The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1909-02-19
"REMINISCENCES

WASHINGTON, Feb. 15.-In discussing
the Lincoln anniversary with some OF the
members of the Pennsylvania delegation
at Willard's last night, Colonel Wesley
r. Andrews, Chairman of the Pennsyl-
vania Republican Committee, recalled
some of the exciting incidents of the
campaign that preceded the first election
of Lincoln. Colonel Andrews has been
in politics for more than half century.
In the campaign of 1855 he was not old
enough to vote, but he arranged political
meetings in support of Fremont and
Dayton, the first national ticket of the
Republican party. He cast his first vote
at a state election two years later.
1.-THE campaign of 1855 was tame affair
compared with the first Lincoln cam
paign," said Colonel Andrews. ERE
mont and Dayton had been nominated
at Music Fund Hall, in Philadelphia, by
convention representing a combination
OF the Wings and Free Soil Democrats.
The slogan of the Fremont men was,
Free speech, free press and free men,"
Fremont swept New York but James
Buchanan carried Pennsylvania and
other large states and won. In the cam
paign OF four wears later l was living
at jamestown, New York, then a small
town. l was a delegate to the county
convention called to elect delegates to
the state convention that was to name
national delegates. Alonzo Kent was
the national delegate for our end of the
congressional district was a mem ber
of committee that waited upon Mr..
Kent and urged him to do his utmost to
advance the presidential candidacy of
William H. Seward, then the idol of the
Republicans of New York. With thous-
ands of other Republicans in the state 1
was deeply disappointed over Seward 8
defeat. But when Kent returned home
he spoke so highly of Lincoln that l was
reconciled to his nomination. By the
opening of the campaign was one of the
most enthusiastic Lincoln men in the
county. l participated in organizing a
wide Awake Club" which was COM
manded by Captain James M. Brown,
who, as colonel of the One Hundredth
New York Regiment, was killed at the
battle of Fair Oaks in 1882 The cam
paign that followed was the most excit-
ing political campaign this country has
ever witnessed. Men neglected their
business for politics and the women
plunged into othewhirlwind campaign with
men. Atthat time the polls opened at
sunrise. arose at four o'clock, and
equipped with tickets sought out voters
and urged them to vote early. In per-
forming this duty frequently met with
strenuous opposition, but l remember
l usually succeeded in inducing the
hesitating voter to cast his vote for Lin.
coin and the full Republican ticket. We
received the returns at the station of the
Atlantic and Great Western Railroad
which had been built through jamestown
that year. We persuaded the operator
to remain at the key until daybreak
when a message came from New York
indicating that Lincoln had been elected
Then came lull, followed by the inaug.
uration of Lincoln, the firing on Fort
Sumter and the Civil war. No other
figure in public life has been so shame.
fully abused as was Abraham Lincoln
But he outlived the attacks of all of hif
enemies for he was the greatest mar
this country has ever produced"
Colonel Andrews was a member of q
large body of citizens who waited upon
the editors of some of the seditiout
newspapers of New York City and com.
PEELED them to display the United States
flag. He served with New York regi
ments until honorably discharged fol
disability incurred in the line of duty.
Harrisburg Letter..