Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-10-23
PRESIDENTIAL
CAMPAIGNS
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN
XIV. THE GARFIELD-HAN-
COCK RACE OF 1880
VIZ AsHINGTON, D. c., Oct. O.
w The September election in
w Maine Is one of the few
-alactinn MStrn III Iii

M nc september election in
w Maine is one of the few
1oe+ ante-election "straws" still
iett from the old days Twice in
the history of the country the news
from Maine" in September was Dor
oat9 In l840 it accurately indi-
country. In 1880, forty years later,
1t showed that the Republicans were
IN terrible condition and in danger
81 nelng wiped off the earth. The
republicans put almost superhuman
energy into the fight, and Garfield
won by a very small majority. Even
then If it had not been for. the
treachery of Tammany hall, the Re
pu 1Shc flght would have been lost.
as the one presidential contest in
which political manipulation and
ch1canery .overshad6wed everything
else. Both Garfield and Hancock
were nominated by shrewd manipula-
ton IN the face of the fact that the
other man. Garfield faced what
seemed certain defeat from knitting
by great leaders in his own party
The Republican breach was closed by
OF which could not be fulfilled. In
the Democratic party the leaders who
were battling for reform" were out
witted by the practical politicians,
anu LIlS very SdIIlG practical DOLL
ticians committed party suicide in the
closing days Of the campaign.
The Republican national conven-
ton at Chicago in 1880 was the
scene of the greatest battle ever
fought for a political nomination.
a triumphant tour around the world,
was an active candidate for a third
term. He had the support of hosts
of the Republican voters and of the
was the faVorit s Of S the polit Rshns
and of majority of the Republicans
who were not carried away by the
glamour of Grants military fame
Blaine was the most magnetic leader
his party has had, and his following
was a personal one.
A Poetic Politician
Opposed to Blaine was the able
Roscoe Conkling, senator from New
York; Because he hated Blaine, rath-
er than because he loved Grant,
Conkling led the Grant forces in the
convention. He placed Grant in nom
lnatton In the famous speech begin
ming:
1T. you ask what state he halls
from,
Our sole reply shall be.
He comes from Appomattox,
ana us famous apple tree"
But in the closing sentence of his
speech he mortally offended Blaine
supporters and they swore that Grant
should be defeated, even if Blaine
the, battle waged. the Grant and
Blaine forces holding firm, and each
of a dozen other candidates hoping
to be the lucky dark horse.
serious candidate, he thought, and
his name had been placed in nominal
tion- by James A. Garfield. Gar
fields speech was adroit and con-
ciliatory, and while he was speak
ing for Sherman there were respon-
field. At the beginning of the sec
ond week, on the thirty-sixth ballot,
the Blaine column marched solidly
to Garfield, the break having been
led by. Wisconsin. The Wisconsin
deiegation decided upon Garfield over
but one vote. Had Window received
that state he might have captured
the nomination. When Garfield was
nominated. there were still 306 dele
mortal 3o6,5 they were called, and
gold medals were struck for them
in commemoration of the stand they
made. 1t was the first effort to
obtain a third term ever made by
any man who had been president.
ination of Garfield, whom he did not
trust He refused to select the vice
presidential candidate, but the con-
vention named Chester A. Arthur,
just because he was friend OF Conk-
ling. We sometimes make presidents
so. General Grant was also chagr1n-
ed, and for time he and Conk1ing
were agreed to knife the ticket and
defeat Garfield. The balance between
the two parties was then so even that
any great leader sulking in the tent,
on either side, meant defeat.
Republicans Got Together
But later in the campaign, after
the news from Maine came in, peace
was restored. The prospect of
power caused the party leaders to
bury their factional differences.
Conkling at last consented to call on
Garfield. And, as supreme sacrl-
flee of personal feelings, Conkllng
persuaded General Grant to take the
stump for the first time, in his NE
to speak for Garfield That stopped
the incipient revolt which threatened
irretrievable disaster to the party.
The Democratic convention met in
June. and in spite of the sentiment
OF nine-tenths of the Democrats of
the country, and in spite of the pro-
tests Ct it's wisest leaders. it NOM
for president. 1t was not that the
Democrats did not like Hancock. for
he was very popular and had been
nominated as a candidate for presi-
dent in every convention since the
war.
But the Democrats. and many of
the Independents, too, wanted sam
uel ]. Tilden renominated. "Give US
the old ticket" they cried LET us
fight it out with the Fraud of TT for
our issue" Although Hayes had
made a good president, although his
administration had restored peace in
the country and although specie pay
ments had been resumed and a dollar
was once more dollar, there were
none so poor as to do Hayes honor.
He had not pleased his own party
politicians, and the Democrats hated
him because they believed he was
president by grace of fraud.