STRUGGLE FOR THE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATION.
When General Grant returned from his trip around the world, the
Blaine newspapers, while they filled their columns with adulatory
notices of the "Old Commander," also discovered in the "Plumed
Knight" qualities which inspired them with enthusiasm and admiration.
The friends of General Grant were not, however, to be placed in an
attitude of antagonism toward Blaine. They remembered, however,
that when Grant retired from the political contest in 1876, and
his friends turned toward Blaine, they found confronting them,
armed with the poisoned arrows of detraction, the same editors who
had for years been opposing and vilifying Grant.
An attempt was then made by Mr. Blaine's friends to place General
Grant at the head of a scheme for the construction of a ship canal
across the Isthmus as an American enterprise. They enlisted one
of Grant's most devoted friends, Read Admiral Daniel Ammen, and he
attempted to organize a company, of which General Grant was to be
the president. The charter to be granted by Congress was to
recognize the national character of the work, and to pledge the
United States to oppose any foreign interference, like that of
DeLesseps and his Darien Canal. General Grant became interested
in the scheme, and affixed his name a few months later to an
elaborate magazine article on inter-oceanic canals, every word of
which was written by Dr. George B. Loring, of Massachusetts.
Senator Blaine developed great personal popularity as the campaign
progressed, even among those who regarded General Grant as a
"military necessity." Henry Clay, in his palmiest days, never had
a more devoted and enthusiastic following, and many of the stanchest
and most stalwart Republicans in Congress were openly for Blaine,
while others secretly advocated his claims.
John Sherman had also a powerful following, and while the respective
friends of Grant and Blaine began to indulge in recrimination, the
cause of the Ohio Senator was quietly pushed without giving offense.
Mr. Sherman's unswerving persistence had, in years past, all the
effective energy and the successful result of force. General
Garfield was at the head of the Ohio delegation, pledged to the
support of Sherman, and he was chosen to make the speech nominating
him in the Convention.
General Garfield having been requested to give his views as to what
should be the course of the Ohio Republicans in reference to the
Presidential nomination, wrote a letter in which he said: "I have
no doubt that a decisive majority of our party in Ohio favor the
nomination of John Sherman. He has earned his recognition at their
hands by twenty-five years of conspicuous public service, a period
which embraces nearly the whole life of the Republican party. He
deserves the especial recognition of the nation for the great
service he has rendered in making the resumption law a success,
and placing the national finances on a better basis. I am aware
of the fact that some Republicans do not indorse all his opinions,
but no man who has opinions can expect the universal concurrence
of his party in all his views, and no man without opinions is worthy
of the support of a great party. I hope the Republicans of Ohio
will make no mistake on other candidates; they should fairly and
generously recognize the merits of all; but I think they ought to
present the name of Mr. Sherman to the National Convention and give
him their united and cordial support."
To Mr. Wharton Baker, of Philadelphia, General Garfield wrote:
"It is becoming every day more apparent that the friends of the
leading Presidential candidates are becoming embittered against
each other to such an extent that, whichever of the three may be
nominated, there would be much hostility of feeling in the conduct
of the campaign. It will be most unfortunate if we go into the
contest handicapped by the animosity of the leading politicians.
I shall be glad to see you on your arrival in Washington."
General Garfield's influence was politically omnipotent in his own
district, yet when the Convention of that district was held to
elect delegates to the Chicago Convention, controlled by Garfield's
friends and confidential advisers, it surprised the country by
electing Blaine delegates. It was then whispered that General
Garfield, while ostensibly working for Sherman, would advocate his
own nomination, and also that he would have the support of the
friends of Mr. Blaine.
The Convention was a remarkable one. The combined anti-Grant men,
with cunning parliamentary strategy, carried their points on the
unit rule and the credentials. When the names of the candidates
were successively presented by their friends, a tumultuous scene
of wild applause followed the nominations of James G. Blaine and
Ulysses S. Grant, the rival hosts on the floor and in the galleries
being animated by paroxysms of enthusiasm never before witnessed
on this continent.
