The Washington herald., 1908-06-15

IL is 10 De doubted II Curtin and Lane
could have succeeded ir nominating Lin
coin against Weeds management and
Stewards great popularity If it had not
been for Horace Greeley. Greeley had
paved the way for the anti-Seward
movement by coming out against Seward
in the Tribune. Greeley said Seward was
unavailable. but. Of course. the real rea-
son was not revealed at that time. The
Tribune supported Edward Bates. Of Mis-
souri, It could not win for Bates. but il
had the effect OF helping to destroy
Seward
When the convention was assembled
everybody saw there was great night on.
Ihe Seward managers made a tactical
error IN having great Seward street
parade While the Seward people were,
marching on the streets. the Illinois Lin
coin managers-Judd. SWEET. and others
packed the wigwam to the lirnit with men
whose only Instructions were 10 "whoop
Il up for Abe" They did. Seward. the
darling Of the party had no friends In
/ the galleries. His name was greeted with
silence but for the few feeble cheers
coming only from discouraged delegates.
Every mention Of Lincoln was cbee-e1,
70 the echo. The clauuers served their
purpose and served il well. The prac-
I teal politicians of the Curtin and Lane.
stripe convinced the convention that
Seward was unavailable. The rooters in
/ the galleries convinced il that Lincoln.
was the man. The political manager. Of
to-day pays a great deal Of attentlo, 70
the galleries. and he packs them for his
candidate, II possible. He has a distin
guished precedent
The nominating speech had not attained
It's modern importance at that time Sew
ard was placed in nomination bv a speech
tnlrty-tnree words in length, and il re-
Quired but twenty-five words 70 place
Lincoln before the convention On the
first ballot Seward had I73 l-2 votes and
Lincoln lQ2 The others were cast for
Bates. Cameron, Chase. and others On
| the second ballot Seward gained eleven
votes and Lincoln gained seventy mine.
On the third ballot Lincoln went ahead.
having 81 1-2 70 Stewards $50 Then Ohio
/ changed four votes from Chase to Lin
com and gave him the necessary ma
/ Jority. The packed galleries cheered un-
I'll they were exhausted. Joseph Medll.
1 the Chicago editor and leader Of the Lin
coin forces. reioiced with his compatriots
and with Lane and Curtin
But Thurlow Weed was disgusted and
| heartsick He refused 70 suggest a man
/ for Vice President when a tender. OF that
/ privilege was made 20 the Seward forces.
Hannibal Hamlin was nominated on the
second ballot over Cassius NJ Clay. %
/ Kentucky The Seward men were net
only sore in defeat. but they were
/ ashamed Of their party's newly selected
| leader. They measured him by the mud
/ on his brogans, and II was as il they had
/ essayed 10 measure the walls OF space
/ with a foot rule
/ The convention itself was very Ike the,
: convention which viii meet in Chicago
\ this week Its organization was not so.
. perfect. admission 10 the hall was easier
I 10 gain. and the convention did not have
/ such q sense OF self-igaportaace as il has
to-day. The first business II transacted
( was 10. accept an invitation TO take an
/ excursion on the lake. which acceptance
was afterward reconsidered The con-
yention thought II necessary 70 adjourn
/ one evening because the hall had been
/ previously engaged for an exhibition drill
. by a ZOuave company.
Il was a lively, fun-loving body. Horace
/ Greeley was present as q delegate from
the then almost inaccessible State Of Ore
gOn. and the delegates tWitted him as the
gentleman from Oregon All the free
states were represented. and there were
delegations from five Of the slave States
I Kentucky, Missouri. Delaware. Texas. and
/ Virginia. Only those States present were
read out on the first roll call dele
gate asked for full roll call and tie
names Of Tennessee, Arkansas. Mlss:s-
sippi. Georgia South and North Carolina.
and Florida were called while the dele
gates laughed. grOaHed, jee-ed. and hiss
/ ed There was a great fight on the report
Of the committee on credentials. the Ques-
] ton being whether the slave States pres
ent were entitled 70 a fun vote in the
convention. Then began the wrangIe over
the Southern States delegations which
/ has continued through every Republican
convention from that day until this. The
reason for the wrangling is seldom the
same but the vrangle is 4 regular quad
! reunial affair