The Savannah morning news., 1900-06-17
BLAINE AS A CANDIDATE.
MRS. JAMES $. GARRISON DE-
sCRiBES SOME CONVENTION
STRUGGLES.

Gathering of 1883 and the Devoted
Band of CRIifOrnians Who Voted
From First to Last for the Man
From Maine-The minneapolis
Gathering of 1892, and Its Fierce
Fighting Outside the Convention.
Thrilling Passages in National
ConcInvcs Which Have Interested
the Women Guests Quite as Much
az the Delegates.
Copyright, 1900. by Anna H. Clarkson)
Washington, June 15.-Through the gal
Iantry of the delegates to the National Re-
publican Convention, women have always
been made welcome as spectators a these
splendid gatherings. AS 1 raise my pen
the memories of the conventions which
have attended sweep over me with force
and vividness. 1 seem to hear the APP
pause. to see the waving banners, and to
feel the thrill of the battle royal. .
The nominating conciave of 1876 was
wet blanket convention" 1t opened with
glory and enthusiasm and closed almost
In silence. Bonfires had been built through
out the length and breadth Of the land-a
Blaine flag surrounding every one-and all
WchS lCdNy ACi tIC tOlN4ts Wltll ne SllOulu
be nominated. One dgniied old gentle
man of whom l wot was up in the back
end of an express wagon, responding to
the calls of a singing, cheering crowd.
The burden of his words was, the Ma
varre of American politics." and his great
fitness for the high duties which awaited
him, The crowd was struck dumb when
the result was displayed on the huge
plate glass OF the newspaper office The
dear old gentleman climbed down and
said, I'm going home to think it over"
Men and women shed tears, and not sim
Gle blaze came from those piled up tar
barrels until the regular ratification meet
ing The clear sentiment of the '76 con-
Vention was for Mr.. Blaine. He had more
than enough votes to nominate him. as
they came and went IN the seven ballots
cast, and in the end he lacked only twen-
ty-seven votes. Gov. Hayes was a most
worthy gentleman, and it was no fault of
his that he followed in the wake of the
most magnificent craft that ever sailed
our political seas.
DIaine's Second Defeat.
The convention of 1880 was tragic in its
intensity. For the third time Ulysses s.
Grant was a candidate. James G. Blaine
the country's most distinguished civilian
was the other chief candidate. BY the
time the ballottng began the nerves of
the convention were strained to great
tension. An immoVable body was about
10 come in contact with an irresistible
force, and the result was uncertainty. The
first ballot developed the candidates-Win-
dom. Washburne, Edwards ard Sherman,
with Grant and Blaine leading Garfield,
who was ultimately successful, polled only
one vote. Twenty-seven ballots showed
no material change The excitement was
n 1ul1i l0alaeq +cz " pi wing
kilograms advising, instructiHg. implorirg
and even threatening. The voting lasted
for two days. Grant holding his famous
306 and Blaine falling little behind. At
ter the thirtieth ballot Garfield gained
steadily Grant losing nothing. On the
thirty-sixth ballet Garfield was declared
the victor. Modest and manly, fair and
level-headed, he sat, pale and motionleSs,
when the announcement was made.
The strain was over. and enthusiasm,
sincere If not eXuberant took the p!aoe
of nervous anxiety. The lock was broken,
and almost any result was a relief. How
did the women feel? l only know how one
woman felt To her the fight i'm that con-
vention seemed like strife among selfish
boys. Twice had the splendid general re
ceived the highest gift of the nation L
have always thought that il he had been
appealed to Qu the right way; by the
right persons) he would have shown the
convention that great general could have
great magnanimity ] believe he could
have been induced to throw his Strength
TO one of the ether candidates after ne
himself had ceased to gain Gen. Grant
was a deeply generous man, and there IS
q beautiful story which il is not in my
province now TO relate, how he climbed
on his crutches to a committee room ana
made A touching offer of his services, IN
a campaign somewhat later
A ChiVnIric Convention.
The convention of 1854 held in Chicago,
was a straight out, open fight. The spirit
of the gathering was chivairic and superb
A fight for the temporary chalrmanshlp
was begun as soon as the opening PRAYER
for peace and guidance had Deen uehV-
cred While it lasted this hsht' Won 10Y
John r. lynch of Mississippi was IN
tenselv exciting, but the usual contest
over the seating of delegates did not take
place. there being no minority report
from the Credentials Comm1ttee.
When 1t he'd reported it was clear thar
the main business OF tine convention Wd7
AZ hand and thrills of expectancy ran
through the big assemblage. Fans nut
tered and a hum spread from aisle to
aisle and the battle was on. cen heW-
lev was placed in nomination. Gen. Lo-
gan's name was presented by senator
Cullom. Then, with stirring words, Judge
West the blind orator, presented the name
of Mr.. Blaine David of Minnesota, Good
loe of Kentucky, Plat of New York, and
Grow OF Pennsylvania, seconded this NOM
nation. Chester A. Arthur, John Sher-
man and George F. Edmunds were named.
Such a display of oratory will not occur
many times i'm the experience of one per-
son. It was a quarter of o'clock in the
morning when adjournment was finally
effected.
When the ballottiug began the next day
all the factions were armed for the fray
Every office holder was in position for
Arthur, but the cohorts of Blaine had
NOW or never" feeling, and went into
battle bravely. The strife was clearly
between these candidates but the other
nominees had seen one such fight in which
neither combatant won. So they took
heart against the day of reckoning Muir
murs and whsperings few around. "Blalne
will be nominated" "Too many Office
holders here said the pessimist. 1.-THE
Plumed knights time has come" said an
other. Arthur has possession, and that's
nine points," ventured a listener
Victory for the Plumed Knight.
The women had taken great interest in
this convention and had helped 90 decor
ate the hall and the various headquar-
tiers. My own big Stars and Stripes"
which l hang out on Fourth OF July, Dec
Grafton Day. and on all gaia occasions,
covered one side of the wall IN that fam
Gus room. the ordinary of the old Grand