Evening journal., 1916-01-19
New News Of Yesterday
How Seward Took the
News of His Defeat
n HoIIsna

One morning, year or two ago af-
ter the late Judge Noah Davis had re- /
tired from active practice of the law
| met him in the directors room Of !
the bank in New York CITY. Of which
he had been for some twenty years a
member OF the board and. / believe. az
one time. the yice-prcsident lie waal
in a reminiscent mood and had abun-
dant recolloctons not only of men
and events Of the world OF political
affairs, but also of incidents associat-
cd with his long service upon the SUI
preme court bench Of New York lie
was the trial Judge when William M.
Tweed was prosecuted and also
trial Judge when Edward S.
Stokes was prosecuted for the murder
of James Fisk. in. Something had oc-
curred within a day Of two which re-
lyiyod some OF his recollectons OF Will
liam H. Seward who, almost every
body in the east believed, would be
I nominated for President by the Re
publican convention in Chicago in the
spring Of 1860. but who was heaton
for that nomination by Abraham Lin
coin.
Seward, | think was the most per-
feet master Of himself OF all those
with whom J have had personal as
sociation" said Judge Davis. 81 have
been told that he never lost perfect
control of himself nor did he ever
display any temper in all the eight
years when he was secretary of state
first under President Lincoln and
then under President Johnson.
81 think. however. that the best
proof OF his complete control OF him.
self occurred on the afternoon of the
day when Lincoln was nominated foI
President at Chicago. Almost every.
: body in New York. even Horace Gree.
Icy. was certain that Seward would bt
nominated either on the second OF
third ballot Il was known that the
first ballot would disclose simply com
! plimentary votes for so-called favor
ito sons.
] Seward was at his home in Auburn
\. Y, not. far from where ! then lived
The town was decorated with flags
and l believe they had cannon load
ed with blank cartridges, with plent,
more at hand, which was TO be fired a
soon as news came that Seward ha,
been nominated. A good many friend
{ OF Seward were with him at his house
! all impatiently awaiting dispatche
from Chicago. There were no distric
1 messenger boys at that time. so nj
r friends arranged for a messenger
5 who was provided with one of the bes
saddle horses in town and told 4
bring as soon as possible any tele
gram that came from Governor Sew
ard.
"rhis messenger brought at last
telegram which he delivered to Sew
ard. After Seward had read it. h
passed Il along to friends and the ex
citement became intense because IN
message read that Seward had beatel
Lincoln on the first ballot by NOR
than seventy votes, although neithe
of them had majority because man
votes had been cast for 'favorite sons
A few moments later. the messenge
came with another telegram. givinl
the result OF the second ballot. Sew
ard had gained and so had Lincoln
but Stewards vote was the larger. IA
said TO his friends that he would b
n nominated upon the next ballot
4 Within short time. the messengc
came. urging his horse to top spec
and handed a telegram TO Scwart
Is When he read IT. for an instant h
" turned very pale and then with pei
so feet composure said 10 his friend
Lincoln was nominated ON. the thr
n ballot
Is Then he very calmly went to N
'x librarys chatted with his friends. an
Nv one OF the first things that he sal
was that Lincoln must be assured tht
= tho Republicans in New York wou
give him cordial and enthusiastic SUI
| port. Yet his most intimate fiien,
! knew that his heart was almo
broken"
tcopyright 1916. by E. J. Edward
. All rights reserved)
Tomorrow Mr. Edwards will tell
FAN Instance OF Political Comm,
Sense"