Evening journal., 1912-04-30
New New NEWS NEWS OF YESTERDAY
The True Story Of Arthur'S
Nomination
By Holland

Many nave bctn lNe puDilSN'u re-
ports of the manner in which the Of
fer of the vice presidential nomina-
tion came to General Chester A. ARE
thur at the Republican national con-
vention OF 1880
In "a conversation which / had with
the late John H. Starin, in his day
one Of the most prominent Of the Re-
publican leaders of the East repre-
sentative in Congress for several
terms from a district in Central New
York, a man of great wealth and a
very warm personal friend of Gen
eral Garfield. | learned exactly how
the possible nomination of General
Arthur for Vice President was first
brought TO the attention Of Senator
Roscoe Conkling. who was head and
front " the unsuccessful movement
TO nominate Grant for a third term In
1880.
After Garfield was nominated the
convention took n recess" said Mr.
Starin. "Intuitively many of the del
egates from New York state and one
or two Of the personal friends of
Conkling visited him at his rooms
The subject of the vice presidential
nomination was not mentioned. Sena-
tor Conkling set forth to us his under
standing of the mental and tempera-
mental qualities Of General Garfield.
It was an extraordinarily interesting
analysis; and no one listened to it
with greater interest than did Gen
eral Arthur, who sat on a sofa by my
side.
Suddenly. there came knock
1 ~ hn nh in. rttsts
TO Conkling's invitation to come in
Ex-Governor Denison of Ohio appear
ed. for an instant that room was as
silent as the grave. | knew the mo-
ment looked at Conkling that he un-
derstood why Governor Dennison had
come. The Senator arose, and I think
! never saw him when his dignity and
manner and his physical beauty OF
from and feature were so strikingly
displayed He nodded courteously to
Governor Dennison as though to inti-
mate that he was ready to hear any
message which the Governor had
called to bring
still standing near the door Gov
ernor Dennison, with great formality,
but with equal politeness, said that he
had hen instructed by the Ohio delega-
tion to visit Senator Conkling and to
say to him that Ohio would support
any man named by the New York del
cgation as its candidate for Vice Pres
ident.
For a moment there was dead ST.
lonce Then Conkling stepped for ward
pace or two and he said in his rich
bass voice: DO I understand, Cover
nor DennisOn. that you have been
commissioned by the Ohio delegates
to this convention 20 say that they
will support for the vice presidential
nomination any citizen OF New York
upon whom the delegates from that
State agreeY
Governor Dennison replied that
that was precisely the message he
| had been commissioned to bring.
again Conkling stepped forward a
pace or two. and he said, with a Won
! derfully sarcastic intonation OF his
voice.
!" ANY citizen Of New York state
Governor DennisonT
"The Governor nodded affirmatlvely
IN reply
"Once more Conkling stepped for
ward, hending his head slightly Even
General Arthun?' he asked. And there
was a world Of sarcasm and implica-
ton in the tone with which he uttered
the word even
I'VE all knew, and Governor Denni-
son know that Senator Conkling had
IN mind the fact that President Hayes
an Ohio man, and John Sherman. am
other Ohio man. as Hayes Secretary
Of the Treasury had removed General
Arthur three years earlier from the
post Of Collector of the Port OF New
York for the alleged good of the ser
ice That was what Conkling meant Ia
intimate whom, with his wonderful
power of sarcastic intonation, he
asked. Even General Arthur?
Governor Dcnnisou did not hetray
the slightest feeling He simply said
Yes, Senator Conkling: General Ar.
thur or any other citizen of New York
state whom its delegates to this con
vention will suggest to Ohio as their
candidates for the vice presidency.
Then he went out
"A little later the New York delcga.
tion decided to offer the name Of Gen.
eral Arthur to Ohio The offer was
cordially accepted. and Arthur be
came the candidate"
Copyright, 1911. by T.. J. Edwards
All Rf0hte Roqorvod 4