General Garfield rose when the State of Ohio was called, and said
that he had witnessed the extraordinary scenes of the Convention
with great solicitude. The assemblage had seemed to him like a
human ocean in a tempest. He had seen the sea lashed into fury
and tossed into spray, and its grandeur moves the soul of the
dullest man; but he remembered that it was not the billows, but
the calm level of the sea, from which all heights and depths are
measured. When the enthusiasm should have passed away, the calm
level of public opinion would be found, from which the thoughts of
a mighty people would be measured. Not at Chicago in the heat of
June, but at the ballot-boxes in the quiet of November, would the
question be settled. "And now, gentlemen of the Convention," said
he, "what do we want?" "We want Garfield," said a clear voice;
and from that moment it was evident who the "dark horse" was, and
his cold, studied eulogium of John Sherman was really little more
than a presentation of himself.
In the thirty-six ballots which ensued, three hundred and six of
the delegates cast their votes for General Grant. During the first
twenty-eight ballotings, James A. Garfield generally received one
vote, and sometimes two. His strength was then gradually increased
as the friends of Mr. Blaine and of Mr. Sherman rallied to his
support, and on the thirty-eighth ballot he received three hundred
and ninety-nine votes, Ulysses S. Grant, three hundred and six;
James G. Blaine, twelve; Elihu B. Washburne, five, and John Sherman,
three.
Chester A. Arthur was nominated on the first ballot for Vice-
President, receiving four hundred and sixty-eight votes. General
Grant gave the Chicago ticket his hearty support, and persuaded
Senator Conkling to accompany him to Ohio, where they addressed
public meetings. They also addressed large popular gatherings in
the State of New York, and it was asserted that they carried that
State for Garfield and Arthur.
General Grant visited Washington in December, 1880, and had a most
enthusiastic welcome. He was received by the Grand Army of the
Republic, and as the train entered the railroad station, the chimes
of the Metropolitan Church rang out "Home Again," while the field-
pieces of the artillery company thundered a salute of seventeen
guns. The General was escorted to the house of his friend, Colonel
Beale, by the Grand Army, headed by the Marine Band, and as the
column passed up Pennsylvania Avenue the dense crowd cheered
enthusiastically.
A few days afterward General Grant went to the Capitol, and for
the first time an ex-President successively visited the two Houses
of Congress while they were in session. In the Senate, when General
Grant came in on the floor (to which he had a right, having received
the thanks of Congress), Senator Edmunds moved that a recess of
ten minutes be taken. The Senators then left their seats and
flocked around General Grant, the Confederate brigadiers leading
the Democrats, who shook hands cordially with their old chief
antagonist.
From the Senate Chamber General Grant went to the House of
Representatives, where an adjournment was immediately carried.
Speaker Randall then left the chair and invited General Grant to
walk down to the area before the reporter's desk. The Representatives
were there presented in turn, and then the pages enjoyed the
privilege of shaking the General's hand, which they greatly enjoyed,
and which he too seemed to enjoy as heartily as they.
General Grant had been the hero of unparalleled ovations, extending
over years of time and through his tour around the world. In his
own land, city after city had vied with each other in efforts to
do him honor, but no receptions were ever more hearty than these
in the two houses of Congress. And General Grant appreciated it
highly. To be thus greeted by political advocate and antagonist,
by his former subordinates on the field and by those who stood
against him, was enough to awaken a nature far less sensitive to
appreciation than his. He was gratified, and was in one of his
most genial moods, his sunshine melting out any remaining iciness
in those about him. The fact that he was now regarded as "out of
politics" went far to allay suspicions and open up the channels of
good-will and friendliness which all admitted were his due in view
of distinguished services rendered by him in the crisis of the
nation's history. It was a memorable occasion at the Capitol,
where so many have occurred.
New Year's Day of 1881 was the coldest that had been known in
Washington for a quarter of a century, the mercury having fallen
in the morning to ten degrees below zero. As it was the last
reception of President and Mrs. Hayes, the White House was the
centre of attraction. The state apartments were decorated with
flowers, and the Marine Band played in the large entrance hall.
