The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-12-15

H. which was solid The agitation of the slavery question involved all the leaders in the democratic party west and east. President Pierce had sent MT. Buchanan to the court of St. James, and that gen tleman had abandoned all ideas of ever being President. It was well understood that Pierce would be glad to have another term, and he and his administration were moving in that direction, but it was also known that there were numerous demo- cratic leaders in every section who want ed Pierce to be relegated to private life. MT. Buchanan, who had then been abroad nearly four years as minister. was not involved in any way in any question growing out of slavery squatter sov- ereignty and similar matters paramount at that time.
 Just about the period approaching the meeting of the convention, Senator Sli- dell of Louisiana and very able man: Howell Cobb of Georgia Nathan Clifford of Maine, who was afterward appointed associate justice of the supreme court by MT. Buchanan. and John w. Forney of the Keystone State, after several con ferences in this city, arranged to nomi- nate MT Buchanan at the democratic convention which was held in 1856. Buch- anan was still in London and had no thought of the presidency. In fact. he so informed me personally" said Mir. Shaw.
 
 leaders whose names I have mentioned, entered upon vigorous campaign for old Buck all over the country, and they furnished material for newspaper articles which I published in the New York Herald, at that time the organ of the Democratic party. In short time these Buchanantes had made tremendous headway and the result was Buchanan's nomination under the two-thirds rule. The principal argument used in his behalf and excluding General Cass and others, was that Buchanan could carry Pennsyl- vania and New Jersey, and that no other democrat could. It required the vote of these two states and the solid south in order to elect President. Judge Douglas and other candidates ridiculed the idea that Buchanan was the only man who could carry these two states, but the re- suit showed the wisdom of Buchanans 5 friends, for he did carry them, and with their votes and that of the solid south was elected.
 - .His opponent, the Free Soil candidate, was Gen. John C. Fremont, a son-in- law of Senator Benton, and man who was a great favorite with the people. The campaign was fierce one, and there was an impression among very many people that Fremont would be elected. After his defeat he disappeared from politics and was hardly ever heard from afterward.
 "Then came the great convention of 1860. when Governor Stewards friends ex- pected to dominate the convention and nominate that great man. The contest in the convention was very lively one There were many in the convention who indorsed Stewards anti-slavery views, but others were apprehensive that they were too aggressive and that he could not be elected. Among these was simon Can- eron of Pennsylvania, who headed the delegation from that state and con- trolled their votes and after many con- ferences with the west and New England men, he determined that the vote of Pennsylvania, in conjunction with that from other states, should be given to Abraham Lincoln who was little known at that time. excepting for his very brilliant campaign with Judge Doug las in a fight for the United States sen- atorship from Illinois. He was better known by his friends in that section as the raisplitter As it turned out his election was the salvation of the union, but before he could carry out his brilliant policies. which would have bene- fited the south greatly, he was. as all the world knows, struck down by the as sassin Booth.