Great Falls daily tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1895-1921, 1920-10-11
By FREDERICK
HASKLN

for President, but Wade was running
for vice president on the strength of
| promising patronage for the few months
ne was to be president. The Wade boom
fel! through when johnson was acquitted
| and Schuyler Colfax of Indiana got sec
ond place on the ticket.
The Democratic convention that year
met in Tammany Hall on Fourteenth
street, New York. on July 4. 1t was a
great loyalistic. and patriotic gathering
and not even the Republicans could do
more yelling for the flag. Quite by acct
dent. most peculiar coincidence. a Ma
tional Soldiers and Sailors convention
met in New York on the same day. That
convention, entirely distinct from the one
mended to the Democratic convention the
nomination Of General Winfield Scott
Hancock. But the Democrats didn't ap-
prove the Recommendation.
Despite the fact, not then so apparent
that the Democrats did not have ghost
of show to defeat Grant with anybody
they might name, there was a great con-
test over the nomination. In the first
place, Andrew Johnson. president of the
United States. wanted to run on the
Democratic ticket He wrote a letter
saying he would accept the nomination.
Then George II. Pendleton of Ohio. was
there as the embodiment Of the green
back" sentiment, which was gaining
ground all over the country. On the
first ballot Pendeton led johnson was
second, and Hancock third, with a dozen
other candidates in the field.
Wiley Wire-PuI!ers.
In that convention were the two
shrewdest politicians who ever entered
the national arena under the Democratic
banner-Horatio Seymour and Samuel j.
Iilden. Seymour was president of the
convention, Tilden was leading the New
York delegation. Seymour was the chief
conspirator in a scheme to stampede the
convention to Salmon ?. Chase. If there
was ever a man who wanted to be presi-
dent it was Salmon 2. Chase. And if
ever an aspirant had supporter who
was always faithful and always enthu-
siastic. it was Chase's daughter. Katie
Chase Sprague. Chase had been a can
didate in various parties before the war.
he had opposed Lincoln for the nomina
ton In 1864, and Lincoln had returned
good for evil by making him chief justice
of the supreme court, despite the mem
DRY of his quarrel with Chase, as secre
tary of the treasury. early in his ad-
ministration.
It was now 1858 and Chase was again
a candidate. this time for the Democratic
leadership. He had presided over the
trial of Andrew Johnson as chief justice,
and the fairness and impartiality' of mis-
rulings were specifically commended in
the Democratic platform. Seymour had
fixed it up to give Chase the nomination.
After the twenty first ballot was taken
on the fifth day of the convention. Sey-
mour left the chair to go out in the hall
and organize the Chase stampede. which
was to come off on the twenty third bal
lot.
How Tllden Beat Chase.
Now Samuel ]. Tilden was there. and
be was absolutely opposed to the nomina
ton of Chase He was informed as to
Seymour's plans, and Seymour had left
the chair but q moment when Tilden was
i'll action. He started the Seymour STAN
pede on the twenty second ballot. Sey-
nour rushed back to the platform and
as state after state followed Tilden's
lead, he shouted: Gentlemen. your can
ddate I cannot be. your candidate / can
not be-" But be was And eight years
afterward, when Samuel j. Tilden was
contesting his right TO the presidency be
fore an constitutional tribunal.
Fate Chase Sprague remembered that
IL was T,ilden who blocked her fathers
last hope of the presidency. and was re
yenged.
The election was q walkaway for
Grant. He received ga electoral votes
to Seymour's So Seymour carried only
eight states.
The campaign was not close one. but
il was bitter as gall The Republican
orators all over the country made Dem
ocracy" and rebellion out to be syn
onymous, utterly ignoring the records of
the war Democrats. This attitude led
to arrangements at the north. and pav-
ed the way for the great liberal Repub
lican revolt which was to come four
years later.