Year: 1876

State Convention that the vote of the delegation be
cast as a unit as the majority should direct, though
it broke the Pennsylvania vote for Hartranft and
gained few votes for Blaine had the effect at last
to split up the delegation, and give Hayes % to
Blaines 30. Had the Convention overruled the de-
cson of the Chair and left the instructions Of the
State Convention in full force, the 80 Blaine men
would have swung the whole So to his support. and
have given him the nomination. The result which
was finally reached, however, seemed, as | have
indicated. to give greater satisfaction than
was possible for any other nomination, and it was
not strange, perhaps, in this view Of it, that the
nomination of a candidate who the first choice
of but G5 delegates at the outset should have called
ont such demonstrations of delight from the serious
and scdate persons who joined in the uproar. l
do not quite understand how men who had
the high privilege of cheering at the nomination of
Lincoln in 1850, and who participated in the demon
strations of enthusiastic JOY when he was elected
the men who shouted and wept and sang over the
final victory at Appomattox, could be demonstra-
tive much less an event than any of these but
there is something in what is called popular enthu-
siasm which battles reason and defes analysis, and
could only look on and wonder at it.


Between this Convention and the one at Chicago
iii 1SGO-which was the last Republican National
Convention that actually did the work of selecting
candidate for President, the nomination having
been settled beforehand in all the intervening
there were some points Of similarity, while some
features of this suggested marked contrasts. The
defeat of Mr.. Blaine was brought about IN very
much the same way as the defeat of Mr.. Seward in
1860; their relations to the party were much the
same both were recognized party leaders; both
had enthusiastic and devoted personal adherents; /;
both led the balloting at the start, and tho
argument which was used with so much force
against Seward, that he had been an
active politician, contributed very largely to
Blainos defeat. The Convention of 1850
recognized in Mr.. Seward the foremost man in the
party. His great services in the cause which had
brought the party into being were admitted. His
commanding abilities as statesman were not de-
MED nor his qualifications disputed. No candidate
went into the Convention with such devoted fol
lowing; no name mentioned on the iloor brought
down the house with such demonstrations OF ap-
prova SO before him had Henry Clay aud Daniel
Webster been idolized by their party. Their fate
was his precisely, and his in 1850 Blane's in
1876. The politicians of every period distrust
each other and believe they are distrusted by the
people. They said in 1850 that Seward was too
Iauch a politician. Withholding from him no
tribute of praise for his ability and expression Of
gratitude for his great services, they said he
was a politician, and pushed HIM aside Tor
tho then comparatively obscure but after
ward to be illustrious Lincoln. So too, as they
pushed aside Sumner and Chase and Banks, and
others of political prominence. and took up the least
known candidate in the lists, the who had made
his mark in national politics within the previous
year, the Republicans at 5Cincinnati sixteen years
later passed by Conkling and Morton and the rest,
and teok the man least known whose reputation was
of less than twelve months growth Had the Con-
vention of 1860 been governed by its emotions, Mr.
Seward would hayo been its choice. Had that OF
1876 been so governed. Mr. Blaine would have been
the candidate Bat IA, politicians in each Conyen-
tion were looking for a candidate to win with, and
shrewdly chose the man who had the least public
record. and so was least open 10 attack. Let
us hope they have builded now as much better
than they knew as they die in 1860. Other
wise than in the selections of candidate
and the motives which governed the choice,
The two Conventions differed widely. That was n
body Of thoughtful, earnest men, just fairly organ
lied in a political party, with only future before 1t.
and no past to explain make apology for The
PARTY had not enjoyed the sweets or been burdened
with the responsibilities of power. 1t was full OF
faith and enthusiasm, young, fresh and honest,
and lifting up a hopeful face looked forward. This
was the Convention OF party which had suffered
prosperity, hdd iOI Wllic boIHc W. tIo P"''"'S'
met its responsibilities couragcousy, fulfilled it mis-
sion grandly and then FOR years walked backward
i'm admiration of its own achievements. instead OF
forward TO the larger duties and responsibilities they
broucht That Was a Convention with the insplra-
ton of a great work before it; this, one with the
consciousness OF a past for which to MAKE amends
II was the difference in short. between the promise
of youth and the remorse and penitence OF prelna-
trire aea That there were both the consciousness
of error ard some signs Of pontence were the post
encouraging symptoms OF returning moral health. .


This ticket was nominated TO win. All the other
candidates were shclved because Of the doubt OF
their ability to carry the country The spirit and
pulpose of the Convention were completely wrapped
ND in the aspiration for success. For that they
were willing to make any sacrifice. 1t is gratify-
ing fact that the sacrifices they were called upon
to make by the people were not OF principle, but only
of personal feeling and that the demand which
theyfelt that twas wise and respond toi in
order to insure success was for honest and upright
candidates whose names would be guarantees
for pure administration. The idellists do not get
their candidates. They could not have had them in
any event. They never do get them. But this Is
ticket at least which strikes the average public
sense and the average public sense just now Is III
favor of honesty and uprightness. So much it ~
safe 10 saw even though the ticket was made with
the sole wow OF carrying the election; and the men
who are disappointed in not having their ideals
presented them may find much to cousole them in


the circumstances Of this nomination and the char
acter of the candidates. l. H. u.


Cincinnati, June IL, 1876


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