The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1901-08-30

and talking of the political situation.
We stopped under a magnificent tree.
Garfield put his arm on my shoulder
and said:
'Chauncey, you would have great
future before you if 1t were not for
your humor. 1t retards your progress.
Give that up, and you may yet be pres
ident There is no reason why you
should not. When was younger, in
dulged in humor a good deal myself
and insensibly fell into the habit of
using too much of it in my speeches
and conversation, but fortunately I
soon discovered that my audiences ex-
pected me to say laughable things, and
l quit it altogether. For years there
has been no trace of humor in my
speeches. More than that, I never am
tempted to use it, and really have lost
the power of enjoying humor in other
mems speeches."
Some one asked the senator what he
thought of Garfelds remarks. 81
hardly know" replied Mr.. Depew, 'sbut
wouldn't exchange the fun | have
had in this life for the presidency"
Depew's Pathetic Story.
Mr.. Depew then told this pathetic
story of his connection with the Liberal
Republican movement in 1872:
Shortly after Horace Greeley was
nominated by the Liberal Republicans
he sent for me to visit his office, and l
went He solicited me to go into the
movement, and l refused, explaining to
him gently as / could that his election
was impossible because the Democrats
would not support him. The leaders
might and probably would do SO as a
matter of good politics, but the rank
and file of the Democrats, upon whom
he had been pouring yitriol for 40
years, could not be brought to stand by
him with anything like unanimity and
the sequel showed that my first Inn
preston was correct. But Mr.. Greeley
said:
'Chauncey, Tam in the crisis of my
fate. The opportunity of a lifetime has
come to me. If the Democrats noni-
nate me, will be president. Demo-
cratic leaders all over the country have
given assurances that they will nomi-
nate me if proofs are forthcoming that
enough New York Republicans will
support me to carry the state. To test
this a meeting of Republicans friendly
to me is soon to be held at Buffalo. l
want you to attend that meeting, for
my success in November depends upon
the showing made there. You are per-
sonally known to more people than any
other man in the state. Your active
participation in that meeting may and
probably will turn the scales in my
favor. Since you first entered politics,
a mere youth, / have been your friend
and The Tribune has been your stanch
advocate, always ready to advance
your fortunes. You must go; really
you must
He kept on in that strain. l yield.
ed my judgment to the call of personal
friendship and attended the Buffalo.
meeting. 1t was monster affair. Most
of the prominent Republicans in the
state were in attendance, hundreds of
them upon the stage. Greeley was
the cry. and the enthusiasm was I'M
bounded and contagious, That great
demonstration stirred the heart of the
country and secured for Horace the
Democratic Endorsement. I accepted
the nomination for lieutenant governor.
Things went on swimmingly until the
October state election in North Caro-
lima, which went Republican by large
majority. That amazed the whole
country and marked the beginning Of
the end.
1.-THE day before that election Grant
Republicans in New York were as
scarce as hens' teeth; the day after the
election Greeley Republicans in New
York were like angels visits, few and
far between Everybody was anxious
to get to cover. The result In North
Carolina demonstrated to all the world
what told Mr.. Greeley in the begin
ming. that the body of plain Democrats,
men who expected no office and want
ed none, but who voted the ticket be-
cause of the associations Of a lifetime
or because of love of the party name
or party principles, would have none of
him, but | believed then and believe
now that had North Carolina gone
Democratic at the October election
Greeley would have carried New York
by 100000 majority and would have re-
ceived every electoral vote south and
west of New York.
When Greeley's Mighty Heart Broke.
"a few days before the presidential
election / visited Mr.. Greeley at his
country place at Chappaqua. where he
had spent the happiest hours of his
busy and useful life. He was in his
library, which was strewn with papers,
Illustrated and upillustrated The bot
tom had dropped out of his canvass,
and he at last realized it. He was in
deepest distress, haggard, wan, nerv-
Gus. excited. He read me several hit
ter and brutal articles about himself
and showed me many cartoons BELT
Ting and rldteuling him, and he be-
moaned his fate In most pitiful man
RerY tried my best to soothe, console
and sustain him, but without avail,
After a good deal of pathetic talk he
said:
'Chauncey, I am ruined, utterly
ruined. The Tribune, the idol of my
heart, to which I have devoted my
best energies and which hoped would
be my monument to coming genera
tons, will be destroyed. l have done
right because loved the right. adj
yocated prohibition because l deemed