Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-04-23
Names Part in the 1860 Convention.

| snort time ago all item Stdit tu oh
| the rounds of the newspapers to the
| effect that Senator Cullom of Illinois
and Hon Nathaniel w. Voorhees, of
New Jersey were the only survivors of
| the Chicago Convention of 1860 which
| nominated Lincoln for the presidency.
Then correction started out after it
to the effect that two Vermont delegates
| to that famous convention were still liv-
| ing, Ex-Governor John W. Stewart and
| be heard from in this matter, for one
Of the l6 men who represented this
State at that convention is living and
| enjoying good health at the present
time. This delegate is Hon. Geo. F.
Talbot Of Portland who at the age Of 50
is able to give all interviewer a most
the part played in it by the Maine dele
gates.
Mr.. Talbot was born in East Machias
| in 1919, graduated from Bowdoin in
1897 and for many years practiced law
in Portland. He served as u. 5. Dis
trict Attorney from 1861 to 1870. Mr..
Talbot was an active leader in the Free
Soil party which joined in the estab-
lishment Of the Republican party. and
had served as the Free Soil candidate
for governor in 1S49 and again in 1850.
receiving about 5000 votes each time.
Among Mr.. Talbot's classmates at
Bowdon were John a. Andrew, who
chusetts, Fordyce Barker whose name
ranks among the highest in American
| medical science. Lorenzo d. SWEET who
| served in Congress from Maine during
| the Civil War. Rufus X. Sewall the
historian, VIM. w. Rand, secretary Of
the American Tract Society, George
Woods. long the chancellor of Western
| University, Pennsylvania, and Francis
w. Upham. the author
| Thus Maine has at least one survivor
| of the Lincoln convention of 1860 to be
added to the four claimed by Vermont
| Illinois and New Jersey, and as 466
votes were cast at that convention of
A. years ago it is altogether likely that
| there are more survivors than these
| five named. The convention was large
ly made up of young men, for the Re
publican movement of that year ap-
pcalGd strongly to the young manhood
| of the country as it did four years
| yearlicr when Fremont, the Pathfinder,
vainly aLtagonized Buchanan
| Now that this subject of the 1860
| convention has come up, it is interest
| I.enncbec Journal of that year and see
the part played by Maine in that gath
ering at Chicago where history was
made. This State sent 16 delegates,
| four at large and two from each Of the
six congressional districts into which
| the State was then divided. These
| follows: At large, George f. Talbot of
| MacEas. VIM. H. McCrilliS of Bangor,
John L. Stevens of Augusta, Rem
sellder Cram Of Portland; substitutes.
| Arthur +. DrinkWater of Ellsworth,
| Truman Harmon of Thorndikc,
| Thomas W Hcrrick Of Watervilc,
Thomas Moulton of Porter First Dis
| trct, Mark f. Wentworth of kittcry,
Leonard Andrews of Biddeford; sub
| stitutcS, Albert II. Estes of Portland.
John III. Goodenow Of Alfred. Second
district, Nathan G. Hichborn of Stock
ton, George w. Lawrence of Warren;
substitutes. Isaac Woodman of Sears
Fourth district, Z. A. Wing Of Win
| tiirop. J. s Baker of Bath; substitutes,
| Noah Woods Of Gardiner, c. II. Lind
say If NorriGgewoCk. Fifth district.
Samuel F. Hcrsey of Bangor. Going
| Hatholn of PittSfield: substitutes, John
| Benson Of Newport. c. II. b. Wood
| bury Of Dover. Sixth district. John
West of Franklin, Washington Long Of
| Fort Fairfield substitutes, James 5.
Pike of Calais, Leonard Pierce Of
Houlton. OF these - strong Maine
men of that day it is said that Mr.. Tai
bot is the only survivor.
| In addition to these delegates and al
tcrnatrS we know that they were ac-
companied to Chicago by large num-
| Der of the mon who were leaders of the
young Republican party here in Maine
and it is to be remembered that the
Republican party arose to power here
in Maine before it did elsewhere, being
| well organized under its present
| name and elccting its candidate for
| governor as early as 1855. the year be-
| fore Fremont's nomination. Prominent
| among those who joined in the party to
Chicago were Governor Lot NJ. Morrill,
and James G. Blaine. the latter being
then associated with John l.. Stevens,