Los Angeles herald., 1908-06-14
INTEREST
| The First Republican Convention
BY FREDERIC }. HAsKIN

party had "a: a ohancS to win ,.. and n, he
Judge Mclean did not share the en-
thusiasm of the delegates and he de-
clined, as did Chase. McLean's sup
port would not permit his name to pc
dropped, however, and fought on. But
the first informal ballot showed that
Fremont was the choice of the conven-
ton.
The contest for vice president was
settled as easily by the nomination of
William L. Dayton of New Jersey On
the first test of strength Dayton re-
ceived 253 votes to the ITO cast for
Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln was dark
horse of the deepest hue in that con-
vention. The delegates knew of him
as great speaker. but even Illinois did
not consider him big enough for ma
tional party honors. A few enthusiasts
worked for him at Philadelphia, and
there sowed the seeds for his great
triumph four years later.
When Lincoln's name was being placed
before the convention by Pennsyl-
vanian who was praising the rail-split-
ter's oratory. an Ohio man called out:
Can he fight?" The reply was: Yes.
Have l not told you he was from Ken
lucky? He's strong mentally, he's
strong physically. he's strong every
way" John M. Palmer of Illinois, for
Democrats for president, arose and
made plea for Lincoln, saying: I'VE
can lick Buchanan any way, but /
think we can do 1t little easier If we
have Lincoln on the ticket with John
G. Fremont"
the ticket enough additional strength
to have carried Illinois and Pennsyi-
vania is question for fruitless specu-
lation, but in the light of past events
1t is doubtful If the elevation of FIRE.
mont to the office of president at that
time would have helped the country.
The people were not yet ripe for the
great revolution of the election of 1860.
II the Republican party in its first
national convention was making mis-
take by defeating Abraham Lincoln
for the nomination for vice president,
the one man in the country at that
time who was farthest from so think
ing was A Lincoln. The story of
Lincoln's hearing the news that he had
received the ITO votes is related by the
late Henry G. Whitney. Lincoln was
riding the circuit with the other
lawyers in the wake of Judge Davis.
They were quartered at the leading no
tel in Urbana, Ill. The hotel possessed
an extremely irritating bit of sound
ing brass In the form of a gong. The
breakfast gong disturbed the early
morning slumbers of the gentlemen of
the bar and they decided to abate the
nuisance Lincoln was selected by
majority vote to silence that gong for
ever. There was but one way to DO
that. Therefore Mr.. Lincoln left the
court room q little earlier than usual
before the noon adjournment. He went
to the hotel, slipped into the dining
room, found the gong. hid 1t under his
coat and was making away with 1t.
He was confronted by Mr.. Whitney
and Judge Davis. who thrust into his
hands copy of the Chicago Tribune
which contained the news that Lincoln
had received ITO votes for vice presi-
dent at the Philadelphia convention.
Great business for vice presidential
aspirant," said Davis. indicating the
stolen gong under Lincoln's coat.
Lincoln only smiled and "reckoned" 1t
must be the Massachusetts, Lincoln
who had been so highly honored. But
the greatness of Lincoln was not to be
measured by the mud on his brogans
or the quality of his modesty. From
that day, when he received those ITO
votes until the day he died he was to
be a commanding figure I'm the life of
the nation. he was to stand higher
than the leaders whom he followed, he
was to save the country he loved so
well.
The great majority of the men who
took part in the formation of the Re-
publican party III 1000 are uedu. VhOSt
of the leaders Of prominence In that
convention left the Republican party
before their death. Greeley, Trumbull.
Julian and Palmer were leaders in or
ganizing the party against which they
were to battle In later years. A. Taft
of Ohio, father of the man who proba-
bly, will be nominated for president at
Chicago this week. was a delegate to
that convention. There are few men
still living who attended it, but the
leaders have passed away.
The great and vital issue which
brought the Republican party into ex-
istence has been settled and settled,
right. The compelling force of senti-
ment, the fire of holy war, the stage
of life or death-these things united
to give the Republican party power at
it's birth. Their effect is still to be
seen. although the causes have ceased
to exist these many years. The Re-
publican party at the first was made
up of men who believed the defeat of
the opposition was absolutely necessary
to a continuance of national life. There
fore as patriots, they were content to
accept fractional defeats, bury personal
grievances and present solidly united
front to the enemy. :.
Today the disciplinary power of the
Republican organization is the most
remarkable feature of the political life
of the American people. Fight and
wrangle as they will before election
the Republicans line up at the polls. It
is the heritage of the party handed
down from the convention of 1855, In
which Democrats, Wings. Knownoth-
ings, Hards, Softs. Barnburners, Anti
Nebraskans, Abolitionists, Free-Soilers
and all sorts of conditions of politi-
clans met together, buried their quar-
rels and built the Republican party on
top of the grave.
Copyright, 1908. by Frederic J. Haskin.)
Tomorrow-The First Lincoln Convention