The long, central corridor was festooned with flags, and further
decorated with flowers and potted plants. The parlors were also
adorned with cut flowers and hot-house plants. At eleven A. M.
the President and Mrs. Hayes entered the Blue Parlor, preceded by
Major Farquhar, of the engineer corps, and followed by the Vice-
President and Miss Mills, of San Francisco, who afterward became
Mrs. Whitelaw Reid. They took their stations in the centre of the
room. The young ladies who were visiting Mrs. Hayes stood back of
her and on her right. Colonel Casey made the introductions to the
President, and Mr. Webb Hayes to his mother. Mrs. Hayes' dress,
of creamy white ribbed silk, very soft and fine, was trimmed very
elegantly with white cream-tinted satin and pearl passamenteries.
She wore a silver comb in her dark hair and no jewels. Miss Lucy
Cook wore a cream-colored brocaded satin, combined with plain silk
of the same shade, trimmed with pearls. Miss Dora Scott, of New
Orleans, wore an elegant costume of Spanish blonde over satin,
trimmed with field daisies, pond-lilies, and strands of pearls.
The Attorney-General's niece, Miss Agnes Devens, a bright young
school-girl, wore a heliotrope cashmere, trimmed with royal purple
velvet. Little Miss Fannie Hayes' bright face and perfect complexion
appeared in a child-like dress of white summer camel's hair, trimmed
with white satin ribbons. Mrs. Hayes invited Mrs. Elizabeth
Thompson, the philanthropist, of New York, to pass the day with
her. She wore a superb black velvet trimmed with white ostrich
plumes. Her ornaments were pearls. This lady had given away in
charity over half a million dollars. The gentlemen of the Cabinet
and ladies entered from the Red Parlor, Secretary Evarts and his
family immediately preceding the Diplomatic Corps. All the gentlemen
of the foreign legations, as was customary, wore court dresses,
except those who represented republics. These wore citizens' dress
suits.
Secretary Evarts made the presentation of the members of the
Diplomatic Corps to the President. Sir Edward Thornton, as the
Dean of the Corps, and the British Legation took precedence of any
other Foreign Minister then in Washington. All his family were
with him, including his tall, fine-looking son, the third Edward
Thornton in a direct line of his family who had been attached to
the British Legation in Washington. The Russian Minister and his
wife were conceded to be the handsomest and most distinguished-
looking couple seen in the throng of noted men and fine-looking
ladies in the Blue Room.
The attendance of army and navy officers was large, including
General Hazen and others recently promoted, from the President's
native State, of whom, it was reported, Private Secretary Rodgers
used to sing:
"He might have been a Bostonian,
Or else a Baltimorian,
Or a Chicago man;
In spite of all temptation--remained true to his nation,
And he's an Ohio man."
General Garfield's selection of Mr. Blaine as Secretary of State
was known to the public soon after the Presidential election, but
there was much speculation as to who else would be invited into
the Cabinet. Many prominent public men went to Mentor, where they
found General Garfield ready to listen, but unwilling to make any
pledge. He impressed one of these visitors as evincing a desire
to bring about the fusion of all the various elements. He would
make an honest attempt to give each element proper recognition,
and not allow himself to be involved in any controversy with his
own party. He recognized the truth of the claim that had not
General Grant and Senator Conkling gone into the campaign when they
did, he would probably have been defeated, and this visitor was
led to believe that the President-elect would treat the Grant wing
with consideration.
As to particular persons and sections, General Garfield was so
guarded that he gave no impression as to the States that would be
represented, except that Iowa should have a place in the Cabinet.
As to whether it was to be Mr. Wilson or Mr. Allison, or some one
else, the President-elect dropped no hint. The name of Robert
Lincoln was talked over, and General Garfield indicated an intention
to give him some fitting recognition in his Administration, not
only because he considered Mr. Lincoln a bright young man, but
because he should take pleasure in making so graceful a tribute to
the memory of his father. He did not intimate, however, that it
would be by offering the son a seat in the Cabinet, nor did he say
it would not be done in that way.
[Facsimile]
EBWashburne
ELIHU B. WASHBURNE, one of five brothers who have occupied prominent
positions under the National Government, was born at Livermore,
Maine, September 23d, 1816; studied law and commenced practice at
Galena, Illinois; was a Representative from Illinois, 1853-1869;
was appointed by President Grant Secretary of State, and after
serving a few days, Minister to France, serving 1869-1877; returned
to Galena and afterward settled at Chicago.