The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-06-16
WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON.
A Dropped Letter Made Him Nominee
Thnd Stevens Disannointed.

A Dropped Letter Made Him Nominee.
Thad Stevens Disappointed.
Frederick Fraley celebrated his ninety
first birthday anniversary on Tuesday last,
and In the newspaper notices of the events
OF one OF the most remarkable and success
full lives of Philadelphia it is stated that
he was one of the delegates to the Harris
burg convention of December, 1889, that
nominated Harrison and Tyler for Presi-
dent and Vice-President. 1t was the first
time that the Wing party was thoroughly
natlonalized and united in every section of
the country in support of National ticket,
and it is doubtful whether there is any
survivor OF that convention but Frederick
Fraley. There may be others, but it seems
likely that ne is the sole survivor of that
I'm portant convention that nominated the
hrst w hlg President of the United States.
In 1885 there was scrub race for the
Presidency against Van Buren,. The oppo-
sltlon to the Jackson and Van Buren, DOM
nation had several organizations, in
Guiding Wings, Anti Masons. etc., and
Harrison, White and Webster carried
number of States. This led to the union
OF all the opposition elements in 1899 and
the naturalization of the Wing party,
that held Its convention nearly one year
before the Presidential election at Harris
burg and nominated William Henry Har-
rlson for President, grandfather of the
present ex-President Harrison, and John
Tyler of Virginia for President.
Tyler was nominated in that convention
because he was among the foremost of the
leaders in support of Clay, who was re-
garded as the aggressive Wing 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 Virginia, and
being the special representative of Clay in
that body he was nominated for Vice
President after Clay had been defeated by
Harrison, says the Philadelphia Times.
The contest for the Wing nomination fol
President, at Harrisburg. in December
1889, was between Harrison, Webster Clay
and General Scott, and it narrowed down
IN the end to square fight between Har-
ablest Wing leader OF the time, but, like
Seward, was not deemed available, and the
contest ultimately was circumscribed to
the two military heroes of the age, General
Winfield Scott and General William
Henry Harrison. 1t was regarded as
very doubtful contest between them, and
the issue was determined by Thaddeus
Stevens, who was a delegate from
Pennsylvania. General Harrison had
sent to Mr.. Stevens, by the hand OF Mr..
Purdy, an autograph letter stating
that he would, if nominated and elected,
call Stevens to his Cabinet. Stevens nat
urally opposed Clay, who was high in the
Masonic order, while Stevens was leader
of the anti MasOns, and he was not favor
ably inclined to Scott. He naturally pre-
ferred Harrison, and with the assurance
from Harrison that if elected Stevens
would be called to the Cabinet, it was only
reasonable for him to take an active part
quite certain that he controlled the result.
The vote between Harrison and Scott
was decided by an incident that happened
in the room of the Virginia delegation, and
In which Stevens played very important
part. General Scott had written a letter
to Mr.. Duer of New York, then promi-
nent Wing leader, in which he had ex-
pressed rather strong anti-slavery senti-
ments. 1t was private letter, but it
was exhibited to Stevens, who knew that
If the contents OF the letter could be
made known to number of the South
ern delegates they would certainly
prefer Harrison to Scott. BY a |
was arranged that the letter should be |
dropped, apparently by accident, in the |
room of the Virginia delegation. 1t was SO
dropped by some one who had visited that
delegation, and thus it's contents became
known to the Virginia delegates. The re-
suit was that when the choice came down
to Harrison and Scott the Southern dele
gates, to a very large extent, preferred
Harrison because of SCOTS anti slavery
expressions. This cunning strategic move
of Stevens decided the nomination of Har-
rison, who was elected by an overwhelm-
ing majority.
After Harrison's election Mr.. Stevens
naturally assumed that he would be in
vted to the Cabinet. Two prominent
y hig leaders of this State became rival as
pirants for Cabinent honors-Josiah Ran
dali, father of the late Samuel ]. Randall,
then Wing of great distinction, and
Charles B. Penrose, grandfather of the
present Senator Penrose from Philadel-
phia, who had also attained more
than State reputation as Wing leader,
and they were strongly pressed upon
Harrison for position in the Cabi-
net. Stevens took no part, relying on
Harrisons pledge for an appointment, but
he received no invitation from the Presi-
dent-elect to meet him at Washington, and
when the Cabinet was appointed he was as
founded to find his name omitted.
Stevens at the time naturally blamed Clay
for it. but later in his life he acquitted Clay
of interference. and died in the belief that
Webster had been instrumental in striking
his name from the list of Cabinet officers.
Webster, it will be remembered, was made
Premier of the administration. Harrison
died month after his inauguration-too
soon to have felt the avenglng stroke of
Stevens resentment.