Warren sheaf., 1900-03-08
declared that nothing else could have
compassed Mr.. Clay's defeat.

declared that nothing else could have
compassed Mr.. Clay's defeat.
Another notable mistake on the part
of a candidate was made by Gen. Han.
cock in Septem Der, 1884, when he wrote
letter saying: The tariff is local,
not a national, issue.'' Although it
has since been demonstrated and ad.
mitted by politicians of both parties
that Gen. Hancock was technically cor
rect in his statement, it was taken up
at the time by the opposition and
turned into ridicule with such effect
that it insured Hancock's defeat.
For a long time after Henry Gays
defeat the political managers would
not permit their presidential candi-
dates to make any speeches nor to
write any letters. Zachary Taylor was
required to be as solitary as an oyster
and as silent as clam. Only one let
ter was promulgated over his sigma
ture, and that was prepared for him by
Thurlow Weed, Millard Fillmore and
William H. Seward. Franklin Pierce
was kept in retirement, although he
had long been known as an orator of
magnetic presence. His campaign
managers feared that he might commit
some fatal error in public utterance.
When Abraham Lincoln was nom.
mated in 1860 the republican managers
were perturbed lest he might commit
some error. Thurlow Weed went to
Springfield to see Lincoln and caution
him, to tell him to remain absolutely
quiet and say nothing about politics
even to his neighbors. After half an
hours conversation with Mr.. Lincoln
the great New York politician told him
the object of his visit, but stated that
he had no advice to offer. He returned
to New York and told the politicians
that Lincoln possessed the keenest
and most subtle intellect he had ever
encountered. He said that during his
half hour conversation Mr.. Lincoln
cleverly entertained him, drew from
him all manner of information, but
never made any suggestions himself.
He said to Mr. Seward: This man
Lincoln may be only country lawyer,
and may have had no great political
training, but he is wiser than all of us,
and we need give ourselves no concern
about him during the canvass. If he
says anything he will say what should
be said. and he will say nothing else. -
In 1868 the politicians had an easy
time of it with Gen. Grant, because he
was not speech maker; knew it, and
did not want to talk. He kept quiet
and allowed his military fame to speak
for him, and it spoke most eloquent]y
and successfully. In 1872 Gen. Grant
was again "the silent man" during the
campaign, while Mr.. Greeley made a
famous tour of the country, making
speeches.
In 1876 Hayes and Tilden were con-
spicuously silent. In 1880 Garfield and
Hancock left the speech-making to
Others, and the country was deluged
with political talk. In 1884 Mr.. Cleve-
land made no pretense as an orator,
while Mr.. Blaine talked incessantly
without avail. In 1888 BENJAMIN Har-
rison made speeches daily, and all of
them marvelously discreet, many of
them eloquent. Harrison was, in fact,
the only presidential candidate since
the days of Lincoln in whose discre-
tion the political managers had abso-
lutte confidence. In 1896 both Bryan
and Mckinley appeared daily before
the people, and neither one of them
was guilty of an indiscretion. although
Mr.. Bryan disappointed public expecta-
tion in his first speech in New York
city, because he read long statement
instead of giving the vast audience an
exhibition of the eloquence for which
he had become famous in the nominat-
ing convention.
But, presidential candidates aside,
and without criticism or commenda-
tion of any of them, we may return
to the original proposition that all