The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1903-12-26

ana most Denencent powers OF the ma
honal government, and the grasping
power of slavery was Selling upon the
virgin territories of the West and
dragging them into the den of eternal
bondage. Then the republican party
was born" The first days proceed
ings' had been opened with prayer by
Rev. Y. Humphrey of the First Pres
byterian church. On the second day
Rev. w. w. Patten of the Second Con-
gregational church asked divine bless
ing, while the third was begun with Il
prayer by Rev. NJ. Green. On behalf
of the working mechanic republicans
Of Chicago" as the official records
read, a gavel of oak, ivory and silver,
made by G. G. Thomas of Chicago, was
presented to the chairman on the Sec
ond day. The oak was from Commo-
dore Perry's flagship Lawrence, and
on the gavel was engraved Perry's
motto: Don't give up the ship"
Immediately after prayer OH the morn
ing of the third day the nominations
were in order. The pale and scholarly
Evarts of New York rose and present
ed the name of Seward. There was
tremendous enthusiasm among the
New York and some of the eastern
delegations. Mr.. Judd then named Mr.
Lincoln as the candidate of Illinois.
The presentation was as briefly and
simply made as had been that of
Stewards name. Mr.. Judds only
words We're: Il desire, on behalf of
the delegation from Illinois, to put in
nomination, as 4 candidate for presi-
dent of the United States. Abraham
many of the other western delegates
grew demonstrativc, but not for long,
as everyone was anxious for the bal
loting to begin. The names of Mr..
Dayton, General Simon Cameron of
Pennsylvania, Salmon z. Chase of
Ohio, Edward Bates of Missouri and
John Mclean of Ohio We're rapidly
presented and the balloting began.
The result has embellished history
with one of the strangest stories Of the
rise to greatness of il man from among
the h,mblest walks of life ever record
ed. 1t has inspired poets and printers
and sculptors and has given hope to
the lowly and struggling of all lands in
all succeeding ages. The most eminent
Of hn ,,.f,,
ayers of the time were swept aside
while the fantastic figure of the rail-
splitter proceeded to the front and took
command of his party and then of the
nation. On the first ballot Seward re-
ceived 1872 votes, Lincoln 102 and the
remaining ballots We're scattered. Lin
coins vote incrca to ISL on the next
ballot, while Seward received 1917
The outcome was forcseen by many of
the Lincoln supporters, and they be-
came almost uncomfortable. The third
ballot gave "Old Abe" waiting pa
tiently in his plain law Office in Spring
field, 231A votes, and Seward $50.
Only one and onc-half votes were now
necessary to win for him the nomina-
ton, and David X. Carter of Ohio
sprang on Il chair and changed the
vote of four of the delegates from that
state. Then came the stampede that
ended when Lincoln had been given
364 votes. Hats, handkerchiefs and
umbrellas were tossed into the air by
delegates who never recovered them
and never cared. The entire crowd in
the hall rose ;ls one, and women wept
while men for the time being went
mad. The news was given the crowds
outside by shoutcrs on the roof, and
they became dclirious. MIR. Evarts'
motion that the nomination be made
unanimous was carried With Il ire
mendouS roar. Senator Hannibal
Hamlin of Maine was nominated for
vice president. and the conventions
work was over. In the evening Il
triumphal procession formed in Wash
ington street and, after marching to
Michigan avenue and through various
StltCtS bdCh W llle WlSWalu, Il iitll-
ficatiOn meeting was held. \ dispatch
from Detroit was read that 100 guns
had been fired in honor of Lincoln's
nomination. Amid the singing of bat
tie songs, and Il general enthusiasm in
which only the name of Grant was
mentioned, the second convention of
the party then called the National
Union Republican, named the hero Of
AppomattoX in Chicago for his first
term on May q, 1868. The assembly
was held at Crosby's Opera House, on
the north side Of Washington, between
State and Dearborn streets. General
Carl Schurz, who afterward became
United States senator from Missouri,
was temporary chairman, and Gener-
ais John A. Logan and John NJ. Palm
er were among the prominent figures.
The theater was one of the finest
in the country in those days, and in
the stories of the gathering the news
papers made feature of the fact
that the delegates, many of them Of
the rough, ''grizzled veteran" sort,
transacted their business within walls
classically decorated, often becoming
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