Evening journal., 1913-02-20
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
How Gerrit SIN tn Happened
to be a Delegate to a Ma
tiOnaI Convention
by Holland.

About a week or ten days after the
national Republican convention oil
1872 was adjourned a little company
OF the intimate personal friends OF
Thurlow Weed met at his house in
New York city Among them was
Gerrt Smith, who had a national re-
putation as an orator and as man Of
very great wealth, who disbursed
large portions Of his income in phil
anthropy and who was conspicuous
as an opponent of the extension of
slavery into new territories. Mr..
Smith was a warm personal friend OF
John Brown, but he was in no way
associated with John Browns at
tempt to arouse the slaves to insur-
rection. Mr.. Smith was an opponent
OF slavery, but he sincerely hoped
that the means would be found where
BY the system would be extinguished
in the United States in a peaceful and
orderly way.
Mr. Weed turned to his friends and
said:
There has been good deal Of
curiosity expressed about the pres.
ence of Gerrit Smith at the Republic
can national convention and espe-
cially at his enthusiastic support of
the denomination of General Grant
for the presidency
Now in his presence ] am going
to tell a little secret history. / am
sure il will astonish Mr.. Smith
Gerrit Smith did make il clear that
he was unprepared for any revelation
which the great politician, Thurlow
Weed. might make. He drew his
chair nearer to Mr.. Weed so that he
might catch every word that was ut
tered
81 sent two or three confidential
friends to General Chester A. Arthur
collector OF the port of New York,
some time before the election OF
delegates to the national convention,
and asked him TO select some one .ot
his deputies who was familiar with
politics in Central New York State
and send that deputy TO Madison
county. in which Gerrit Smith lived,
and ask the political leaders there to
select Gorrit Smith as the delegate
representing that district in the con-
vention.
81 wrote to General Arthur. saying
that I thought it imperative that Ger
rit Smith attend this convention l
was fearful that the Liberal Republi-
can movement. with Horace Greeley,
! might carry the country and ] felt
! that II a man OF the standing of Ger
/ rit Smith. who had been long asso-
] cnatod with Horace Greeley and
others In certain features of our pol
itics. we're to appear at Philadelphia
as a delegate that would serve TO in
/ nucnce thousands TO remain loyal to
| the nomination of General Grant, who
might otherwise be tempted to sup
port the Liberal Republican party.
General Arthur agreed with me.
Ono of his ablest lieutenants was sent
to Madison county, but he found that
it was impossible to get the Repub-
licans there to agree to support Ger
rit Smith as a delegate.
"It looked for a time as though
would be baked in my purpose. but
/ communicated with John NJ Booth,
who was to be selected as a delegate
for another district When I sound
ed Senator Booth | was very happy
to find that he agreed with me per,
fectly. He said:
"'Mr Weed, I think that the pres
once of Gerrit Smith at the Philadel-
phia convention as a delegate from
New York State will do more than any
other inuence to keep Republicans
who are leaning toward the Liberal
Republican party in line. will
cheerfully step one side and let Mr.
Smith be elected delegate for my dis
triet while ] will accent the nlace nj
alternate. provided only that Mr.
Smith will agree to make a speech
in support of the nomination of Gen
eral Grant
There" said Mr.. Weed, turning t
Mr. Smith. you now know for th'
first time how you we're elected al
a delegate, and want to tell yol
that your speech in support of tn
denomination of President Grant viii
keep thousands OF Republicans il
New York State who have been lean
ing little bit toward Liberal Repuh
licanism well in line with the Repub
lican party
Copyright 1918. by e. J. Edward:
All rights reserved)
NArIs,rfor nTflIor Norfol1