The Washington herald., 1914-09-14
HISTORY BUILDERS.
The Man the Newspaper Men Made
Vice President.
written Expressly for The Heraldl
BY DIR. 2. ]. EDWARDS.

/
The late Isaac H. Bromley. who for
many years was a leading editorial writei
Of the New York Tribune and was also
OF national reputation by reason Of his
great gift OF humor and the utilization
of that quality In his editorials. visited
! Washington in the spring OF 1854. There
was a meeting OF one OF the military or
/ ganizations whose membership was made
up Of those who took part as-seldiers in
| the civil war. Gen. Mcclellan was pres
| ent upon that occasion. and the fact that
! he had added to his military fame the
| civil honor due to his election as gov
ernor of New Jersey was alluded to by
Mr.. Bromley In the course Of these
meetings ] had an opportunity to have
little chat with Mr.. Bromley, whom
had known for many years and whom
I remembered as the provost marshal OF
the eastern district of Connecticut at the
time the draft for Union soldiers was In
operation.
In some way our conversation turned
upon Henry Wilson. who died when
serving as Vice President Of the United
States In the second administration OF
Gen. Grant.
Mr.. Bromley said: II don't suppose
there was ever a more curiously acci-
dental nomination for Vice President
than was that Of Henry Wilson. He was
among the leaders OF the United States
Senate. He had just been reelected for
third term. He was quite as prominent
as Charles Sumner. who was his col
league. and very much more popular. He
had been writing a history of the rise
and fall Of the slave power In the United
States. and his seat in the Senate facilt-
tated this composition.
Schuyler ColfaX. as you will remem-
ber, was Vice President in the first ad-
ministration Of Gen. Grant. I never knew
the reason why, but ] was told by the
newspaper correspondents at Washing
ton that CoIfax, although originally he
had been a newspaper man. had in some
way gained the i'll will of his constitu-
ents. The politicians learned that Gen.
Grant was Indifferent to the selection by
the convention of a candidate for Vice
President. The fact was that Grant and
Colfax. while maintaining studiously
courteous relations, were not very con-
genial. Some of Gen. Grants friends
thought that Colfax had Presidential as
pirations.t
"All this is preliminary to what ! am
about to tell you. When the Republican
national convention met in Philadelphia
in the spring OF 1872 to nominate the
Al1htNs was HO
ment because Grants unanimous renOm-
ination was assured. Some OF the cor
respondents went around among the poll
ticians and intimated that IL would be
just as well II the convention did not re-
nominate ColfaX. They were asked who
would be a good candidate. Wilson had
made himself very popular with the
newspaper men. He was a man OF simple
manners. Of frugal life, and a great read
er OF newspapers He was also a warm
friend OF Gen. Grant. The newspaper
men suggested that Wilson's nomination
would prove to be very popular. The
politicians took that view, and Wilson
was nominated, ] think to his own re-
gret. He would have preferred a seat
In the Senate. When he asked to whom
his nomination was to be attributed, he
was told To your friends among the
newspaper correspondents
tCopynght. .9H. by Z J. Edwards An rights n
seTvei.)
Tomorrow DR. Edwards will tell OF
Bancrofts Tribute to a Famous Orator"