The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-08-11

broke forth in the widest cheers while
that of the Seward men was evidently
on the wane. Then came a lull in the
storm; pencils were busy all over the
house correcting tally sheets; whis-
pered conferences were going on
among the different delegations, and it
was evident that the crisis was at
hand. Two hundred and thirty-three
votes were necessary to a choice, and
the tally sheets showed $50 votes for
Seward and 2351s for Lincoln, thus
giving him 21a votes more than the re-
quired majority.
Then came a thunder burst of ap-
plauSe, and the boom of a cannon from
the roof, the preconcerted signal an
nouncing LincolnS triumph to his
friends throughout the city. But dur
ing it all, the New York delegation,
which had steadily supported Seward
with unwavering confidence, sat silent
as statues. When order was restored,
their chairman arose, and, in dignitied
tones, said: I'VE had hoped that our
distinguished felloW-citizen, William
H. Seward, would have been tie
choice of this convention. but as you
have decreed otherwise, 1 now move
that the nomination of Abraham Lin
coin be made unanimous" The mo-
ton was carried by a laundering
aye" followed by a mighty cheer
which shook the building, in which the
New York delegation now heartily
joined. And thus the first act in the
great emancipation drama was fin
ished.
News of LincoIn's Election.
1t is not possible for the present
generation to realize the intense anxi-
ETY. with which the result of the pres
idential election of 1860 was awaited
ally by the radical anti-SlaVery people
of the north. The issue of that cleo
ton was of far more momentOus i'm
portance than the success of any can
didate of any party. The question to
be decided was whether slavery or
freedom should rule this country.
whether this great and terrible wrong
should be extended and perpetuated
or eircumscribed and finally eXtirpat-
ed. For. in Lincoln's own memorable
words, it was not possible that the
country should continue TO exist, one
half slavery and One-haf free. The
state of New York held the balance of
power, as it has often done; its vote
would turn the scale for slavery or
freedom, and it's decision was awaited
with intense anxiety.
1 was then living in the suburbs of
Chicago, on a street which terminated
in a prominent country road; lonely
spot, where there were no street lamps
and few passengers after dark. 1t
was a day or two after the election,
and reliable news was momentarily
expected About 8 o'clock in the even
ing we were startled by the booming
of cannon in the city. L ran down TO
the gate and called to the driver of a
passing farm wagon: What are those
guns for?" And back through the
darkness came the clear, ringing trl-
umphant reply: THE state of New York
gives 10000 majority for Abraham Lin
coin" 1 turned to my wife, who stood
by my side, and said, Lincoln is
elected; slavery is doomed" And then,
as we realized that the great event
for which we had waited, prayed, and,
for wears. hoped for against hope, was
consummated, our feelings found vent
in tears of Joy. '.And now said she,
what next?'' War said 1; lone of
the bloodiest the world ever saw. Re
member the classic adage, When
Greek meets Greek, then comes the
tug of war and when American
meets American the result will be the
same
IF will be remembered that the fu-
neral train bearing Lincoln's body
went by circuitous route from
Washington to Springfield, stopping
in the principal cities to give the peo-
pie an opportunity to take a last look
at their beloved president. In Chi /
cago an immense concourse assembled |
for this purpose. The procession, sew
eraI miles in length, met the train at
the southern limit of the city and
passed down Michigan avenue, and
thence to the court house; the pupils
of the public schools, carrying little
flags draped with crepe, occupied a
prominent place. We still have the /
flags our children carried on this oc-
casion.
faloue in the corridor of the court
house, and the procession filed past it;
but found it closed, much TO the dis
appointment of everyone. especially (
the school children; the body, after its
long Journey and frequent exposure, +
not being in condition to be seen. But (
notice was given that it would be /
shown on the following day. Mean
while the embalmers restored it, and |
the next day a procession many blocks !