The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-07-18

Grant and Wilson, Hayes and Wheeler,
Garfield and Arthur, Blaine and Logan,
Harrison and Morton, Harrison and Reid.
Mckinley and Hobart and Mckinley and
Roosevelt.
How many times in Washington, how
many times in Albany. in Chicago and in
all the great cities Of the Union do you
hear Republican politicians tell stories
OF this convention or that convention of
their party which they attended, All these
gentlemen tell these stories and write re-
ports which, without doubt, they believe,
but here is MFR. Johnson's book, which tells
exactly what occurred, and tells it accu-
rately; and there is no more interesting
chapter in this great work than that de-
voted to the Republican National Conven-
ton, of 1880, when Ulysses s. Grant, al
though supported by Roscoe Conkling,
who deied every member of that conven-
ton, and who dilly-dallied and fought and
struggled for Grants nomination, went
down to defeat with the 300 Grant dele
gates, but not ingloriously, on the final
ballot. Many who participated in that
struggle have passed, like their great prin-
cipal, Conking, into the shades, but the
history Of the convention will remain as
long as the Republican party exists.
Mr.. Johnson recalls to Republican his
tory the famous lines OF Miles O'Reilly
which Mr.. Conkling used in that conven-
ton in presenting the name Of Ulysses S.
Grant In the very opening of his speech:
And when asked what State he halls from.
Our sole reply shall be:
He halls from Appomattox
And It's famous apple tree.
There had been tremendous cheers at
the mention Of Blaine's name Mr.. Conk-
ling's foe, but there were still more tre-
mendous cheers when Mr.. Conkling quoted
these lines for Grant. And then, after the
great struggle. James A. Garfield was nomi-
mated.
Then take the historic struggle Of 1884,
when Mr. Blaine, the defeated candidate Of
1880, was nominated. and when the late
Martin l. Townsend Of Troy, in present.
ing the name of President Chester A.
Arthur, declared:
And shall Trelawney de7
And shall Trelawney de-
Then thirty thousand Cornshmen
VIII know the reason why,
And then Mr. Townsend, one Of the most
famous lawyers that the State Of New York
ever had, went on to say that if Mr.. Arthur
was defeated in that convention, not
only 10000 Trelawney men, but 30 times
10000 Republicans would see to it that
President Arthur was avenged. And
Mr. Blaine was defeated by Mr. Cleveland
by q little under eleven hundred votes
Some facts in the book may he interesting
at this moment For instance, it points
out that Theodore Roosevelt, now Presi-
dent of the United States, was delegate
at-large 20 the Republican National Con-
vention Of 1884, and fought for Edmunds
all the way through-George f. Edmunds
OF Vermont: that Thomas C. Plat was a
humble delegate in that convention from
Tioga county, and fought for Blaine, Platt's
and Conkling's ancient foe. So, also, in
that notable convention where Mr.. Blaine
was nominated the present chairman of
the Republican National Committee, Mark
A. Hanna, was deegate-at-larg from the
State OF Ohio, as was Joseph Benson
Foraker.
Mr. Mckinley was chairman Of one Of the
notable committees in the convention OF
1884, and Mr.. Mckinley lived to he Presi-
dent; Mr.. Hanna has lived to be chairman
OF the National Committee, and Joseph
Benson Foraker made the nominating
speech for Mckinley at St. Louis in 1895.