The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1904-10-06
AFTER DEFEAT.
HOY 1T FEELS TO BE BEATEN
FOR THE PRESIDENCY.
Cleveland Went Fishing, Hancock Re
sumed His sleep, Butter was stiII
BeIIigerent When Informed of the
ResuIt-Contrast of Blaine and Hen
ry Clay.


ResuIt-Contrast of Blaine and Hen
ry Clay.
The question has often been asked,
How does it feel to make a. contest for
the Presidency and then miss it-some-
times by the slenderest of margins?
Only one of the candidates
now before the people can be elected in
November; the others must be de-
feated. How will the vanquished ac-
cept their defeat? ....
In many instances our Presidents
have tasted of both the bitter and the
sweet of politics., They have known
what it was to go down in defeat and
they have also experienced the emo
ton of victory. This was the case
with John Quincy Adams, Martin Van
Buren,, Gen. Benjamin Harrison and
Grover Cleveland.
These men seemed to accept both
In other countries an unsuccessful
dash for throne is frequently followed
by tragic consequences. Here it is ac-
cepted as a regular occurrence once in
every four years.
1t was Henry Clay who said that he
would rather be right than President.
His unsuccessful attempts to achieve
his dearest ambition 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 eff reaching the Presidency
at some time never entirely deserted
him, and even after his defeat by Polk
in 1874, he made a hard fight against
Taylor in 1S4S-his last great political
battle.
Those who follow the fortunes Of
Presidential candidates are sometimes
consumed with greater energy and
feeling than their chiefs. AT the time
that jackson was chosen for the Presi-
dency 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
Benton, who was a violent partisan of
Old Hickory, denounced the act Of Mr..
Scott as a grave crime, and in the
course OF d 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 self-immolation. If you have an
enemy, he may go and feed his eyes
on the scene. Your former friend will
shun the Affecting spectacle.
Gen. Winfield Scott Hancock was one
of the defeated Presidential candidates
who accepted the result with great
calinness. His wife reported that at I
o'clock on the evening of the election
he yielded to extreme WEAKNESS, after
five months of hard campaigning, 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 herself up to the ordeal and
said, as quietly as possible:
1T has been complete Waterloo for
you"
"That is all right be answered, y
can stand It."
And iii another moment he was
asleep again. The only disappoint-
ment he gave expression to was
concerning the difference his defeat
would make in the future to many Of
his friends. He attended the inaugura-
ton Of his competitor, and, writing to
a friend on the eve Of his departure for
the national capital. he said:
Yes, I am going to Washington on
the Sd Of March for a few days Gen.
Sherman, my commanding officer. has
asked me to be present. ! have no
right to any personal feeling in the
matter. 1t Is clearly my duty as a
soldier to obey"
After some reference to other mat
ters, he adds:
What I can do in Washington
with dignity will do. I do not expect
to be in advance of, or follow, the
triumphal car, either on foot or on
horseback. / only expect to do my
level best. I wonder how they did
the things in Rome? When l return
from washington can tell you how
the American people do it under the
new census. Fifty millions of people
have a 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 to accept his fate
with better grace than Henry Clay,
that other idol of his party.
1t was in the convention Of 1876 that
Ingersoll made his famous ''Plumed
knight" speech; but in spite Of that
outburst Of oratory Hayes was the suc-
cessful man. Before the decisive vote
had been fully counted Blaine was
writing letter of eongratulation to
Hayes and assuring him that Maine
would give him as big a majority as
it would have given himself.
When Blaine did receive the nominal
ton he was confident of his election.
His defeat must have been a severe
disappointment; but as 1t was, he con-
trolled his feelings very successfully.
The day following the election, William
Walter Phelps sent him a telegram of
coincidence, ending with: Are you
fairly well?" ,:4 a..
Blaine answered.: ''Never better in
NV lif - = .-