The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-05-06

spokesman sat down. silent and disap-
poiated. Almost q. the same moment
one Of the ladies of the household en-
tered the room and said: General.
here is sfr. Washburne and his daugh-
ters." and the old soldier turned to
greet his friend with a heartiness which
showed how mistaken was his faith in
him
l shall not dwell on the incidents of
the contest, which ragged from January
to June In the ranks of the Republican
party. The excitement grew in inten-
sity, and as the day approached for
holding the primaries In Chicago the
interest and anxiety became almost
painful. Locally. at least, the issue
was well defined. 1t was Blaine and
Washburne against Grant. and the
tickets were thus designated.
AN UNFORTUNATE BLUNDER.
During the day on which the pri-
maries were held an absurd but rather
unfortunate mistake occurred In the
First ward. About O'Clock the pro-
prietor of one Of the hotels. an ardent
friend Of Grant, heard that the votes
of his employees were being refused, and
he hurried to the polls to protest. ~
long wranglc occurred He stood a.
the window protesting and the voting
was stopped. He wouldn't bulge and
the judges sent for an officer. An OFF,
Ger came, and finally a truce was
patched up. 1t was agreed that GER
tain Of the employees who made oath to
their residence In a prescribed way
might vote. The swearing in OF these
votes took a great deal of time and
finally the hour of closing arrived. On
the minute the window came down
with a bang. leaving nearly $50 voters
fumbling their tickets and looking into
each others faces. The hotel man came
Into the Grant headquarters u few mo-
ments afterward and. throwing his hat
on the table. declared he had got even
with those who had tried to cheat his
men out of their votes. 1t had result
ed. he said. in keeping out 200 or 500
Blaine and Washburne "fellers" who
were standing In line when the polls
closed.
Hearing this l Immediately became
fearful that the boot was on the other
leg. l happened to know tIat two en-
elgetic young business men Of Chi
cago (since very prominent financially
and politically had arranged for a
couple OF hundred of men In their em-
ploy to accompany them to the polls
about , o'clock. They were enthusias-
tic Grant men, and l said to myself, II
they have failed to get In their vote the
First ward is lost. I ran downstairs.
and almost the first man met was the
senior member of the firm. wet, be-
draggled. disgusted. Sure enough. II
was as i had feared. Every one of his
men. numbering nearly 200. had failed
to get In his vote. and what added to
the disgust was the fact that the ward
elected anti-Grant delegates by a ma
jority Of just fifty-seven.
THE CONVENTION.
1t was June 3 when the national con-
vention assembled. vast crowd be-
sieging the exposition building. A rep
resentatives Of the royal house OF Eng
land came into the hall, looked down on
the myriad Of faces that ranged them
selves In never-ending circles before
him. and went away; with what emo
tions we know not but with the spec
tacle lasting one in his memory. I'M
possible 1t should be otherwise. Here
was the republic incarnate, the majesty
OF mighty nation slfted and sorted
for great work. 1t had its forbiddlng
aspects, but its majestic features over
shadowed them. Finally the moment
came when candidates were to be pre-
sented, and the vast audience became
hushed and orderly. If there Is any
oratory In man such an occasion will
bring IT out. and an audience realizes
that when II listens to q nominating
speech In a national convention 1t is
listeing to the supreme effort Of a
speakers life. Few speeches Of this
character. however, have lived beyond
the occasion that inspired them, that of
Ingersoll nominating Blaine at Cincin-
natl being the notable exception, fol-
lowed by Garfleld's nominating Sher-
man and COnklin's nominating Grant at
Chicago.
Reading over Garfields speech after
all these years, ! am not surprised that
1t made its author the nominee lnstead d
Of the man 1t ostensibly advocated. The
bitterness. the strife, the apparently
irreconciliable differences between the
friends of Grant, Blaine and Wash
burne were agitating every mind. What
would be the outcome of such enmity ?
Garfield came forward like an arbitra =
tor. His words were like the soft music
OF whispering pines after the frightful
storm has passed and a gentle zephyr
stirs the boughs. A fathers words to
unruly children. tired of endless quar-
reling and pickering, could not have
been more persuasive or effective. The
convention voted as 1t had intended to
vote, but Garfield and his words were In
the minds Of the delegates just the
same. Remembering the scenes-.the
bitterness. the tumult, the danger of a
revolt or split at the outcome of the
intense feeling-listen to his words:
GARFIELD'S SPEECH.
! don't want to- say a thing which shall
Intensity the feeling, hut ] have seen on
this platform tonight what looked TO me
m nI NS 81.
party of 1872 l am I'm favor of no such
resurrection. When the bolter dies wan,
him to die the death that knows no wax.
Ing. But now II seems as II all the tombs
OF all the soreheads of the state had been
rifed. and their forms reileshed and set W
here to speak a law 10 the Republicans oi
Illinois. ! beg you to deal Justly with
u.s. Nominate John Sherman, II you will
90 1t fairly. and when the hysterical gen.
tiemen who are afraid he Is not popular
way to the polls the old guard will be
planting the flag of victory on the citadel
Of the enemy. Nominate James g. Blaine
II you Will. and when the gentlemen who
are cheerih9 so loudly IN the galleries to.
night are reposing under the soft sum.
mer sky. tired OF politics and disgusted
with Its fatigues. you Will find the follow.
ers of the silent old soldier awake by theii
camp fires and carrying the banner of The
| sluggard onward to victory.
NOMINATION OF BLAINE.
Mr.. Blaine was put in nomination by
Mr.. JOY, of Michigan. an excellent man
but not an orator and not we'll pre-.
pared for his task. After speaking a
while he threw the convention into con.
vulsions by nominating james II
Blaine" This absurd mistake In the
name Of the great Maine statesman dis.
gusted his friends and they were great
ly relieved when Senator Frye seconded
the ncmiration In speech of remark.
able eloquence.
CONKLING FOR GRANT.
Then Conkling-more hated, more
feared and more admired than any mar
In the convention-probably the great.
est man In the convention, came for.
ward to nominate General Grant. As
q rhetorical effort Mr.. Conkling's
speech was a. marvel AS an arraign.