The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-09-18
AFTER DEFEAT AT THE POLLS
HOW 1T FEELS TO BE BEATEN
FOR TIE PRESIDENCY.
Cleveland Went Pishins, Hancock Resumed
His sleep, Butler Was stiIl BeIliserent
when Informed o. the Result--Con-
Fast Of Blaine and Henry Gay.

does II feel to make contest for the Presi-
dency and then miss it-someumes by
the slenderest Of margins9 Only one OF
the candidates now before the people can
be elected In November; the others must
be defeated. How will the vanqushed
accept their defeat'
In many instances our Presidents have
tasted OF both the bitter and the sweet OF
politics. They have known what 1t was
to 60 down in defeat, and they have also
experienced the emotion OF victory. This
was the case with John Quincy Adams.
Martin Van Buren,, Gen. Benjamin Harri-
son and Grover Cleveland.
These men seemed to accept both victory
and defeat with philosophy. In other
countries an unsuccessful dash for throne
is frequently followed by tragic conse-
quenoes. Here 1t is accepted as q regular
occurrence once In every four years
1t was Henry Clay who said that he would
rather be right than President His unsuo-
cessful attempts to achieve his dearest am
bition are known to every American.
After his defeat by Andrew Jackson
he felt very bitter and did not attempt to
conceal his feelings. From that day until
the hour Of his death the possibility OF
never entirely deserted him, and even after
his defeat by Polk in 1874, he made hard
fight against Taylor In ls4s-his last great
political battle.
Those who follow the fortunes OF Presi-
dental candidates are sometimes consumed
with greater energy and feeling than their
Chiefs. At the time that jackson was chosen
for the Presidency Mr.. Scott, who was then
the sole representative Of Missouri In the
lower house Of Congress, elected to cast his
vote for John Quincy Adams Senator Ben
ton, who was violent partisan OF Old
Hickory, denounced the act Of Mr.. Scott as
a grave crime, and in the course OF letter
said to the offender:
For nine years we have been closely
connected In our political course. At length
the connection Is dissolved, and dissolved
under circumstances which must mean our
everlasting separation. Tomorrow Is the
day Of your seli-immolation. II you have an
enemy, he may go and feed his eyes on the
scene. Your former friend will shun the af-
fecting spectacle
Gen. Winfield Scott Hancock was one OF
the defeated Presidential candidates who ac-
| oepted the result with great calmness. His
wife reported that at O'Clock on tho even
ing OF the election he yielded TO extreme
WEAKNESS, after FIVE months Of hard CAM
paigning, and went to bed begging her not
to disturb him, as the news Of the result
could wait till the next morning
At daylight he awoke and, turning to his
wife, asked for the news. She steeled her
self up to the ordeal, and said, az quietly as
poseible
1T has been complete Waterloo for
you"
That is all right he answered, Il can
stand it.
| And In another moment no was asleep
again. The only disappointment he gave
1 expression to was concerning the difference
| his defeat would make in the future to many
Of his friends. He attended the Inauguration
| OF his competitor and, writing to friend
on the eve OF his departure for the national
capital, he said:
Yes, I am going to Washington on the
81 Of March for few days, Gen. Sher-
man. my commanding officer, has asked me
to be present. have no right TO any per-
sonal feeling In the matter. 1t Is clearly my
duty az a soldier to obey
After some reference to other matters
he adds:
what can do in Washington with dignity
will do. I do not expect to be In advance
Of or follow, tho triumphal car. either on
foot or on horseback. / only expect to
do my level best / wonder how they
did these things in Rome? When return
from Washington can tell you how the
American people do 1t under the new census.
Fifty millions Of people have way Of their
own, you know
Very few men came nearer the Presidency
without obtaining the coveted prize than
James G.. Blaine, and yet he managed 10
accept his fate with better grace than Henry
Clay, that other idol Of his party.
1t was in the convention OF 1870 that
Inge-soll made his famous 'Plumed Knight
speech; but in spite OF that outburst OF
oratory Hayes was the successful man.
Before the decisive vote had been fully
counted Blaine was writing letter OF con-
graduation to Hayes and assuring him that
Maine would give him as big a majority
as 1t would have given himself.
When Blaine did receive the nomination
he was confident OF his election. His de-
feat must have been a severe disappoint-
ment; but II II was, he controlled his feel.
ings very successfully. The day following
the election, William Walter Phelps sent
him telegram OF coincidence, ending with
Are you fairly well3"
Blaine answered: Never better in my
life
Writing to Mr.. Phelps afterward, he said:
"Our special misfortune was the loss Of
both New Jersey and Connecticut.
class them both as easily preventable &C.
cidents. ! was not sustained In the canvass
by many who had personally far greater
stake than I, They are likely to have
leisure for reflection.
IF the country Is lost II will be some salts
faction to realize that the class which per
mitted Il to be sacrificed will feel the result
most keenly. But fear you will think mt
ill-nat,ired II keep on. am not, and fee
- placid Is a summers day.
Personally care less than my naares
friends would believe, but for the cause
and my many friends profoundly deplors
the result
Probably the most tragic episode In tht
history OF Presidential elections was the
candidacy OF Horace Greeley, followed By
the breaking down Of his robust body ane
mind. and by his death.
| n..t.~ AtHa~ont xvna tha nffarvt NJ dafaaI