New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-09-27
A PERSONAL TRIUMPH
RECOLLECTIONs AROUSED BY SENATOR
HILLS NOMINATION.
DRAMATIC AND STRIKING SCENES IN THE cAsrxo
hINK-BoURKE CocKRAN's SPEECH WAS
EFFECTIVE But DISAPPOINTING
fnY TELEGRAPH TO TIE TRIpUNEl

a
that which took place in the rink here t,-d.y
occur to my memory. The first was at the Dcma
cratic National Convention Of 1863. watch wa.
held in Tammany Hail in East Fourteenth-st II
was the first National Convention after the VIA,
in which the Southern States were repressnts1
There were several candidates before The con.
vention, most prominent of whom were George n
pendleton. Of Ohio, and Thomas A. Hendrick,
OF Indiana while several States had 'fayorits
sons in the field whom the delegates anus.d
themselves with in the early balloting. Nev.
York was playing with the name Of Judge San.
ford Church; Connecticut presented that Of Gov.
ernor James f. English, and Pennsylvania
popped UP on each ro!call with Asa Packer: Pa.
hind all lurled the shadow OF Chief Justcs
Chase for whom il the purpose OF the linen
who were running the machinery at the Proper
time to STAMPEDE the convention. One q. The
funny things in the proceedings was the outburst
Of applause when Chase received orr vote H. the
balloting which was. l think. the full neasus
of his strength as II appeared upon tie record
But the applause for that one vote was louder
and more prolonged than any other 'andidite re-
ceived during the rollcall. 1t was taken as 10
veallng the ultimate purpose of the leaders Be.
fore the plan eliminated the convention w,nt of
it's feet at the suggestion by some fellow who
didn't know any better Of the name OF Horauo
Seymour who was presiding Governor Seymour
at once firmly and decidedly withdrew lis name
closing a brief speech with the words: Your
candidate l cannot be-"
Senator Hill in similar circumstances used to.
day almost his exact words remember that
Major Ben Perley Poore, a veteran newspaper
CORE spondent, who mad attended many National
Convention and who was familiar with the
public men of his time. and who sat beside me
pulled my sleeve and said: Take good look at
this: here s a man declining nOnin ton for
President OF the United states forced on him b.
his party. IL never happened before. md don't
believe 1t ever will again But just rs it to-
day. his reluctance was overcome. and ne was
nominated. Perhaps he vas sorry az '"~ard That
he yielded. 1t is not at all improbable that the
gentleman who gave way to-day 70 the clamor
OF the convention may six weeks from now have
similar feeling.
Eleven years later IN 1879. was looker-on
a z Democratic State Convention at Syracuse.
The Hon. John C. Jacobs, Of Brooklyn. who was
buried the other dag. presided The usual fac
tional fight Of Tammany and anu-Tammany
was on, and that yea" was unusually bitter.
What ii was about nobody cares and very
few remember. What remember is that the
Brooklyn machine under Boss Mclaughlin was
in opposition to the TamTany machine under
Boss Kelly. that William Dorsheimer
KelIy's man and led the Tammany delegation.
while Jacobs was McLaughlin's man. and under
his management had been made chairman OF
the convention. There bad been. as usual hot
fighting in the committev-rooms. but serious
disturbance In the convention. II was. | think,
during the process Of naming candidates for
Governor that delegate froo. Saratoga County,
unknown before since. in a rambling speech
deprecating factional disputes and urging, In the
usual manner of the rural delegate when he gets
loose the floor. the feasibility Of dropping the
prominent candidates for Governor and uniting
upon a man. suggested Jacobs as a canG.
date upon whom the factions could harmonic.
There was manifestly no pan nor hardly any
preconception in his mind. II came to him
while on his feet a sort Of inspiration. and
he blurted it out. There a burst Of APP
plause which presently grew into a tumultuous
demonstration Of approval. The convention was
almost carried off its feet. AS the Sara
toga delegate took his seat. and before the
tumult had subsidized D1rsheimer sprang into
the aisle and began impass,, ned appeal to the
convention and especially to the Kings County
delegation. who sat silent or the front seats at
the right of the chair during the outburst 10
accept the olive branch adopt the suggestion of
the Saratoga delegate and nominate John Jacobs
by reclamation II my memory he
went 50 far as to make the motion and put the
question which in the midst OF a great uproar,
he declared carried
Meantime my seat on the platform being
within a few feet of the presiding officer and
directly in line with the Kings County delega-
ton, at whose head sat Boss Mclaughlin I
enjoyed the sensation of a near view of
bilious man put in the stress of great tempta-
ton. and at the parting OF the ways between
the qualification of his ambition and his al
legiance to his machine" / could almost
the struggle that went on in his mind and hear
the buzz OF the bee in his bonnet" Almost
precisely as Senator Hill did to-day John Jacobs
pounded with his gavel and told the convention
that the proceedings were altogether out OF
order But 1t seemed to me that as the uproar
grew the gavel stroke less firm and de-
termined. that 1t became a little feeble and had
hesitancy in 1t and doubt. and all the time /
could that while his face straight to
the bowling mob in front, the tail of his eye
took in the silent space on his right. where Boss
Mclaughlin sat with folded arms. looking
straight forward in stolid immobility. as though
he did not hear a sound. Clearly John Jacobs
was waiting for sign from his chief. but the
chief never moved so much eyed. Pres
emily. and the time occupied was immeasurapy
short. the gavel strokes resumed their vigor. the
contention was recalled to order, the rules were
enforced. there was a recess some other par
hamentary proceeding and the ambition OF Jonh
Jacobs persisted there for want of boss y Win
The wink of Boss Mclaughlin would have maue
John Jacobs Governor that year; for want VI
the party split and lost the State. ~,
What lots OF things lay behind the stono
front of the Brooklyn boss at Syracuse ~
1879. In its shadow sat Grover Cleveland any
David b HILL who might have remained o~
scure had John Jacobs been nominated IN lo's
To-days performances could not but DE ~
mnder Of both the occasions referred 10. Ihss
they We're dramatic in striking degree Nv
one who reads the story need be told ih"'
the scenes were In any sense rehearsed beioIe
hand L. difficult for me to believe: that theIss