Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-10-31

electoral. college cast their votes in
accordance with the popular vote in
Louisiana, Florida and South Caro-
lima Tilden would have won. 2os to
! nounced him as elected. Senator
Chandler of New Hampshire. secre-
tary Of the national committee, an
nounced that Hayes was elected, de-
claring that Louisiana, Florida and
South Carolina had voted honestly
for him.
The democratic resentment through
out the country was so strong and
threats of vengeance il an attempt
was made to inaugurate Hayes were
so vehement that Congress created
an electoral commission to decide the
in favor Of Hayes. At that Hayes
won by only one vote in the electoral
college,, 1875 to 1874. 1t is political
stage secret that Ti1den's defeat OF
Chase in 1868 proved a boomerang
that defeated himself for the presi-
was before the Senate Mrs. Kate
Chase Sprague avenged her fathers
disappointment by turning Senator Ros-
coe Conkling. whose influence was very
strong, away from his intended lead
ership of the Tilden advocates.
Thus Tilden lost the presidency to
which he was elected by popular
majority of over 100000, and to this
day the democrats maintain that the
election was stolen by republican
carpetbaggers."
Following this Hayes-Tilden con-
troversy came a very close battle be-
tween James A. Garfield and Win
field S. Hancock. four years later, and
the ClevelandBlaine struggle in 1884,
where there was only the slight diff
ference Of 1.100 votes in a total of
nearly 100000 in New York state.
tiOh &c trnn
Congress the necessity of having
some definite statute providing for
settlement of disputed electoral votes
in the several states. and an act was
approved February 3. 1887.
DROBABLY the greatest convention
battle in American politics was
fought at the republican national
convention in Chicago in June. 1880,
with Grant and Blaine as the OPP
posing chieftains. It was battle
royal Of giants. There were never
less than 10000 spectators. Neither
Grant nor Blaine ever had major
ity Of the votes and their forces. led
by. as Notable groups Of great poll
and fought it out for week aud a
half The more belligerent leaders
not infreQuentIy came to hand-to-
hand encounters.
Roscoe Conkling. making the nomi-
mating speech for Grant, stands with
1876, and William Jennings Bryan,
with his Gross of gold and crown
Of thorns"s speech in 1895. as a great
triumvirate unequaled for sheer ora
tory in the worlds history. For fer
vid oratory Conkling's speech was
uoIro nj 11v anecf ac111Sr h1t carried
away by his idolatrous partisanship
for Grant and intense hatred and
bitterness towards Blaine. he so
dashed the Blaine followers as to
make it impossible ever to win a
speech left that chieftain weaker
than before it was uttered.
Grants memorable 1905" stood
| with him to the ultimate finish. Dur
| ing thirty-six ballots he started with
never got more than 313. being de-
| feated by the avalanche to Garfield.
| with 306 delegates true to the bitter
| end.
| Garfield went to the convention as
head of the Ohio delegation to urge Sen
| ator John Sherman as candidate. He
was selected as q compromise candidate
when it became evident that Grant and
Blaine were in an enduring deadlock
| Wisconsin started the landslide. Grants
| following lof Two mohtuS ueteIHlHeuiy
conspired for the defeat Of Garfield. I'M
til Conkling had conference with
Grant, and then they swung around
with Jealous support that barely carried
! Garfield into the White House.
| Tammany's betrayal OF Hancock help
Tammany forced the withdrawal of Til
den in the democratic convention which
nominated Winfield S. Hancock of Penn
/ sylvania. This was one of the most dig
nified campaigns ever waged, conspicu-
ously free from bitterness and vitupera-
ton. The asperities usual in our grea,
American quadrennial free-for-au were
minimized.
What hurt most in the democratic
campaign Of 1880 was the reply OF Cen
his position on the tariff. He dismissed
| the subject with the assertion that the
tariff was purely local question, and
as such its consideration did not belong
to a national controversy
Yankee Doodle helped out with this
quartrain for the marchers to chant:
The soldier boys are wide awase
And eager for the fray, sir;
: They'll vote for Garfeld-no mistake
On next election day, sir.
Another popular refrain had this Tilt:
'Tvould be a sin to fail to win,
With Garfield at the front.
! Not to be outdone, the Democratic
Campaign Songster" contributed this:
O, how proudly will they cheer him.
Hancock brave and true.
Each one striving to be ear him
Brave boys dressed in Dlue.
Grant, for the first time. took the stump
| to put Garfield over. Garfield defeated
Hancock by majority. Of little over
! 1000 in the popular vote. the latter hav-
election set Garfield up as adorned with
more political honors than any man In
| the United States before or since-he
was representative FROM his district.
| United States senator-elect Tchosen by
the Ohio legislature in january and
| President-elect.
| cPIRITED and earnest was the con-
, test between Grover Cleveland and
James G. Blaine in 1884, when con-
| troll of national policies temporarily
passed to the democratic party. Over
whelming sentiment demanded Blaine
! as the party leader. but he himself
took far less interest in the conven-
ton and his own chance to be party
standard bearer than in either CT his
previous contests in 1876 or 1880. He
was obsessed with the conviction that
he would be defeated. and startled
close friends by repeating 1884
1884" having reference to Henry
Clay's defeat, and feeling he was SIM
ilarly fated.
There was really no fight against
him in the republican convention.
This convention had colored leader
former Representatives John r..
Lynch of Mississippi) as temporary
chairman. Ex-senator John B. Hen
derson was permanent chairman. Gen.
John A. Logan of Illinois was Blaine's
running mate.