Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1919-05-13

days without choice. The enemy
stood firm. After adjournment that
evening many of the Van Buren, dele
gates were summoned to conference.
attended it with Judge Fine.
The ex-president had Withdrawn and
requested his friends in the conven-
ton to vote for Silas Wright. NV emo-
tlons can be more readily imagined
IMAM described when / heard the
shouts of enthusiasm which greeted
my friends name. Tears began to roll
down my cheeks. Judge Fine lifted
his hand. When order was at last re-
stored he began:
UentIemen, as a friend of the
learned senator and as a resident of
the county which is the proud DOS
SCISSOR of his home, your enthusiasm
mas welcome sound to me; but I ham
pen to know that Senator Wright will
not allow his name to go before the
convention"
lie read the letter of which knew.
Mr.. Benjamin f. Butler then said:
when that letter was written Sena-
tor Wright was not aware that Mr..
Van Buren's nomination could not be
accomplished, nor was he aware that
DIS own nomination would be the al
most unanimous wish of this conven-
tlon. l have talked with the leading
deleg 8 from Missouri and Virginia
today. They say that he can be nomi-
mated by reclamation. Is it possible
That he-a strong party man-can re-
sist this unanimous call of the party
with whose help he has won immortal
tanner No, it is not so. 1t cannot be
so. We must dispatch a messenger to
him by horse at once who shall take
to him from his friend Judge Fine a
frank statement of the imperious de-
mand of this convention and a request
that he telegraph a withdrawal of his
letter in the morning"
The suggestion was unanimously ap-
proved and within an hour, mounted
or. one of the best horses In Maryland
so his groom informed mel was on
my way to Washington with the mes
sage of Judge Fine in my pocket Yes,
had two days to spare on my sched-
ule of travel and reckoned that, by re-
turning to Baltimore next day should
reach Canton in good time.
1t was the kind of thing that only a
1.-the, supple, strong-hearted lad such
as | was in the days of my youth,
could relish-speeding over a dark
road by the light of the stars and a
half-mOOn, with horse that loved to
kick up a wind. My brain was in a
fever, for the notion had come to me
that l was making history.
The lure of fame and high place hur-
ried me on. With tn senator in the
| presidential chair l should be well
started in the highway of great sue
cess. Then Mr.. III. Dunkelberg might
think me better than the legacy of
Benjamin Grimshaw. A relay awaited
me twenty-three miles down the road.
Well, 1 reached Washington very
sore, but otherwise in good form, soon
after daybreak. l was trembling with
excitement when put my horse in the
stable and rang the bell at our door. 1t
seemed TO me that was crossing the
divide between big and little things. A
| few steps more and l should be look
ing down into the great valley of the
| future. Yet, now that l was there, ]
began to lose confidence.
The butler opened the door.
Yes, the senator was up and had
just returned from a walk and was in
his study. l found him there.
'Well, Bart, how does this happen? p
he asked.
Its important business" 1 said. as
I presented the letter.
Something in his look and manner
as he calmly adjusted his glasses and
read the letter of Judge Fine brought
the blood to my face. 1t seemed to
puncture my balloon, so to speak, and
l was falling toward the earth and so
swiftly my head swan. He laid the
letter on his desk and, without looking
up and as coolly as if he were asking
for the change of dollar, queried:
"Well, Bart, what do you think we
had better do about it?"
'T-I was hoping-you-yOu would
take it." l stammered.
That's because the excitement of
| the convention is on you," he an
swered Let us look at the compass.
They have refused to nominate Mr..
Van Buren, because he is opposed to
the annexation of Texas. On that sub
| iect the will of the convention is now
clear. 1t is possible that they would
nominate me. We don't know about
| that, we never shall know. If they
did, and 1 accepted, what would be ex-
pected of me is also clear. They
would expect me to abandon my prin-
cIpIes and that course of conduct
which / conceive to be best for the
country. Therefore l should have to
accept 1t under false pretenses and
take their yoke upon me. Would you
think the needle pointed that way?"
NO" answered.
Immediately he turned to mis- desk
and wrote the telegram which fixed
his place in history. 1t said no.
Into the lives of few men has such
a moment fallen. l looked at him with
feeling of awe. What sublime calm
ress and serenity was in his face! As
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