The sun., 1899-07-23

OF lS47 he declined a third nomination fol
Congress, but accepted a seat in the state Leg
! islature. a fortunate choice. as II turned out
| for an unexnected vacancy occurred in the
| United States Senate. and he was chosen to
| I'LL IL. with one vote to spare. In the ensuing
contest for tho Presidency he unwillingly sup.
| ported Gen. Cass. the Democratic candidate,
and took the stump against his own brother
| Elijah L. Hamin. who was tho Whig nominee
| for Governor OF Maine
When Hsmin entered tho Senate. In 1S4S.
Clay had returned to that body; Webster was
| at the height OF his authority. and Calhoun.
| although declining in health. was still the
master mind OF his party. Among other dis
| tinguished m EN- bers OF the Senate at that time
wero Benton. Corwin John J. Crittenden. Rev
erdy Johnson. Sam Houston. Stephen A. Doug
las. John A. Dix. John p. Hale and Jefferson
Davis. Abraham Lincoln. then a member of
the House. was present when Hamlin made
his first speech in the Senate. which was a
denunciatlon Of the Clayton bill as plot ito
steal slavery into Oregon" Hsmlin observed
that LincolA was following him with apparent
interest. and when the two met after the
Presidential campaign OF 1860 almost the FIRST
thing Lincoln said had reference to the speech
Just mentioned. The compromises OF 1850
were opposed by Senator Hamlin, who advo-
Gated the admission Of California as a free
State. Renominated for the United States
Senate In 1850. Hamlin was again elected. after
two months ballotinR. by one vote. which was
due to n Free -Soiler For the Democratic
nomination for the Presidency In 1852 he
would have preferred Judge Levi P. Woodbury.
OF New Hampshire. but after the latter's sud-
den death he supported Franklin Pierce. being
unaware Of tho secret understanding which is
said to have been reached between Pierce and
the Calhoun Democracy. Hamln subsequent
ly regarded his support OF Pierce as one OF the
serious mistakes of his life.
Tho abrogation OF the Missouri Compromise
by tho passage OF the Nebraska bill seemed to
Hamlin a betrayal OF fundamental principles
which rendered it impossible for him to act
any longer with the Dem ocratc party. Never
theless. he waited to see what would be done
by the Democratic National Convention which
was held at Cincinnati on June 2. 1855. 1t
formally indorsed the repeal OF the Missouri
Compromise. affirmed the doctrine that Con-
Rress had no right to interfere with slavery In
the Territories, and put forward James Bu-
chanaR for it's candidate Thus. by its own
act. the national Democracy avowed Itself to
be the aggressive pro-slavery party. On June
-. or six days after the adjournment OF tho
Cincinnati Convention, Hamln arose In tho
Senate and requested to be excused from
further service as Chairman OF the Commit
tee on Commerce. the ground that he
could no longer maintain political assoca-
tiOn with the party to which he had pre-
viousy owned allegiance. Il can support no
man" he said. for President who accepts
such doctrines as were proclaimed at Cincin-
natl. and the little power with which God may
have endowed me shall be EN- ployed to battle
mantully for his defeat. demanded as 1t is by
the highest interests OF the country" Five
days later he attended the first national con-
vention ot the Republican party. which took
place in Philadelphia. He favored the nomina-
tion by that body OF Judge John Mclean OF
Ohio. but The popular demand was for John
Charles Fremont. who obtained 359 votes to
1o6 given to Mclean. II is a fact but little
known that, at this convention. Abraham Lin
coin received l 10 votes for Vice President Re-
turning to Maine. Hamlin accepted the Re-
publican nomination for Governor. and in
September was elected by n plurality OF
more than 25.O0O Fremont carried the
State by $4,000 in the subsequent November.
When Hamlin became Govern or OF Maine 1t was
we'll understood that he would be returned to
the Federal Senate as soon as the Legislature
was called upon to act. As matter OF fact. he
held the executive Office but six weeks, resum-
ing his seat In the Senate on March 4. 1857.
Three years later there was a movement to
nominate him for President. but he forbade
the use OF his name for either place on tho
ticket. and secured Lincoln delegates in Maine
Placed at Chicago on the Republican ticket
for Vice President. he felt constrained to ac-
cept and took strenuous part in the ensuing
campaign. When. after the election. Hamln
and Lincoln met. the composition Of the pros
pective Cabinet was discussed and the form
er's suggestion OF Gideon Wclles OF Connecti-
cut was acQuiesced In by tho future President
who said: "Oh. very well | told you you
should name the New England man. anu, If you
say Welles, 1t is Wellcs" Wees was profuso
in his expressions OF gratitude to Hamln at
the time and admitted his obligation. but after
he became Secretary OF the Navy he broke
promise twice made to Hamlin. who never
the reaftcr spoke to him.
How did it happen that Hamlin failed to re-
ceive the Republican denomination for Vice
President in 1864? The question is an
swered in the thirty-siXth chapter OF this
volume. The facts were not given to the
public during Hamlins life out Of defer
ence TO his wishes. and they are now pre-
sented. We are told, because an attempt has
been made to represent President Lincoln as
the cause OF the su bsttution OF Andrew John
son. 1t appears that Lincoln not only desired
llamlinS denomination. but also endeavored
to bring 1t about at risk to himself and
both for political and personal reasons was
extremely Rrleved at the selection of John
son for his associate. Tho person chiefly re-
Rponsihe for the supersession OF Hamlin
by johnson was Charles Sumner. but the truth,
although known to Hamlin. was long undi-
vulged by him. lest it should impair Sum
ners usefulness and increase the discord within
the Republican party. Strange as it may seem
at first sight. Sumner was Hamlin's personal
friend at the time He assumed that Ham
lin did not desire the Vice Presidency know
ing him to have recently remarked to William
A. Wheeler OF New York; Wheeler. will take
luncheon with you condition that you
promise me that you will never take the nomi-
nation for the Vice Presidency l am only a
nth wheel on the coach. and can do little for
my friends" Summers hope was that when
Hamlin withdrew from the executive office in
March. 1855. the people of Maine would return
him to the Senate instead OF William Pitt Fes-
senden, who was thorn in Summers side be-
ing a much better debater. and always get
ting the better OF his encounters with the Mas
sachusetts Senator SO Sumner Induced the
Massachusetts, delegation in the Republican
National Convention to withhold it's vote from
Hamlin. and the New York delegation. follow