Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1912-01-12
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
Senator Frye of Maine and the
4. Vice Presidency.
His Version of Story That His Vito
Declined for Him The Nomination
/. : for Second Place While He
Was Fishing.
By e, J. EDWARDS.

tOlDit lllS uCltl iSS1aIis
E. Frye, long time senator from Maine
and president pro tempore OF the sen:
ate,--a senator for whom the country
at large held the highest respect-a
story has been much circulated to the
effect that Senator Frye-or rather his
wife for him, while her husband was
away fishing for trout-declined the
nomination of vice-president on the Re.
publican ticket in 1880.
4 favorable opportunity came to me
at one time during the presidential
campaign of 1884 TO ask Senator Frye
If the report were true that he had de
clined the nomination for vicc-presi'
dent after General Garfield had been
nominated Tor president.
: 1T isn't exactly true Senator t'rye
replied There was received at my
house at Lewiston while ] was away
from home telegram purporting to
come from members of the Maine dele
CATION 10 the Republican national con.
vention asking me il ] would accept
The nomination for vice-president. My
wife wired for me in reply stating that
1 would not The telegram, however,
was not unlike others which members
Of state delegations when the question
Of the vicc-prcsident is under consider
alton send to some citizen OF their
stale. II doesn't mean much. ] sup
pose my friends at Chicago at that
time wanted to be in position il the OPP
perfume moment came 10 suggest my
name.
We'll. Senator" asked, 'supposinS
the convention had nominated YOU:
Would you have accepted the nomina.
ion?"
Il would have been compelled to :ac
ccpt it: no man could receive the nom
nation. for yice-prcSidcnt and then de
cline it, thus compelling the nnift!na.
zion nf some one else, and afterwards
nave any standing with his party. =
Il happen 10 know" continued Sen,
ator Frye. that General Logan was
bitterly opposed TO the movement en-
cineercd by his friends in Illinois that
led to his nomination for vice-presidcnt
after Elaine had been nominated FOR
president h. the Chicago convention
nr this year ! know that when he
MAS first told that his friends at Chi.
ago would nominate him for vice-prcS'
ihcnt with Blaine, he flared mp and
said he wouldn't accept the nomina,
ton. But when the nomination was
made he WIS compelled 10 accept it
be knew he could not remain in public
lie If he didn't. But if We arc beaten
in this campaign haven't any doubt
that i, will be some consolation for 10,
gan that through defeat az candidate
for vicc-prcsident he will keep his seat
in the senate No man now mem
her OF the senate is more contented IN
that membership than is Logan. and
| am sure that it would chafc him
greatly to be removed from the floor OF
the senate TO the rice-rreSident 3
chair have been told that Henry
Wilson. who WAS nominated for vice.
president with Grant in 1872 when
Wilson was United States senator,
WAS personally very sorry thai the
nomination had been made. He knew
that if he was elected vice-president,
as nc was. he would lose his seat a.
senator and be utterly without any
influence excepting Of personal kind,
with the senate. Logan also has the
same situation before him.
Personally. | am very glad that no
further attempt was made to bring
about my nomination for vicc-president
with Garfield. Garfield took Blaine
from the senate and made him Secrc.
iary OF state. | was chosen 10 fill
Blainc's unoXpircd term in the senate,
and 80, You sec. during the past four
years | have had more Influence on
the senate floor than could possibly
have welded as presiding officer oil
that body.
copyright. 1911. by +. J. Edwards. NJ
Rights RcscrNcd.J