St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-06-17

the former was due as much to Governor
Curtin as to any other man. "Though not a
delegate, said Governor Curtin, 81 went to
the Chicago Convention determined to do all
in my power to prevent the nomination of
Senator Seward. I had no personal bias in
the matter, for at that time had not become
personally acquainted with either Seward or
Lincoln. knew however, in my own State
at least large part of those who would sup
port Bell and Everett, if Seward was nomi-
nated 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 National defeat in November.
"Among the first gentlemen 1 met after
my arrival in Chicago was Henry S. Lane the
Republican candidate for Governor of In
diana, and John D. Defrees, of the same
State. I told them what were my fears as to
the consequences that would follow the nomi-
nation OF Senator Seward, and they replied
that the choice of the New York Senator
as candidate would prove equally disas-
trous to Republican chances in Indiana, and
the delegation from that State would vote
solidly for Lincoln as long as there was hope
for his nomination. Together we visited the
delegates as they arrived, and advised them
as to what, in our opinion, was the wisest
course to follow. However we found the
majority of them inclined to support Seward,
and when the convention met on Wednesday
it was plain to be seen that he was the
favorite.
can adjournment was taken over night.
On Thursday the situation had changed but
little, and had the convention proceeded to
ballot on that day Senator Seward would
surely have been nominated. Fortunately
for those of us who opposed his nomination,
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 in the delivery of
the ballots, the cause of which have now
forgotten, postponed the voting until Friday
Thursday night Lane and I 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 maiorities, but that if Seward was
nominated our defeat was certain.
'tAs one of the results of our labors it was
agreed among the Pennsylvania delegates
that after giving complimentary vote for
General Simon Cameron on the first ballot,
their entire strength on subsequent ballots
should go to Lincoln. The first ballot showed
133 IL votes for Seward and 102 for Lincoln.
On the second ballot the Pennsylvania dele
cation changed from Cameron to Lincoln,
causing an immediate and fatal break in the
lima Of fI,aS ,,rJ
closed the Vermont and New Jersey delegates,
among whom we had done effective work the
night before, deserted Seward for Lincoln,
and the announcement of the vote showed
ISL IL votes for Seward and ISL for Lincoln
Changes to Lincoln followed each other in
rapid succession during the progress of the
third ballot, and before it was ended Lincoln
had 231 IL votes, 233 being required to NOM
mate. Then four of the Ohio delegates
changed to Lincoln assuring his nomination,
and before the ballot closed 354 out of the 446
delegates had declared in his favor. William
NJ. Evarts, Henry J. Raymond and Thurlow
Weed, the Seward leaders, who had been con-
fident of his nomination until the last, were
amazed and dumbfounded at the result; but
Evarts promptly moved that Lincoln's nomi-
the enthusiasm that usual attends an
event of the kind the motion was carried.
Gin Pennsylvania President Lincoln Sc
cured half of the Democratic faction upon
which the Bell and Everett leaders had con-
fdently relied, and his nomination proved,
as had all along believed that it would, the
very strongest that could have been made.'
InauGurated in January, 1861, Governor
Curtin was compelled at the very outset of
his administration to meet the gravest re-
sponsibilities, and to cope with the most
vital questions that can arise in the history
of free people, but he proved equal to every
task, meeting each emergency that arose
during the six years he occupied the guber-
Material chair with tireless patriotism
unfalterinS 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
1865
the election of President Lincoln was plain
to him from the first and the speedy coming
OF the contest was made even more manifest
than it had been before by the circumstances
OF President Lincoln's journey from Spring.
field to Washington to enter upon the dis
charge OF his duties. President Lincoln
journeyed By way of Harrisburg, arriving
there on Friday, February ~, and it was