New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-11-18

when ten of the forty-four delegates from Ohio
ere voting against him. AMI when two of that
delegation are freely spoken of as candidates
themselves? General Garfield is one OF these, and
you Major Mckinley. are another. 1t seems to
us sherman should get his own State first and
then ne might have ground for asking the other
states. shall never forget the Indignation ex-
hibited by Mckinley on that occasion. Turning
to the California delegate, he said: Sir would
suffer my right arm TO be amputated at the
shoulder rather than to permit my name to be
used as a candidate In that convention. If such
a nomination should be offered me would per-
emptorily decline It, am for Sherman honestly
and enthusiastically. without ifs or butts" That
was manly declaration. and as sincere as it
was unreserved. Had Garfield been present at
ina, interview feel SURE he would have said az
much Mckinley did.
GARFlELDS EMBARRASSING SITUATION
1t has been said that the nomination Of Gar
field was arranged in advance. Unquestionaby
it was talked about during the progress of the
convention, but that Garfield was consulted. or
that he was a party to IT, or that he did not do
his best 10 secure the nomination OF Sherman, I
do not believe. He was. however. placed in a
position of great embarrassment. On the floor OF
the convention he antagonized Mr. Conkling
a question of rules. especially the unit rule. and
defeated him. He was loudly cheered Had the
Unit rule been adopted think Grant would have
been nominated on the first or second ballot. and
its defeat was the defeat Of Grant Thereafter, as
Garfield walked to his seat and he rose to
speak he was cheered and these cheers kept on
increasing until everybody could see that the
tendency toward him. Early in this stage
OF the proceedings he came into my room. | said
to him there a surprise in store for him. and
he might as well prepare for it, He said that ne
could not consent to it, that he would be charged
with disloyalty to Sherman and he would not do
anything to justify such a charge for n nomina-
ton and election. But in spite OF himself he
was nominated and it is not worth while for any
one 70 try to charge his election or the defeat OF
Sherman, or Blaine. or Grant, to disloyalty on
the part of their professed friends.
An emergency had arisen as an emergency
arose in Cincinnati. which had to be met and in
this case the solution was sought through the
nomination of Garfield who had not been a can
didate and who. prior 20 the convention had not
been seriously thought of.
In nominating Sherman he made a great
speech. 1t eloquent 1t was easy TO see that
his utterances proceeded from the heart; he felt
all that he said and his delverance electrified the
convention 1t in striking contrast to that
Of Mr.. Conkling to which have referred, and
from that moment Garfield was looked upon now
by few. then by a greater number and right
along by increasing numbers. as possibility.
To this circumstance and TO the antagonisms OF
Grant, Sherman and Blaine then attributed, and
still attribute, Garfeld's nomination.
The remark was frequently made at that time
that If Garfield had been the candidate and Sher-
man had presented him to the convention the lat
ter would have been nominated. Men who be-
come candidates and conduct campaigns for
nomination naturally and inevitably create
tagonisms which make themselves felt when a
convention assemblies. and under such conditions
the outcome is surrounded by atmosphere of
uncertainty. That was the at Cincinnati,
and in 1850 it simply history repeating Itself
WHY ARTHUR WAS NOMINATED.
As to the nomination for icePresident. it was
simply a question Of availability. Arthur was
chosen because it was thought that would con-
ciliate Conklng and ala in carrying New-York.
II did not conciliate Conklng much. but it did
aid in carrying New-York. Conkling was heard
to say during the progress OF the campaign that
if Garfield or Garfish. as Le often pleased TO
call him carried New-York. 1t would be due 10
the popularity of Chester a. Arthur. Well, ne did
carry New-York and Arthur subsequently, owing
TO the death Of Garfield, became President of the
United States
The chief actors on the occasion Of the Chicago
convention Of 1880 have nearly all passed away
Grant Conkling Blaine. Garfield and Arthur are
dead. but John Sherman lives and to-day stands
high in the history of the country, and is no
longer a candidate for any Office.
RICHARD SMITH.