The daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1904-1905, 1904-05-31
IN 10 CONVENTIONS
SENATOR CHAUNCEY M. DEPEW
WRITES EPISODES OF Ma
TIONAL CAMPAIGNS. f.
IN TEN CAMPAIGNS
New Yorker Personal Contact With
Lincoln and the Later
Presidents.
IN TEN CAMPAIGNS
BY Chauncey M. Depew.

ond nomination OF President Lincoln
l was very young man then and Sec
rotary Of state in New York. A few
of us who were devoted adherents of
Governor Seward went to Washing
ton on the way to Baltimore to con-
suit with him. Lincoln s nomination
was assured. The only question was
who should be vice president. There
was a general consensus Of opinion
that it should be Daniel S. Dickinson
He had been a lifelong Democrat. but
supported Mr. Lincoln throughout
the war.
This little incident is unwritten
history and shows what incidents
make history: Mr.. Seward advised
against the nomination Of Mr.. Dick
inson on the ground that we ought
to encourage the loyal men in the Dor
der states who had risked their lives
in standing by the Union. The most
eminent representative Of that class
at that time was Andrew johnson of
Tennessee, who had kept all Tonnes
see loyal and was the moving spirit
which had contributed many Tonnes
see regiments to the Union army. He
stood as courageous. aggressive
leader Of that sentiment in all the
border states.
When Judge Robertson and I
reached the convention we found the
matter settled for Mr.. Dickinson. We
then began the missionary work i'm
posed on us by Secretary Seward
The Connecticut delegation. headed
by Governor Miner. Immediately join
ed us. The matter was finally left
by the convention to the New York
delegation, and the nomination of
johnson was decided by one vote in
that delegation. The convention ac-
cepted this conclusion, and the rest
of the story, including Johnson's
presidency. is we'll known.
The nomination of General Grant.
both the first and second times, was
by reclamation, and there was no
contest.
Recounts Tilden Contest.
There was a terrific struggle for
the succession to General Grant. New
York presented Roscoe Conkling and
that presentation prevented the nom
ination of James G Blaine. There
had been bitter feeling between Mr..
Conkling and Mr.. Blaine. Mr.. Conll-
ling would not consent to Mr.Blaine =
nomination. Finally Mr. Hayes Of
Ohio, man then unknown to the
country. became the candidate Of an
evolution and not a revolution.
Samuel J. Tilden performed
great and hardly recognized service
in that election. The Democrats be-
lieved. as did vast number of Re-
publicans. that he was honestly elect
ed We were close to the civil war
and the participants on both sides
were still vigorous enough to make a
revolution easy upon a question like
that Of the deprivation. by any pro-
to be elected to his office. OF course.
it is moot question because it was
decided by the tribunal by only a
majority Of one.
But it is due to Mr. Tilden to say
that all his power and influence were
used to prevent his followers from
doing what many Of the ab1ost and
strongest public men advocated
Selling the presidency, or attempting
If. It was mainly through Mr.. Til
den that the tribunal was selected
and its judgment acQuiesced in.
Minister Defeated Blaine.
Tn the canvass Of 1880 Grant was
brought before the convention as a
candidate, and the whole question of
the third term became exigent In
the tactical management the nomina-
ton Of General Grant depended on
whether the unit rule was to prevail
There was a majority for him in
enough states to nominate him if the
unit rule carried both the majorit!
and the minority, but there were
enough delegates to defeat him. The
contest over this one question LASTED
for several days. When the unit rule
was beaten the convention was at sea
John Sherman was the most prom
inent and promising Of the candi
dates. and his campaign was led b,
James Garfield. Garfeld's speech 70
Sherman captured the convention
and nominated the speaker for tn,