Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1892-05-15

HOW HARRISON WAS NOMINATED.
expectedly. The name of'the successor
is not a mystery. As well known, as
much studied, as thoroughly canvassed
as the rising and the setting sun. In
monarchy, the death chamber, the
muffled sounds, the weeping of kin, the
awful hush. aud a son or daughter ris-
! ing from the bedside TO receive crown.
That is all. Nature, chance, disease,
control on the one hand; the accident OF
! birth on the other.
In this republic, a myriad OF caucuses
in all the hamlets, wards and townships
of vast country; county gatherings,
next in the scale, in thousands OF conn
ties; then district conventions, more
pretentious and important; State con-
ventions follow, accommodating the spir-
1t, the essence, the strongest, the var
ious movements of all that have preced-
ed, and finally the great national assem-
blage, composed Of nearly thousand OF
the participants or products OF the less
er gatherings. This is the work OF
brain, of Drawn, Of genius, OF life-not
of death. Man rules, not nature.
Through all these preliminaries run
certa currants of ambition, OF coher-
ence, of direction, meeting almost every
where in keen rivalry, and pregnant al
ways of keener rivalries to come.
The seemingly trivial contest between
two handiuls OF countrymen, by the
light of three or four oil lamps in the
backwoods school house, finds its echo
in the grand, the spectacular, the In
spiring, the indescribable clash OF hui
man forces-the battle Of peace which
eclipses most of the battles of war lin
some gigantic auditorium toward whose
walls the ears OF an entire nation are
inclined.
A national convention makes history,
but the history of national convention
was never written. Chroniclers by the
hundred, and the keenest and brightest
in all the land are there. They appear
ubiquitous, they never sleep, they tire,
though stop not. They load the wires
with hundreds of thousands of words,
day after day, and then the story is only
half told. The midnight conferences,
the secret plots, the conspiracies, the
intrigues, the treachery are often buried
in oblivion, never 10 see the light OF
print. The true and full history OF any
national convention would read like a
romance.
Sometimes conventions act is ma
terialy affected by trivial incident
occurring many miles away. In 1883
the National Republican Convention was
held at Chicago. There were many can
didates, but over them all hung pecu-
liar spell, cloud, charm, which par
alyzed progress, prevented crystalliza-
ton. 1t was the name Of Blaine. Mr..
Blaine was in Europe, whence he had
sent letter declaring that he was not
a candidate. Some of his friends &C
cepted this as final, but more did not. 1t
finally appeared that there was a plot to
nominate Blaine, Notwithstanding his
letter. The men who were engaged In
il had difficult, delicate task before
them. IL would not do 10 make the ef-
fort and fail. Nor would ii be wise,
considering that IL is always desired TO
have election follow nomination, TO ride
rough shod over the other candidates,
the ayowed candidates, whose friends
had brought them forward in good faith
on the assumption that Blaine was out.
Therefore these men who had deter
mined to nominate Blaine moved with
caution and tact.
Their plan was to give each OF the
principal ayowed candidates try at the
prize. Each in turn was TO be put for
ward with seemingly powerful assist
ance, and when all had made their run,
ming and failed TO reach the goal Blaine
was to be brought out as the only man
who could attract to himself the dis
cordant elements, as the only possible
| solution of the problem. Thus nomi-
mated. argued the manipulators, Blaine
would have 10 accept, and under such
circumstances there could lie no charge
of bad faith or sharp practice.
TT 5 plan made satisfactory progress.
Mo,.day morning came, and no nomina-
ti5n had been made, though the conven-
/ ton had been in session FIVE days. This
candidate and that had had his chance
/ and failed. The convention was al sea
Choice seemed impossible. and the
friends of all the aspirants were oecom-
ing weary and discouraged.
] UOuE uhS ACW W 0-N~'
strike" agreed the Blaine managers. q
secret conference OF the trusted Blaine
men was called. II met at o'clock II
the morning in parlor IA, Grand Pa
ci6c Hotel. Every man present was
leader in his State. How many votei
have you that may be depended on?'
Every one answered. The total was 1
large majority Of the convention
"Then we nominate Blaine as soon a
the convention meets to-day" A com
mittee of three was appointed to man
age affairs on the floor Of the conven
ton hall, all agreeing TO follow theil
directions. As dawn began TO streai
gray rays through the windows this re
markaoIe conference adjourned Ever
mar left that parlor with JOY In hi
heart. for he felt that the nomination
Of Blaine was only . few hours distant
Al 10 o'clock these men. weary bn
.con fdent. walked into the convention
hall. "Not this ballot, but the next,
was the word whispered among them
r1.- ..oorlv they waited for that mex