The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-04-21
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| York, and is for Seward. But you'll get
Missouri, Kentucky and Nebraska. AS for
Ohio-leave Ohio to me. Yon will get part
of its vote at least. am sure of that"
AREN'T you an optimist2" Mr.. Lincoln
finally asked.
"a man ought to be in fight of this
! kind" was Mr.. Medill's retort, 'sand you
must be an optimist, too"
And before the campaign ended Mr..
Lincoln was as optimistic as the most hope
full of his party.
The Republican convention of 1860 was
held in a grea wigwam temporarily erected
for the purpose on Market street, Chi
cago. Mr.. Medill co-operated with the
chairman of the State Central Committee,
Norman B. Judd, in arranging the dele
gates seats. This allotment was one of
the minor circumstances leading up to Mr..
Lincoln's denomination, and Mr.. Medill
tells of his share in it with an irresistible
look of mock contrition. at was" he
says, 1.-THE meanest political trick | ever
had hand in in my life"
New York came to the convention, OF
course, under the management of Thurlow
Weed, solid for her favorite son, William
III. Seward. From the Lincoln point of
view it was highly desirable to isolate the
Empire State delegation and place the del
egates of the doubtful States as far outside
of the sphere of its influence as possible.
for Lincoln was Pennsylvania and next
Ohio. This circumstance furnished the
key to the Lincoln committees plan of ar
rangement. New York was seated at one
extreme end of the vast hall, with no
State for neighbor that was not already
hopelessly for Seward. At the other ex-
treme was placed Pennsylvania, at so long
a remove that the voices of Seward orators
of New York could barely be heard by the
doubtful delegates of Pennsylvania. Close
about the Keystone State, on the side
toward New York, were packed the faith
full Lincoln delegation of Illinois and In
diana, and also the New Jersey delegation,
which was accounted but tail to the Key
stone dog. There were convenient passages
leading from the Pennsylvania seats to
anterooms, which were also directly in
communication with Illinois, so that when
delegates from Pennsylvania betook them
selves from the hall for consultation they
were reasonably certain to meet delegates
from Illinois or Indiana primed with an
argument for Lincoln. Judge David Davis
Waylald many Quaker in this simple
fashion and expounded the truth as it was
in him. The Ohio delegation was placed
on the other side of Illinois and Indiana.
~ took my seat" says Mr.. Medill,
"among my old friends of the Ohio dele
cation, as l personally knew all of them,
and did what missionary work l could.
~.
without ceremony, ordered me out. He
made a bitter little speech for my benefit
and for the edifcation of the Ohio dele
gates within hearing. 1t was to the effect
that Lincoln did not amount to anything
and had but a limited acquaintance, and
Seward was the natural leader of the
party. My friends among the Ohioans
and l did, and we had nice little argu-
ment. | remained with the Ohio men.
After the second ballot 1 whispered to
Chairman Carter of Ohio: Now is your
time. If you can throw the Ohio vote for
Lincoln, Chase can have anything he
wants 'H-how d-d'ye know?' suffered
Carter. know, and you know Iwouldn't
He holds the authority from Lincoln
$50 Carter got up and boldly announced
eighteen or nineteen Ohio votes for Lin
coin, though the delegation had not been
polled. Giddings challenged the vote, but
after an acrimonious wrangle, on the poll it
than one or two votes. That Ohio vote put
him up alongside of Seward. The next
ballot brought the victory, and the
naughty, lordly Stewards goose was
cooked"
Mr.. MedilPs estimate of the Importance
OF this missionary work is stated thus:
81 don't know that this arrangement of
seats in the convention was potential for the
nomination of Lincoln; but have always
believed that if Pennsylvania had been
placed within the sphere of Thurlow
Weeds influence we shouldn't have come
within fifty votes of success. As for Ohio,
II that State had been near New York it
would never have broken for Lincoln as it
did, and the result would have been Sew
ards nomination and defeat at the polls,
for all the pro-slavery and conservative
elements would have combined against
the 'irrepressihle conflict man and crushed
him, thus electing Douglas"
NEWTON MACMILLAN.
Copyright, 1895, by s. 8. Mcclure, limited.