The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1910-12-16
new News OF YESTERDAY
Inside Story Of Democratic Ma
s;onaI Convention of 1880.
Whitney Violated Tiiden's C~cnHdenee
and So Hancock Was Nornira-
ted to Shut Out Henry 3.
Payne Of Ohio.
BY &. J. EDWARDS.

BY e. J. EDWARDS.
At the time of his third presidential
campaign in which Grover Cleveland
was the successful candidate for the
presidency, | had a conversation with
ex-Mayor William r. Grace OF New
York, who took a leading part IN the
politics which eliminated in the nomi-
nation of President Cleveland at Chi
cago in 1892. | asked Mayor Grace II
there was any truth in the report
widely circulated. that Samuel J. TIL
den was not particularly friendly to
Grover, Cleveland's nomination IN
1884.
Instead Of answering nay question
Mayor Grace asked In turn: Did l
ever tell you how it happened that
Governor Tilden was not renominated
by his party at the st. Louis conven
ton of 1880, and how, at last. the con-
vention concentrated upon General
Hancock"
My reply was that the presumption
among Republicans was that Tilden
had forbidden his friends to make any
eHOT 10 nominate QlIu.
That wasn't the reason at ALL"
Mayor Grace replied. 1.-THE real reason
is known to a few persons only, and
there was an agreement at st. louis
that it should not be told. The con-
vention, however, is now 20 long In
the past that l don't think violate any
condolences in telling you what the In
side history Of that convention was.
Following the inauguration OF
Rutherford b. Hayes as president,
there arose a pretty general feeling
among the leading Democrats that at
the next national convention Of their
party there was only n course to
pursue q regards the presidential
nominee. That was to nominate Sam
uel j. Tilden by reclamation az the
party's protest against the manner IN
which Tilden had been treated four
years before. I remember that sew
eral of us who were close t. Mr.. TIL
den talked with him about the matter;
and his position was that the party,
to be consistent, could do nothing else
except nominate him by reclamation.
Otherwise, 1t could not justify its
claim that he had been ~unJustly de-
prived OF the office Of president. and
would put itself before the country
as being ~insincere in that declaration.
I speak In this manner with entire
impersonality,' said Mr.. Tilden. 1t ID
net because I am affected. but because
Of the principle involved that wish %
see this thing done.
"Now,' he went on to say, I shat
write q letter which must not be read
or revealed to anyone in any way un'
til after the party has made its nomi
nation for president. But when 1t hae
rsnominated. as It should do. the can
didate of 1875 upon the issue that hi
was fraudulently deprived Of Office n
that year, the letter is to be read tt
the convention. In 1t | shall acknowl
edge the ~propriety and consistency o.
the action Of the party in nominating
me, and then l shall state that because
Of the precarious condition Of m,
health 1t will be impossible for me tt
accept the nomination. In this wa
our party's record for consistency viii
be unimpeachable.
I'VE asked Mr.. Tilden to whom HI
would commit his letter. and he re
piled that he would put it In the hand
of William c. Whitney, under a pleds'
of confidence not to reveal It or 1T
contents or to let it get out, even, tina
such a letter bad been written unit
after the presidential nomination ha'
been made.
well, we went to st. Louis, read,
, to see to it that Mr.. Tilden was nom
mated by reclamation: but imagine on
! surprise when, after we had been ther
, a day or so, we began to hear tha
+ Senator Henry B. Payne Of Ohio wou,
be the successful candidate for tn
presidential nomination. We asse
4 the delegates who we're saying thi
what made them think so and the al
4 swer was that Bill Whitney was worl
ing for Senator Payne. his father-il
law.
"But,' we protested. Mr.. Whitne
O Is committed to the nomination OF Co
ernor Tilden.'
IT Ou, III, HO 1911 =, a NhO ASpA
n 'Tilden won't accept the nomination.
d "How do you know that!' we aske'
d "'why, Mr.. Whitney told US. H
says he has a letter from Mr.. Tide
e IN which he declines to permit Il
r use Of his name
u "You may be sure that We made q
y haste TO see Bill Whitney" said M
;. Grace, with a grim smile. I'VE ask
9 him II It were true that he had spokl
10 of the existence Of Tilden's letter.
Eyes, I have was the blunt I
sponse. And when We asked hin
~ he didn't consider that he had N
-. lated Mr.. rilden's confidence. Me Z
-, yly was that IN politics, ~ IN va, Z
- erything was fair. and 10 meant b
:. an he could to seoufe The nomina&i1
:. a has fa~thsrtnlaw.
or "The Jig was up. KnswiAg ~
certainty that Bill Whitney had spseI
~ authoritative news Mat Ttld
voull not run. We were morally .,
- - 49, >~wNA MAO~e ko ~~-a->A