The daily morning journal and courier., 1905-06-01
LEGISLATIVE TOPICS.
MEMORIES OF SENATOR PLATES
 ELECTION.

His Behalf Published for First Time . Conditions at the Time of His EIec-
 tion-Thirty-eight Ballots Needed for
 a Choice-PIatt Elected % to 72.
 Hartford, May SO.-Facts of the ut most interest have been given publicl- fly during the past few weeks concern ing the original election of the Hon. O. H. Platt, of Meriden, as United States senator from Connecticut, succeeding William H. Barnum of Salisbury, who was chairman at that time of the na- tional democratic committee. Senator Barnum's colleague was the Hon. Will liam w. Eaton, of Hartford, who had two years longer in the national senate, when the canvass in support of MT. Platt was inaugurated. The state had been going in favor of the democrats for number of years. In 1879 the tide turned in the opposite direction, result ing in the choice of a republican legis- lature and the state ticket, which was headed by Charles B. Andrews, of Litchfield. The result of the state cleo tion involved the candidacy of the Hon. Marshall Jewell and General Joseph R. HaWley, both of Hartford, for the Uni ted States senatorship. At the same time the Hon. O. H. Piatt, of Meriden, who was state attorney of New Haven county at the time, was brought into the field as a positive candidate for the position. The Platt campaign club was ,iroJ in rFitI tha Hon II Wales Lines of that city as chairman. The members included Samuel Dodd, now president of the International Sil- yer company, the Hon. Charles Parker, Isaac c. Lewis, Charles F. Rockwell, James P. Platt, now judge of the Uni ted States district court, Governor tAbiram Chamberlain, John w. Coe, Levi F. Coe, E. J. Doolittle, who was ,afterward mayor of the city for five years, William M. Smith, David S. Will Hams, M. L. Bradley, of the firm of Bradley & Hubbard, Cephas B. Rogers. William A. Hall, William F, Graham and Emerson A. Merrin1an. This club executed superb work through the can vass in behalf of MT. Platt. Headquar- ters were opened in the Allyn House in Hartford at the beginning of the ses- sion, occupying a couple of historic rooms in that old and favorita hotel. The headquarters of ex-Postmaster- General Marshall Jewell and General Hawley were also in the Allyn House. The basis of the Platt candidacy rested on two or three facts that are now worth recalling. It was contended by his supporters that the state in the end would not consent to the election of General Haw1ey or ex-Governor Jewell while William W. Eaton was in the na- tional senate, giving Hartford county two members at the same time in that body. The locality position was as im- pregnable in 1879 as it was four weeks ago, when the Hon. Frank B. Brande- gee was nominated and elected as Senator Platt's successor. In regard to General HaWley, who had been elected a member of congress in November, and would enter upon his term of two years March 4, 1879, there was an addi- ftogsal consideration, The country's was so divided on national politics that tae election of president in 1880 was li- lble to be thrown into the house. The retention of Connecticut in the republi- can column in view of this contingency was absolutely imperative. The cleo tion of General Hawley as United States senator would necessitate the election of his successor as representa- tive of the First district in congress. With Senator William H. Barnum at u oe 1 4E,, committee, the contest in the First dis trict would result without doubt in the election of a democrat, transferring Connecticut to the democracy in con- gress. The danger of this occurrence was so great that the old leaders of re- publicanism in the state were adverse to taking General Hawley from the house of representatives. There was third contingency in the senatorial con- test, which strengthened the Platt ad- vocates at every step. This was the firm opinion that neither of the Hart ford candidates would consent to the nomination of his opponent From the points of view that have been present. ed, it will be seen that the supporters of MT. Platt were backed by common sense, public policy and great political emergencies. The name of MT. Platt was not new in a United States sena- torial contest. In 1868 he had been a candidate, being in the field at New Haven with William A. Buckingham and General HaWley, eX-Governor Buckingham receiving the nomination. Mr. Platt felt the highest regard for the senatorial office. In no respect was he a worker in the interest of his own canvass. Nothing could induce him to visit the headquarters at the Allyn House during the contest in 1879 for the purpose of urging members of the general assembly to vote for his nomi- nation. On the day of the caucus, January 16, he sent the following dis patch to the Hon. H. Wales Lines, which the correspondent of the Jour- nal and Courier is able to give to the public for the first time.
 To the Hon. H. Wales Lines:
 Make no proposition. Entertain none. Put the argument solely on my record as republican and upon your estimate of my fitness to represent the state as United States senator.
 %. H. PLATT.
 This dispatch showed the dignity and manliness of Senator Platt and the high conception which he felt for the senatorial office. The nomination was 40 fc h i'm o11on ot