XXXI.

THE CAMPAIGN OF 1888.

A New Set of Candidates for the Republican Nomination-Blaine and Sherman the Only Old Ones Mentioned and Blaine Positively Withdraws-McKinley Forbids the Use of His Name--Sherman Leads Through Six Ballots-General Alger, of Michigan, a Strong Possibility--The Nomination Finally Goes to Harrison-The Text of the Platform-The Democrats Renominate Cleveland by Acclamation, With Thurman Second on the Ticket A Quiet Campaign-The Murchison Incident-The Republicans Win.

As the time for the Republican Convention in 1888 approached a new set of candidates appeared in the field. Only two of the men who had been prominently before previous conventions were at all mentioned in connection with this, Blaine and Sherman. After President Cleveland issued his famous tariff message and the Mills Bill was introduced, Blaine, who was then in Paris, made a reply to the message in an interview which was furnished by the Associated Press to the leading papers in the country. It was received with great favor and created a strong demand for his nomination for the Presidency, as being the best man to meet the issue which was thus thrust upon the people. Mr. Blaine was at this time under medical treatment in Paris for the physical ailments which afterward terminated in his death, and was morbidly sensitive as to the condition of his health. He felt himself unable to endure the fatigues and excitements of another campaign. Although he afterwards recovered sufficiently to enter again into the activities of public life, his intimate friends knew that at this time he had no anticipation of being able to do so. He wrote two letters from Paris, declining, in positive terms, to have his name presented as a candidate. One of these, written May 17 to Whitelaw Reid, editor of the New York Tribune. was very emphatic in its withdrawal.

Notwithstanding these expressions of his desire there was a strong sentiment, when delegates gathered for the Convention at Chicago, in favor of putting him forward, even against his consent. The temporary President of the Convention, John M. Thurston, of Nebraska, himself a strong personal friend of Blaine, sought, in his opening address, to check this. Having in mind the claim, vigorously maintained for years by General Butler, that part of the vote cast for Butler in New York City was counted for Cleveland, thus defeating the Republican candidates, Mr. Thurston said that he "had hoped that 1888 would right the great wrong of 1884." He then paid a high tribute to the worth of General Logan: "The citizen soldier. the warrior statesman, the Black Eagle of Illinois, who had been summoned by the silent messenger to report to his old commander beyond the river." After referring further to General Logan's place on the ticket of 1884, he continued:

The other, that gallant leader, the chevalier of American politics, the glory of Republicanism and the nightmare of Democracy, our Henry of Navarre, is seeking in foreign travel the long needed relaxation and rest from the wearisome burdens of public life and service With the sublime magnanimity of his incomparable greatness, he has denied us the infinite pleasure of supporting him in this Convention. Desiring above all things party harmony and success, he has stepped from the certain ladder of his own laudable ambition that some other man may climb to power. As his true friends we cannot, dare not. commit the political crime of disobedience to his expressed will. We cannot place him at the head of the ticket, but we will make him commander-in-chief at the head of the forces in the field, where he will be invincible. And though James G. Blaine may not be our President, yet he remains our uncrowned king, wielding the baton of acknowledged leadership, supreme in the allegiance of his devoted followers. Honest and respected by all honest and loyal men, the greatest living American, and the worthy object of our undying love.

Mr. Thurston's reference to Blaine's refusal to allow himself to be nominated was received with cries of "No!" "No!" from all over the hall, but his declaration that the Convention dare not commit the offence of going contrary to Blaine's expressed wish was wildly applauded. His withdrawal of Blaine's name was, however, resented by many of the admirers of the man from Maine, who claimed that Thurston had no right to assume such authority, and they declared that they would work harder than ever for the man of their choice. Some votes were cast for him on each ballot, reaching 48 on the fifth which was taken on a Saturday. On Monday, two dispatches were received from Mr. Blaine, addressed to Delegates Boutelle and Man

ley, of Maine. The first said: "Earnestly request all friends to respect my Paris letter." The second read thus: "I think I have the right to ask my friends to respect my wishes, and refrain from voting. for me. Please make this and former dispatches public." This ended the talk about a break for Blaine as the final result of the numerous ballots, though fifteen enthusiasts voted for him on the seventh, which was taken after these dispatches had been read.

In his relation to the Presidency Mr. Blaine has often been compared to Henry Clay. The comparison might be extended much further than to this single matter of their high ambitions. Both had brilliant careers in the House of Representatives, of which they were elected Speaker. Both served in the Senate. Both made reputations in diplomacy, Clay as a Foreign Minister, and Blaine as Secretary of State. Both twice sought unsuccessfully, the Presidential nomination at the opening of campaigns in which their parties were successful. Both obtained the nominations in years when their parties met defeat. Clay, in 1844, lost the election by a slender adverse majority in New York. Blaine, in 1884, lost the election by a still narrower margin in the same State. But they were unlike in this respect, Clay never had the opportunity to refuse the nomination in a campaign in which his party was in the ascendancy, and if he had, would never have put away the long-coveted honor, as Blaine did in 1888.

