The San Francisco call., 1896-06-19
Names With Which Still to
Conjure Enthusiasm and
Patriotism.
Conventions That Have Been Excit.
ing and Struggles That Are
Historic.

cameron came as near being an instru-
ment in the hands of divine providence
as he ever did in his life, engineering the
anti-Seward combine, defeating the New
York statesman and nominating the clean
and lanky Lincoln,' as many of the news
paper headlines of the day expressed it
that year when the great Charleston con-
vention was shivered to Atoms when the
Douglas Democrats nominated the Little
Giant at Baltimore, and the seceders from
that convention took up John Bell of
Tennessee and Edward Everett of Massa-
chusetts; when at Richmond another wing
of the Democrats named John c. Breckin-
ridge of Kentucky and Joseph Lane of
Oregon; when the Aboltionists nominated
Gerrit Smith, and the State of Texas
haunted lone star Presidential banner
inscribed with the name of Sam Houston.
In this vast and active republic political
events pile upon one another with light
ming speed, ana even the great tragedies
resulting from the assassin's bullet and
those almost equally tragic blows of i'll
luck which have remanded popular idols
10 obscurity and death soon become vague
and misty even in the minds of leading
actors in the scenes of the time.
Politics were very much simplified in
1864, compared to those of 1860, when,
amid the thunder of cannon all over the
South, and when the horrid din of war
was easily audible at the National capital,
Lincoln and Johnson were nominated at
Baltimore, and General Mcclellan and
Gentleman George" Pendleton at Chi
cago. The only ripple OF discomfort with
the old parties was the detection of the
tod Cor
eral Fremont and John Cochran of
New York at Cleveland. Fremont, par
TALLY through jealousy, partially because
OF sincere dissatisfaction with the con-
duct of the war, resigned mis- commission
in company with several generals of less
note, and had sublime confidence in his
ability to divert enough of the Republican
vote to insure his election. Yet how many
public men, to say nothing of men not in
public life, will recall the holding of that
convention2
The Radicals and Peace Democrats were
alike remanded to the rear, and Lincoln
was sustained, only to be killed by the
bullet of Booth.
In 1868, at Chicago, it was inevitable
that the Repu blicans should nominate
Grant, and upon the ticket with him was
placed Colfax OF Indiana, who was then
quite popular. at New York, little
earlier, Horatio Seymour had been nom-
mated by the Democrats, with Francis ?.
Blair of Missouri as the candidate for
President The Grant convention
was full of the enthusiasm that must in
evitably associate with the name Of the
victorious general of great war. There
was no contest, and the spectacle was
rather a mass-meeting to celebrate the re-
storation of the Union and the end OF the
term of the almost impeached Johnson,
than a convention of political party.
For hours the vast assembly did little
but stand on its feet and cheer and sing
patriotic songs. Old Jesse Grant, father
of the general, stood near the front Of the
staging, tears coursing down his cheeks,
witnessing the glorifcation of his son.
Penton and Wilson were both prominently
in the race for the Presidential office,
and there was much soreness over the
nomination of Colfax, and not few were
pleased with that gentleman's subsequent
humiliation.
The Republican Convention of 1872 was
little more than an Endorsement of the
administration, but it was amid tremen-
roof from the old Philadelphia Academy
of Music when the 'Galena Tanner" and
the "Natick Cobbler' were placed in nom
ination.
In 1876 there was a strong feeling IN
favor of the nomination of Grant for
third term, but this disslpated long before
the Republican Convention met at Gin
cinnati in June, and party affections were
divided between Blaine and Conkling,
with numerous favorite sons in the back
ground.
1t was the contest between the two bril-
liant leaders transferred from the halls of
Congress to the floor of the political con-
vention. That Blaine had the great dele
gates as well as the popular following 20
one denied. Conkling could not control
the delegation from bis own State. Came
ron was able to divert the vote of Pennsyl-
vania from Blaine only by securing in
structions from Hartranft. Bristow, as an
"anti-boss" Republican, had a strong fol-
lowing. Oliver P Morton, Logan, Hayes,
Evarts, Morgan, Wheeler, Adams, Hart
ranft and other favorite sons tTailed along,
their hopes being based upon probable
breakdown of the leaders.
On the very Sunday previous to the
meeting of the convention, and when
nearly all of the delegates were on the
ground, Blaine was stricken while on his
way to church in Washington with some
thing closely akin to apoplexy. and his
adherents and opponents alike were
gloomy and sympathetic. Later reports
of the favorable condition Of the patient
revived the Blaine eDthusiasms and an
tagonisms, and On Monday the fight " as
as intense as though the hand OF disease
had not touched the man from Maine.
Edward Mcpherson, who died !ragic
death at his Pennsylvania home a few
months ago, was made permanent chair
man of the convention. The most sensa-
tional episode of the time was the excite
ment that followed McPherson's s ruling in
the case of Pennsylvania delegates, John
Hampton, the brilliant Pittsburg lawyer,
among them, who protested against the
casting of the entire vote of the State by
Cameron as a unit.
Excitement was intense, and at one
time it appeared that Mcpherson would