The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-12-16

to reach Concord about 1O O'CLOCK a. m,
just after the principal morning train for
Boston had left the station. One morning
in June, 1852, Rolfe and I were at the
station when the New Hampshire dele
gates to the democratic national conven-
ton took the Boston train on their way to
Baltimore where the convention was to be
held, and as the train pulled out Rolfe
asked me, while we walked back and
forth on the outside platform who I
thought would be nominated at Baltimore.
1 answered:
Either Lewis Cass. James Buchanan
or Stephen A. Douglas"
(Which one Of them, do you think?"
Buchanan" said 1.
''Why?" asked Rolfe.
I gave some reasons and then returned
his question, who do you think it will
be-" Franklin PIERCE said he. You
may be sure made some exclamation of
incredulty, to which he replied: LET me
tell you what I know, and you will see why
[ think So. ~
He then proceeded to recall what every
body knew, that the three candidates I
had named, were sure to be presented to
the convention; that they would probably
have about equal initial strength among
the delegates and would be supported
with about equal sincerity and persist
ence; that one after the other, each of the
three would gain the votes of some dele
gates from the other two; that probably in
that way each Of the three would, on some
ballots, receive a simple majority of the
votes, but not the requisite two-thirds.
Then" said Rolfe, when the friends Of
each are fully satisfied that their favorite
cannot be nominated they will all be
ready for a new candidate"
| What good will that do Frank Pierce?"
I broke in.
| DO you remember the visits Of some
Mexican war generals ii Concord last
| year?'' he went on ..
! I remembered them. They were Generals
! Pillow of Tennessee, Clingman Of North
Carolina, Quitman and Jefferson Davis Of
Mississippi. and Gushing of Massa chusetts,
and perhaps one or two others whom I
do not now recall. They were there in
August. went to the beaches and the
mountains with their friend and comrade.
General Pierce, and were in Concord
again, some of them, in October. I had
/ met most of them personally at one time
| or another. '....- ....
you know" continued Rolfe, at passed
as a mere accidental meeting in Boston Of
the southern gentlemen on their several
ways to northern summer resorts, to
whom it then occurred that if Pierce and
! Gushing would join them it would add to
| their enjoyment. It was a mere chance
meeting of friends for a vacation. But
they fixed up all the arrangements to
4 make Frank Pierce the democratic nomi-
nee for president. and they are assembling
at Baltimore this week to play the parts
agreed on last year. All Of those generals
but Pierce will be in the convention. They
are well known party leaders They dc
not all favor the same one Of the big
three at first. They all speak well of all
three They will conspicuously try
to secure two thirds of the convention
for one or the other of the three, but thei1
influence, tho strong enough to give one
after the other a majority, will somehow
always fail to bring together two thirds
for either. When the convention begins
to get tired and delegates are asking
whom, then, can we nominate and names
are getting mentioned, then General -
is to nominate General Franklin Pierce O.
New Hampshire and General is t.
second the nomination. Other general:
and others besides the generals will joi1
them, and Pierce will be the nominee
Rolfe told me the names Of the generals
Pillow and Clngman, who were to nomi
nate General Pierce, but do not remem
Der which one was to lead off.
There are two chances to lose the gam
! by a mistake of Judgment" said Rolfe
Zone is by bringing in Pierce's name to-
soon. If his name is talked Of while tn
|, friends Of either Cass, Douglass or Buchan
an have any hope of success, they vii
hold Pierce's friends responsible for thei
favorite's defeat and they will in reveng
defeat our plan. The other possible wa
to lose is to bring in the name of Pierc
100 laIe. some Otner party or com blna
f ton of politicians may have the yer
same plan in hand in behalf of some othe
candidate, and if they put their man In a
the right time, and before us, they wi
probably win the place."
The records of the convention show tina
Mr.. Rolfe said only what he knew TIL
results were exactly what he expected
The work was done as it was planned
Cass, Buchanan and Douglass fought t
a standstill. Each one reached majorit,
1 neither could get two-thirds. Then som
I inconspicuous delegate was told to cas-
his vote for General Franklin Pierce. Tha
turned the wind of the convention upo
: him, and the generals hurriedly suggeste
! to delegates that he would make an ad
mirable candidate, and having found nc
body to contradict, Pillow and Clingma
spoke their mpromptus and the thin
was done.
II General Pierce went to Boston to ava
results, where the plot was yet unknown
He showed a natural interest in the ba
tie of the big three. but when at lengt
a vote was cast for him he was no long,
! found among the politicians. When /