The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-10-08
DIR. HOLMES NO MORE
Concluded from First Page,

mucn 10 Governor Curtin as 10 any otner
man. The part he bore in those political
affairs which went so far in shaping the
destiny OF the country is best presented In
MS own words. used but a short time ago
in an interview: Though not a delegate
said Governor Curtin, II went TO the Chi
cago convention in 1860 determined to do
of Senator Seward. 1 had no personal bias
In the matter, for at that time / had not
become personally acquainted with either
my own State that at least a large part OF
those VINO would support Bell and Everett
If Seward were nominated would under
other circumstances come TO US. My sole
opposition TO Senator Seward was based
upon his want of strength in pennsylvania,
as the natural result Of defeat in that
State in october would have been a ma
tional defeat in November.
Among the first men / met after my ar
rival in Chicago was Henry s. Lane, the
Republican candidate for Governor Of In
diana, and John d. Defrees, of the same
State. / told Them what We're my fears as
10 the consequences that would follow the
nomination OF Senator Seward, and they
replied that the choice of the New York
Senator as a candidate would prove equally
disastrous TO Republican chances in In
diana, and the delegation from that State
would vote solidly for Lincoln as long as
there was hope for his nomination. Togeth-
er we visited the delegates as they arrived
and advised them as to what, in our opin-
ion, was the wisest course to follow. How
ever, we found the majority OF them in
clined to support Seward, and when the
convention met on Wednesday it was plain
10 De seen IndI he was Une IdNOTlle.
AN adjournment was taken over night.
On Thursday the situation was changed
but little, and had the convention pro-
ceeded to ballot on that day Senator Sew
ard would surely nave been nominated.
fortunately, the business men of Chicago
had rendered the convention a boat ride
on the lake. The temptation to enjoy the
excursion proved stronger than the desire
to ballot. and this, coupled with some delay
Which / have now forgotten. postponed the
voting until Friday. Thursday night Lane
and 1 again saw all the State delegations
and told the delegates that with Lincoln as
the candidate we could carry Pennsylvania
and Indiana in October by handsome ma
J~orities but hat If Seward was nominated
our defeat was certain.
LINCOLN'S NOMINATION.
"As one of the results of our labors it was
agreed among the Pennsylvania delegates
that after giving a complimentary vote for
Gen. Simon Cameron on the first ballot their
entire strength on subsequent ballots should
go to Lincoln. The first ballot showed 1872
votes for Seward and 102 for Lincoln. On
the second ballot the Pennsylvania delega-
ton changed from Cameron to Lincoln,
causing an immediate and fatal break in
the lines Of the Seward men. Before the
ballot closed the Vermont and New Jersey
delegates, among whom we had done eff
fective work the night before, deserted Sew
ard for Lincoln, and the announcement of
the vote showed 1S4h votes for Seward and
Isl for Lincoln. Changes to Lincoln fol-
lowed each other in rapid succession during
the progress OF the third ballot, and before
1t was ended Lincoln had 2Slh votes. 23
being required to nominate. Then four OF
the Ohio delegates changed to Lincoln. as
closed 35f out of 446 delegates had declared
In his favor. William Nj. Evarts, Henry J.
Raymond and Tnurlow Weed, the Sewar
nomination until the last, were amazed
and dumfounded at the result, but Evarts
--..-l -
should be made unanimous, and with the
enthusiasm that usually attends an event
of the kind the motion was carried"
Curtin was compelled at the very outse;
of his administration to meet the gravest
responsibilities and to cope with the most
of a free people, but he proved equal to
every task. meeting each emergency that
gubernatorial chair with a tireless patriot
isra, unfaltering courage and prompt and
unerring judgment. which marked him as
worthy to take rank among the first, If
not as. the very first, of the little group of
truly great men who governed the loyal
States from 1860 to 1866.
The import of the events which followed
the election of President Lincoln was plain
to him from the first. and the speedy COM
manifest than it had been before by the
circumstance of President Lincoln's jour-
ter upon the discharge of his duties. Presi-
dent Lincoln journeyed by way of Harris
burg, arriving there on Friday, Feb. IL, and
it was then that Governor Curtin met him
for the first time. He addressed the State
legislature in the afternoon, and later held
In the recent interview, quoted above.
Governor Curtin described the conference
which led to Mr.. Lincoln's secret journey
to Washington.
LINCOLN'S SECRET JOURNEY.
AFTER the reception says Governor Curt
tin, "a private conference was held in the
,,~Ior of tI,o 80 % u-bfob +ho rro.;lo,+;ot
party was stopping. There were present,
besides the President, N. B. Judd, Ward
H. Lamon. Judge David Davis. Col. z. V.
Sumner and one or two more of those who
were travelling with the President. N. B..
judd told us that from two different
sources Allen G.. Pinkerton in the first and
a party of New York detectives in the sec
ond Observation-Disclosures had been re-
ceived of a plot to assassinate the Presi-
dent during his passage through Baltimore,
and to guard against danger il had been
on a special train to Philadelphia that
evening, and take the night express on the
Philadelphia. Wilmington & Baltimore rail-
| road, thus throwing the conspiralors. who
expected him to go to Washington over the
Northern Central railroad, off the scent.
Encouraged by the Presidents cool and
collected bearing, / ait first discouraged the
idea Of a secret journey, advising the Presi-
dent-elect to travel by daylight, volunteer
ing TO go with him in person. But when
full and convincing proof of the plot was
laid before us by Mr.. Judd. knowing that
the assaSsinat ton of the head OF the gov
eminent would bring national ruin, / in
stantly changed my mind and Joined in de-
vising means to secure his safety In the
evening a public dinner was given the
President. and at it's close | invited him
TO 90 and spend the night at my house
HE accepted the invitation, and, to al1ay
suspicious. all members of the party but
Col. Lamon were left behind at the hotel.
We were at once driven in a closed car
riage to the outskirts of the city, where a
special train. consisting of an engine. ten
stood on the street crossing until i saw
them enter the car, and then went ZONE.
The wires between Harrisburg and Wash
ington and between the former city and
Philadelphia had already been cut 20 pre-
vent any news Of his movements getting
abroad. and with Colonel Lamon as his only
| companion he started on the journey TO
Washington. Early the next morning We
received word that the trip had been made
in safety. and that President Lincoln was
in Washington
Governor Curtin early became one Of
President Lincoln's trusted advisers. Their
meetings were frequent, and each soon
came to appreciate the others. worth at its
full value. president Lincoln" saws the
Governor. when j first met him. did not
impress me as being a great man. His
greatness was then in a measure still dor
mant. The war developed and brought out
the latent qualities of leadership within him
that would never have become manifest
save under such trying conditions. AS "A
Judge OF men and as a gauge OF public
onirion and sentiment he was almost infal-
lihle. His gifts in this respect were truly
marvellous. and have never TO my knowl-
edge been equaled. Every time that | met