The Washington herald., 1908-06-15
By FREDERIC J. HASKIN.

The most mOmentOuS political gather
ing in American history was the Repuh-
lican convention which met at Chicago
on May 16 1860. and which nominated
Abraham Lincoln for President Of the
United States. AS long as this republic
endures. its citizens will praise that con-
vention for its wisdom in selecting LIN
coin as its standard-bearer. Yet the
convention which nominated Loncoln did
so against its will. preferring another
man, but bowling 20 a consideration Of
expediency. Many Of the leaders of the
then young party were not only opposed
TO Lincoln. but absolutely disguised
when he was nominated Moreover. the
convention probably could not have been
induced 90 accept Lincoln at all II il
had not been for the packing Of the gal
leries with Lincoln claquers. who made
so much noise that it seemed that the
very heavens were crying out for Lin
coin.
The discipline Of the Republican party
was thus early brought into play. The
disgusted partisans Of Seward. the an
CRY partisans OF Bates, the aristocrats
to whom Lincoln was q most bitter pill
all these left the Chicago Wigwam in
anger, to meet again in harmony at the
polling places So it viii be at Chicago
this week There will be wrangling and
lighting there viii be hate and disgust.
But the chances are that the wounds
will be healed and the scars obliterated
before the calends OF November OF
course, there have been bolts from Re
publican conventions and defections Of
great leaders from Republican ranks.
These things have happened, will happen
again, may happen this year. But. taken
as a party organization. the Republican
body has been always amenable 10 the
reason Of party eXpediency- That is
the source Of its great power. the reason
fcr its continued ascendency-and it
knows it. Let other parties cling 20 the
deadwood of waterlogged issues. The
Republicans viii keep up with the pro-
cession. even If the procession counter
marches.
The majority. perhaps two-thirds, Of
the delegates 70 the Chicago convention
Of 1860 favored the nomination Of William
II. Seward. OF New York for President
This preference was shared By two-thirds
Of the Republicans OF the country.
Seward was their leader in the Senate;
he was their champion and their pride.
But Seward had been long in politics. he
had declared that there was a higher
law than the Constitution. he had spoken
Of the ''irrepresslble conflict"
In the convention were Andrew g. Cur
tin. of Pennsylvania. and Henry S. Lane
OF Indiana. They were politicians, and
good ones. and they accomplished Sew
ards defeat and Lincoln's nomination
--l that time the American party. the
Enow-NothinsS. still had great strength
I'm parts of the East and in Indiana
Without their votes. the Republicans
could not hope 10 win. In Pennsylvania
the Republicans were so timid and sd
sagacious that they had dropped the name
Republican and Curtin was running
for governor as the nominee of the
Peoples party
Away back in 1885 Seward had beer
elected governor Of New York Il was
charged that Archbishop Hughes. an ablc
Roman Catholic p~-late had materially
assisted in Seward election Il was
known that Seward had sent a message
70 the legislature approving the plan for
a division of the public school funds be-
tween Catholics and Protestarts. In the
eyes Of a EnOw-Nothing this attitude or
the school question was the>one scarlet
objectionable sin. The state elections ir
Indiana and Pennsylvania I'm 1850 were
held in October Curtin and Lane wanted
20 be elected, and they wanted 20 elect
a Republican President. They knew tha'
II they We're beaten in October. all hope
Of Republican success in November would
be gone. They had to have that Know
Nothing vote. and they knew the nomina
tion OF Seward would ALLEVIATE il.
low Weed the Albany editor one of the
ablest political manipulators this country
has known. He fought for Seward tC
the last ditch. He went so far as TO take
a drive with Lane and offer TO send
enough money into Indiana 10 insure
Lanes election I'm October If the Hoosiel
would desert Curtin and support Seward