The other candidate who had before this been a prominent candidate for the Presidency was John Sherman. Mr. Sherman had served with distinction in the House, the Senate and the Cabinet. He was formally placed before the Conventions of 1880 and 1884, but the highest vote he reached at either of these gatherings was 120. In 1888 he started with 229, rose to 249 on the second, and for the first six ballots was ahead of every other candidate. But when the break came it did not go to him, and he failed to win. He appeared as Ohio's avowed choice. William McKinley, Jr., another resident of Ohio, received the votes of a few delegates from other states, and one of the stirring incidents of the Convention was a short speech from Mr. McKinley, in which he tried to take himself out of the field. Evidently having in mind the aspersions cast, in 1880, upon General Garfield, who was sent to Chicago to help nominate Sherman and afterwards received the nomination himself, Mr. McKinley said:

I

I am here, as one of the chosen representatives of my State. am here by a resolution of the Republican party, without one dissent

ing voice, commanding me to cast my vote for John Sherman, and use every worthy endeavor for his nomination. I accepted the trust because my heart and judgment were in accord with the letter and spirit and purpose of that resolution. It has pleased certain delegates to cast their votes for me. I am not insensible to the honor they would do me, but in the presence of the duty resting upon me I cannot remain silent with honor. I cannot, consistently with the credit of the State, whose credentials I bear, and which has trusted me, I cannot with honorable fidelity to John Sherman, who trusted me in his cause with his confidence, I cannot with consistency with my own views of personal integrity, consent, or seem to consent, to permit my name to be used as a candidate before the Convention. I would not respect myself if I could find it in my heart to do, to say, or permit to be done, that which would even be ground for anyone to suspect that I wavered in my loyalty to Ohio, or my devotion to the chief of her choice, and the chief of mine. I do request, I demand. that no delegates, who would not cast reflection upon me, shall cast a ballot for me.

Notwithstanding this appeal, McKinley continued to receive a few votes, his highest number being on the seventh ballot. This was eminently a vote-as-you-please Convention.

Of the new candidates the one whose chances, at the outset, seemed the most promising, and in whom Michigan was most especially interested, was General Russell A. Alger. At the Republican State Convention, held in Grand Rapids, May 8th, the following delegates were chosen to the National Convention: At Large-Robert E. Frazer, John K. Boies, W. Q. Atwood and Thomas B. Dunstan. By Districts (1) Henry M. Duffield, Charles Wright; (2) Thomas S. Applegate, Joseph T. Jacobs; (3) D. B. Ainger, William H. Withington; (4) Theron F. Giddings, A. B. Copley; (5) William Alden Smith, George W. Webber; (6) Charles F. Kimball, Otis Fuller; (7) A. R Avery, W. H. Acker; (8) F. C. Stone, N. J. Brown; (9) Newcomb McGrath, E. B. Martin; (10) F. T. Carrington, D. C. Page; (11) H. O. Young, Thomas T. Bates.

The Convention also unanimously adopted the following declaration: "The Republicans of Michigan, desiring only the success of the principles and candidates of the great party that saved the Union. and renewing their pledges of loyal fealty to both, but recognizing the great worth and strong availability of their generous and noblehearted fellow citizen, that gallant soldier statesman and successful man of business, General Russell A. Alger, do hereby unanimously and earnestly recommend him as the man who should be chosen as the standard-bearer of the party in the great contest about to ensue,

and who, if so selected, will harmonize and unite the party everywhere, and lead the Republican hosts to certain and triumphant victory." On the second ballot in the National Convention General Alger was next to Sherman in the number of votes received. At one time the indications, and some promises made by delegates from other states, led his supporters to believe that the final break would be to him, instead of to Harrison; in this they were disappointed, but the twenty-six Michigan delegates stood by him loyally to the end. After the nomination was made, the General sent the following dispatch: "Please convey to the delegates who have so loyally supported my candidacy, my heartfelt thanks. No State or man will give the gallant gentleman who has won this fight, heartier support than Michigan and myself." The reading of this dispatch in the Convention was followed by the familiar ery, already heard three or four times at the gathering: "What's the matter with Alger?" "He's all right."

Two of the other men who received votes in this Convention, and both of whom after

BENJAMIN HARRISON.

wards became President, were regarded with interest by Michigan Republicans, by reason of the addresses they made at the annual banquet of the Michigan Club in the February preceding. On that occasion General Harrison responded to the toast, "Washington, the Republican," and Major McKinley to one on "Washington, the American." Both addresses were received with great favor. General Harrison spoke with strong emphasis upon the duty of securing a free ballot and a fair count of the votes of every citizen, South, as well as North. As this subject was again beginning to come to the