
engaged lie returned home early in the
year. and was honored with great public
reception in which all parties united.
such an occasion could not fail to suggest
their opportunity to the shrewd and sagacous
leaders who were casting about for weak spot
in the line of Northern States. Seymour
was nominated for Governor with whoop and
a hurrah that meant business. 1t is easy TO
believe the story told by some of the leaders
of that period that it WAS well-understood
programme to make a desperate fight for Con-
necticut, and in the event of success nominate
seymour for President. There was never any
such campaign before or since in Connecticut
or any other State. Money was poured out
like wafer on both sides but very little was
used corruptly. II went for flags and banners
and torches and brass bands and all sorts OF
public demonstrations. The Wide Awakes
came into being then the state was ablaze
with professions and in constant thrill OF
campaign oratory. Mr. Lincoln, hardly recog-
nzed as a Presidential candidate AT the time,
made two speeches in the state, and his great
rival. stephen A. Douglas, appeared on the
stump for the other side Ever! inch of the
state was fought for on the one side with
rising hope, on the other with the desperation
y a last charge on both with full Conscious
ness that what was in sight was but small
part of what they fought for, and that all the
| States stood looking on. IL was turning
point in history when Seymour was defeated
| by 5il votes. Connecticut had then no can
] ddate for the Presidential nominations the
dsorganzcd Democracy went sullenly to
| Charleston and fell aSunder
Only once since then has Connecticut ambl-
ton got 50 far AZ the lobby of a Democratic
| National Convention. Some of the enthusiastic
| friend, Of the late Governor English came to
this town 10 the National Convention held III
Tammany Hall in 1868 with the avowed pur-
pose of nominating that gentleman. The
demonstration ragged violently for night or
two in the barroom of the St Nicholas Hotel,
! but owing. aS said, 10 the hostility of
Senator Eaton. did not get into the hall or dis
| turb the surface Of the convention. There are
several quite willing and competent Demo
Gratis in Connecticut who might well be nom
| mated for President, among whom are Con-
trOIcr Nicholas Staub, who made noble Ell
| fort To settle the election controversy by stop
| ping PAYMENT on what the state owed, ana
REPRESENTATIVE Walker, of Hartford who I'M
dertook 10 settle il by organizing the House on
| his own hook But even such merltorlouS can
| didatcS as these have very small chance be-
cause the state is so small, and, now that il
| has given up spring elections, SO unmportant
|