Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-06-14
NATIONAL CONVENTIONS.
XI-The First Lincoln Nomination.
By Frederic ]. Haskin.

The most momentous political gather
ing in American history was the repub-
lican convention that met in Chicago
May is, 1860 and nominated Abraham
Lincoln for President of the United
States. AS long as this republic endures
it's citizens will praise that convention
for its wisdom in selecting Abraham Lin
coin as it's standard bearer. Yet the
convention which nominated Lincoln did
SO against it's will, preferring another
man, but bowling to a consideration OF
expediency. Many of the leaders of the
then young party were not only opposed
to Lincoln but absolutely Disguised when
he was nominated Moreover, the con-
vention probably could not have been
induced to accept Lincoln at all If 1t had
not been for the packing of the galleries
with Lincoln claquers who made so much
noise that it seemed that the very
heavens were crying out for Lincoln.
The admirable discipline of the repub-
lican party was thus early brought into
play. The Disguised partisans of Seward,
the angry partisans of Bates. the aristo-
Gratis to whom Lincoln was a most bitter
pill-all these left the Chicago wigwam
in anger to meet again in harmony at
the polling places.
The majority. perhaps two-thirds Of
the delegates to the Chicago convention
of 1850 favored the nomina lion of Will
liam H. Seward of New York for Presl-
dent This preference was shared by
two-uyirds of the republicans of the
country. Seward was their leader in
the Senate, their champion and their
pride, their great instructor" But
CAxxy o,~J hoI tn h. hnd
declared that there was higher law
than the Constitution. he had spoken OF
the '1rrepressible conflict Worse even
than these. from the standpoint of politI-
cal expedfency. he had been allied with
Roman Catholic influences in politics.
In the convention were Andrew G. Cur
tin of Pennsylvania and Henry S. Lane
of Indiana.
know Nothing Party They were
Was Still Strong. and good
ones. and they accomplished Stewards
defeat and Lincoln's nomination. At
that time the American party. the
know nothings, still had great strength
ana. Without their votes the re-
puUhSdHS No0Au iOe iIopC ~ "AiA- -
Pennsylvania the republicans were so
timid and so sagacious that they had
dropped the name of republicans, and
Curtin was running for governor as the
nominee of the peoples party"
Away back in 1893 Seward had been
elected Governor of New York. 1t was
charged that Archbishop Hughes, an able
Roman Catholic prelate. had materially
assisted in Stewards election. 1t was
known that Seward had sent a message
n no eli anprnyinp the nlap for
a division of the public school funds
between Catholics and Protestants. In
the eyes of a know-nothing this attitude
on the school question was the one
scarlet objectionable sin. The state
elections in Indiana and Pennsylvania
in 1860 were held in October. Curtin and
Lane wanted to be elected, and they
wanted to elect a republican President.
They knew that if they were beaten
in October all hope of republican success
In November would be gone. They had
to have that know-nothing vote. and
they knew the nomination of Seward
would ALLEVIATE it.
Stewards political manager was Thur
low Weed, the Albany editor, one Of the
ablest polit-
Thurlow Weed ical manipu-
Stewards Manager. country has
known. He fought for Seward to the last
ditch. He went so far as to take a drive
with Lane and offer to send enough
money to Indiana to insure Lanes cleo
ton in October II the Hoosier would
desert Curtin and support Seward. 1t
Is to be doubted II Curtin and Lane could
have succeeded in nominating Lincoln
against Weeds management and Sew
ards great popularity If it had not been
Tor Horace Greeley Greeley had
the way for the anti-Seward movement
by coming out against Seward in the
Tribune. Greeley said Seward was I'M
available, but, of course. the real reason
was not revealed at that time. The
Tribune supported Edward Bates Of Mis-
souri, 1t could not win for Bates, but
it had the effect Of helping to destroy
Seward.
When the convention was assembled
everybody saw there was a great fight
on. The Seward managers made a tao
teal error in having a great Seward
street parade. While the Seward people
were marching on the streets, the Illinois
Lincoln managers-Judd. SWEET and
others-packed the wigwam to the limit
with men whose only instructions were to
"whoop it up for Abe" sThey 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 discour-
aged delegates. Every mention of Lin
coin was 'cheered to the echo. The
claquers served their purpose and served
II well. The practical politicians of the
Curtin and Lane stripe convinced the
convention that Seward was unavaila BILE.
The rooters in the galleries convinced 1t
that Lincoln was the man. The political
manager Of today pays a great deal of at
tenton to the galleries, and he packs
them for his candidate If possible. He
has a distinguished precedent.
The nominating speech had not attain
| ed its modern Importance at that time.
| Seward was
Nomination Speeches placed in NOM