Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1895-06-06


ETC.. and Harrison, White and
Webster carried a number OF
States. This led to the union Of
all the opposition elements in
1889, and the naturalization Of
the Whig party, that held its
convention nearly one year be-
fore the Presidential election at
Harrisburg and nominated Viii
liam Henry Harrison for Presi-
dent, grandfather of the pres
ent President Harrison, and
John Tyler, Of Virginia, for Vice
President. Tyler was nominated
in that convention because he
was amongst the leaders
in support Of Clay, who was re-
garded as the aggressive Whig
leader of that day. 1t is said
that Tyler shed tears over the
defeat of Clay. He was a dele
gate in the convention from Vir-
ginia, and being the special reps
resentative Of Clay in that body.
He was nominated for Vice
President after Clay had been
defeated by Harrison.
The contest for the Whi9
nomination for President at Har-
risburg in December, 1889, was
between Harrison, Webster, Clay
and General Scott, and it mar
rowed down in the end to a square
fight between Harrison and
Scott. Clay was admittedly the
ablest Wing leader of the time,
but like Seward, the ablest OF
the Republicans in 1860 he was
not deemed available, and the
contest ultimately was circum-
scribed to the two military he
roes of the age, General William
Scott and General William Henry
Harrison. 1t was regarded as a
very doubtful contest between
them, and the issue was deter
mined by Thaddeus Stevens, who
was a delegate from Pennsyl-
vania. General Harrison had
sent to Mr.. Stevens by the hand
of Mr.. Purdy, an autograph let
ter stating thai he would, if nom
mated and elected, called Ste
vens to his cabinet. Stevens
naturally opposed Clay. who
was high in the Masonic order,
while Stevens was a leader OF
the Anti Masons. and he was
not favorably inclined to Scott,
He naturally preferred Harri-
son, and with the assurance from
Harrison that if elected Stevens
would be called to the Cabinet, il
was only reasonable for him to
take an active part in fa-
vor Of Harrison's nomination
and it is quite certain that he
controlled the result.
The vote between Harrison
and Scott was decided by an in
cident that happened in the room
Of the Virginia delegation. and
in which Stevens played a very
important part. General Scot
had written a letter to Mr.. Duer,
of New York, then a prominent
Whig leader, in which he hac
expressed rather strong anti
slavery sentiments. 1t was {
private letter, but it was exhibit
ed to Stevens, who knew that i
the cententS of the letter coulC
be made known to number o.
the Southern delegates, they
would certainly prefer Harrison
to Scott. By mastery stroke
CT political strategy it was ar
ranged that the letter should b,
dropped, apparently by accident
in the room of the Virginia dele
CATION. It was SO dropped b,
some one who had visited tha
delegation. and thus its content
became known to the Virgins
delegates. The result was tha
when the choice came down t.
Harrison or Scott, the Southern
delegates to very large exten
preferred Harrison, because o
Scott's anti-slavery expressions
This cunning strategic move Q
Stevens decided the nominatio
of Harrison, who was elected b
) all overwhelming majority.
After Harrison's election MI
Stevens naturally assumed tha
he would be invited to tile cabi
net. Two prominent Wing lea6
ers of this State became rivs
l aspirants for cabinet honors-
7 Josiah Randall, father of th
! late Samuel j. Randall, then
= Wing Of great distinction, an
/ Charles B. Penrose, grandfathe
of the present Senator Penros
from Philadelphia, who had ais
attained more than State reput;
l ton as a Wing leader, and the
: were strongly pressed upon Ha
e rison for a position in the cab
S NET Stevens took no nar