Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-05-19
RECALLS CONVENTION THAT
NAMED ABRAHAM LINCOLN

CHICAGO, May 19:-The CONVEX
ing of the Republicans in Chicago
June 8 to nominate a candidate for
president recalls afresh al this time
the Republican convention opening
here sixty years ago which nominat-
ed Abraham Lincoln. This was the
second national Republican V
ton and the first of the many which
have since been held in Chicago.
The convention assembled on May
16, 1850, and Lincoln vas nominated
on May 10, the third and last day.
After his election feeling aroused by
the slavery issue ran quickly into
civil war.
Relics of the campaign of 1850. in
Guiding the oil painting OF the rail
splitters," are preserved by the Chi
cage Historical Society. <. E. Wood,
field secretary Of the society, has just
prepared what he regards as the
most complete of the events
Of the convention OF sixty years ago.
In this he calls attention TO Addison
G.. Proctor. Of Ann ArbOr. Mich,
who. Mr.. Wood believes, Is the only
surviving delegate of the convention
Chicago in 1860 was a promising
city OF no. 00 not quite twenty-five
years old. 1t had won the conven-
ton by the offer to build the largest
assembly hall in the country and I'LL
IL at every EtHSlOus AtNOl dAAi5A9 Lac
"Wigwam' arose at the southwest
corner Of Lake and Market streets.
occupying a space 100 by $50 feet. 1t
was a temporary wooden structure
costing q little over the estimated
$1,000. The balance was made up by
charging twenty-five cents admission
on It's formal opening the
before the convention.
Few Republican conventions, II
any, have been so charged with ex-
element or had 50 spectacular an
ending. L1ncoln's prospects appear
ed small enough before the conven-
tion opened. The favorite was Will
liam II. Seward senator from New
York. He had q great asset in the
ability OF Thurlow Weed. who prose-
cuted his campaign among the dele
gates. He suffered a handicap In the
determined opposition or horace
Greeley, the amous New YORK edi-
tor. who had no candidate OF MS own
but refused to have Seward. Both
Greeley and Weed were early on the
ground and according to Mr.. WOODS
review, the centers of interest. He
notes, however, that other, and non
political attractions. were numerous
among them being Zouaves. circus
band, minstrels. and such well-known
theatrical pieces Of the day as "Iu-
cretia Borgia' and The Hidden
Hand"
The slavery issue came up quickly
on the first day OF the convention
when David Wilmot Of Pennsylvania
on taking the chair as
chairman made a ten-minute anu
slavery speech. mo extension or
slavery became an essential part or
the platform mex day.
In WV of the many days now spent
in hearing delegate contests. this con-
ventlon OF co years ago offered some
thing novel. There were no contested
delegates. There were, however.
some "contesting" states. Whether
TO admit Maryland, Virginia, Ken
lucky and Texas was a question that
occupied most of the first day ana
| was still undecided when adjournment
came for the day.
The next day the convention decided
to admit the border states" The
platform committee then brought In
! it's report. 1t was amended to include
a reassertion of the self evident
| truths of the Constitution. At ad-
iournment little remained beyond
choosing the candidate, and Mr.. WOOD
characterizes that night as a tumui-
tuous one filled with band music and
professions until almost day. En-
thnsiasm for Seward. well worked up
in his behalf, was at high tide. Gree
lev t~elegraphed his paper that Sew
ards nomination appeared certain.
incidentally, remarks Mr.. Wood. this
convention was the first at which the
telegraph was employed.
How Lincoln came into the nomi-
nation Is now for many a familiar
story. Seward led on the first ballot
173 IL with Lincoln next best al
1O2, and 1913 necessary for choice.
A few more votes came to Seward
on the second ballot. bringing his
total to 1874 1-2, while Lincoln jump
ed to close quarters with 1s1. The
! taking of the third ballot showing
going strongly to the front.
AS the figures were being compiled.
d. X. Cartier (correct) of Cleveland,
o., counting them up for inns self,
found that Lincoln needed only a
few votes to win. The tabulation In
fact at that moment was 231 Ia for
Lincoln and $50 for Seward. with 2s3
necessary for the nomination. In
stantly Cartier was on his feet to an
nounce the transfer of fou Ohio
votes from Chase to Lincoln
The convention quickly broke into
a scene of enthusiasm with few par
aiiels in the .ong list of American
political c~onNeatiors. Further votes
were changed to bring Lfncoln's total
to s54. The nomination was then