The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-06-05

when the Democratic national conven-
ton assembled In 1858 1t was the purpose
OF Horatio Seymour and other leaders
that Chief Justice Chase, who had boz
come estranged from the Republican
party, should be nominated for President.
and save for one mans craft and cum
ming this plan would have been carried
into execution That man was Samuel
s. Tilden, who believed that the candt-
dacy OF Chase would spell defeat. In
stead, he planned with subtle and mas
terly strategy to nominate Seymour. II
had been arranged that Seymour. who
had been chosen president OF the conven-'
ton, was to leave the chair to nominate
Chase. This moment was seized by TIL
den for the fultment OF his purpose
and when Seymour called another to pre-
side, an Ohio delegate shrewedly selected
for tho occasion. sprang to his feet and
demanded the nomination Of Seymour,
the acknowledged leader OF the Democra-
cy. Men In other delegations, previously
assigned to their tasks. swelled the hur-
rah for Seymour. and when some OF the
New York delegates Joined in the cheer
Ing the end became evident to all.
Your candidate cannot be. sa,d sey-
nour. In a faltering tone. as he left the
platform, but the wave surged on. and
he was made the nominee by a practt-
cally unanimous vote. Seymour. prevail
ed upon to consider the subject, reluct-
antly submitted to the result thus achiev-
ed and went to crushing defeat at the
polls. receiving but eighty votes In the
electoral college to IA for Grant.
Returned to Plague Tilden.
Eight years later. when T1lden was
himself e. candidate and the Presidency
seemed within his grasp, his part In the
undoing OF Chase returned to plague him.
Kate Chase Sprague daughter OF the
chief justice, was long the most brilliant
woman in Washington society, counting
among her friends and admirers many
of the ablest men in public lie One OF
these was Roscoe Conkling, long a Sena-
tor from New York. The vote OF Louis
lana determined the contest between TIL
den and Hayes before the electoral COM
mission OF 1877, and. under the bill Great
Ing the latter body, 1t required the APP
proval OF the Senate to assure the cleo
toral vote OF that State to either candi-
date. Had 1t been given to Tilden he
would have been the President. Many
Republicans. Conkling among them, be-
lieved that Tilden had been r!ghtfully
elected. and in the Senate enough votes
were mustered to throw the vote OF that
body in his favor, providing Conkling
would lead In such course. This he
agreed to do, but failed to appear at the
critical moment, and the anti-Hayes Re-
publicans, thus left without a leader, fell
back to their party lines and gave the
vote OF Louisiana and the Presidential
certificate to Hayes. It came out after
ward that Conl1ling's failure to keep his
word was due to the influence and ca
tolery OF Mrs. sprague, who thus avenged
the defeat OF her fathers nomination.. a
woman's ill-will lost Tilden the pres-i
dency, to which he had been elected by
a popular majority of more than quar-
ter OF million.
Payne's Fight on Thurman.
/, In 1880 the unrelentng luminosity Of
Henry B. Payne alone prevented Allen g.
Thurman from being made the nominee
of the Democratic national convention.
In 1857 Payne was a candidate for the
Democratic nomination for Governor OF
Ohio The convention met In Columbus,
and Thurman. then fresh from period
Of brilliant service on the Supreme bench
OF his State had friend in whose can
didacys for Stata treasurer he was much
Interested. Some Of Payne's lieutenants,
without his knowledge, promised Thur
man the support ct the Payne forces for
his friend In return for the votes he con-
trolled in the convention. Payne won out
by handsome margin, but the Thurman
candidate for treasurer failed at the last
moment to receive the promised support
OF the Payne following and was defeated.
PAYNE was not aware of the trick that
had been played upon Thurman, but the
latter who scorned double-dealing In any
form, was quick to resent 1t. Within the
hour the opportunity to do so fell IN his
way. The convention ended. Payne went
to hotel for dinner, accompanied py
wine in celebration OF his success. Pres
emily Thurman and a few friends camo In
and took seats at an adjoining table.
payne babe the waiter carry bottle OF
vine to the newcomers, but In a moment
81 came back with the gruf MESA ge that
Mr.. Thurman did not care for any OF Mr..
Payne's wine In evident surprise al TINS
refusal, Payne rose from his seat and
crossed to the group OF which thurman
was the central figure.
"I trust you and your friends will drink
q bottle OF wine with me. Judge he said
urbanely, Drink to my success and tho
victory of the Democratic party"
1T do not want any OF your vino. sir"
was the reply. ~ told that damned
waiter to say as much to you, sir, mo-
ment ago." And so saying. thurman
turned his hack abruptly on the man
from Cleveland.
Payne never forgot or forgave this pub
lie insult The quarrel thus begun ever
after kept the two men apart, ana lnree
and twenty years later thwarted Thur
mans highest ambition, In 1880 he was
q candidate for the Presidential nominal
ton before the Democrats national con-
yention. Had he had the unfinching sup
port OF the Ohio delegation, .hefs 81 y !,,ne
nee The delegation was solid Tor him
an the first ballot. Then It broke and
the chances for his nomination vanished
into thin air Payne was behind the
hraak The delegates from the district
~ which his influence was supreme led
it. It. and were strongest In the claim Which
stampeded the convention to dark
horsp, ~ Ohio Was then An October