The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-01-24


by individuals and by the nascent political
parties.
BygOBe Fights.
It is common now for Us to think OF the
Platt-COnkling episode and Its ramifca-
tons, or Of the battle which ended IN the
election Of Hiscock, OF OF the second
election OF Depew, as the great Senator
iai struggles IN the States Men have
forgotten, or perhaps never heard OF, the
war Of the 'Bucktaijs'' and the @CIin-
tOnians" in the early twenties: OF the bit
ter fight in 1S45, when there were two
Scholarships az stake. or OF the spirited
contest during the eventful legislative
session Of 1879. Before the second election
Of Hamilton Fish in 1851, the Legislature
was deadlocked fer two months on the
subject. There was another mighty strug-
gle OF the political clans IN 1851, before
the election Of Ira Harris, involving
the interests Of those Titans Of State
politics, Horace Greeley and ThurIOw
Weed.
The story Of this struggle is one Of the
most interesting in the whole history OF
the States representation IN the Senate
It is well summarized IN Alexander's
Political History Of New York STATE"
cago," says this author, sentiment set
tied upon his return to Washington; but
when Lincoln offered him the position OF
Secretary Of State, ThurIow Weed an
nounced William n. Evarts as his candi-
date for the United Senate Up 20
this time. Weeds authority IN his party
IN the State had been supreme.
For al practical purposes Weed had cor
trolled the Wing and Republican parties
since their formation, almost without dis
sents
Rebellion Is Successful
But the detection OF Greeley. supple
mented by William Cullen Bryant and the
union OF radical leaders. who came from
the Democratic party. finally blossomed
into successful rebellion at Chicago. This
encouraged Greeley 10 lead one at Albany.
The legislature had lis Republican mem
bers, requiring 90 70 nominate IN caucus.
Evarts could count on 2 and Greeley upon
about as many In his effort TO secure
the remaining L, Weed discovered that
Ira Harris had a considerable following,
who were !ndisposed 20 affiliate with
Evarts. while several assemblymen indi-
Gated q preference for other candidates.
This precipitated a battle royal Greedy
cid not personally appear at Albany. bur
he scorned none Of the ordinary crafts
OF party management Charles A Dana
then Of the Tribune. represented him. and
local leaders from various parts OF the
State rallied 20 his standard and indus
triously prosecuted his canvass Thel-
slogan was Down with the dictator L
mattered not that they had approved
Weeds management IN the past. their
Tfrr7~ M sd n -
power, and every place-hUnter who could
not secure patronage under Lincoln's ad-
ninistration Il Evarts went 70 the Senate.
ranged himself against Weed
Lincoln Kept Out.
Weed summoned ali his hosts. Moses
H. Grinnel. Simeon Draper. and \. Oak
ley Han led the charge. fanked By q cloud
of State and county officials, and an army
OF politicians, who filed the hotels and
crowded the Hobbies Of the capitol
For two yeeIls the battle ragged with al
the characteristics Of an intense personal
conflict In their desperation bolh
sides appealed 10 the President-eIect'
there Is surely a familiar earmark). who
refused 10 be drawn into the struggle. ..
As the canvass grew older, L became
known that several OF Harris supporters
would 60 TO Greeley whenever their assur-
ancs would nominate him This sacrifice
however was nor 10 be made 50 long as
Harris held the balance Of power, and
since Weeds desire 10 defeat Greeley
Was well understood. Harris counted with
some degree Of certainty upon Evart's
supporters whenever a serious break
threatened Weeds relations with Harris
we're not ee7diai.
The caucus convened on the evening CT
February 1 Only one member was absent.
Weed and Evarts sat with Gov Morgan
in the executive Chamber-Harris in the
rooms 5F <-ssssit. Gov. Campbell at Con
greSs Hall The first ballot gave Evarts
~, Greeley 20, Harris. .. with g scat
tering- Bets had been made that Evarts
would get 50 and some Over-sanguine
ones fixed II az 50. What Weed expected
does not appear; but the second ballot.
which reduced Evarts 70 50 and raised
Greeley to q, Gid not please Speaker
Littlejohn, who carried orders between
the executive and assembly chambers. 1t
seemed to doom Evarts to defeat
Greeley Making Gains.
The chamber grew dark with gloomy
frOwns Of men who had failed TO move
their stubborn representatives The next
four ballot quickly taken, showed little
progress but the seventh raised Greeley
TO Il and dropped Harris TO e, while
Evarts held on at 50. An assurance that
the object Of their lab0rs would be
reached with the assistance Of some OF
Harris votes on the next ballot, made
the friends Of Greeley jubilant. II was
equally apparent 10 the astonished fol-
lowers OF the grirn manager, who was
smoking vehemently in the executive
chamber, that EvaTts would be unable
20 weather another ballot 4 crisis. there
fore, was inevitable. but Il was the
crisis for which Weed had been waiting
and watching. and without hesitation be
sent word 10 elect Harris. This settled
Il Greeley received q. Harris 60, with
scattering. Weed did not get eli he want
ed. but he got revenge"
H 3. Stanton IN his Random RecoIlec-
tons relates It OF Weed that at the
crisis Of the struggle he, 'unmindful OF
the fact that he had a cigar IN his mouth,
lighted another and put It IN, then rose
with great excitement and said TO Little
john: Tell the EvaTts men 20 60 right
over to HaTris-tO HarTis-tO Harrisr "
Fights ike this seem to have gone out
OF fashion OF late; though there might
have been g repetition OF the good old
times" had Woodruff kept his pledge ~
those who were prepared 70 rally about
him, and made a stand against the cleo
ton OF Root