CHAPTER XXXVIII

AN EXPOSITION, A CAMPAIGN AND A CAPTURE

During the early summer of 1876 the land was filled with preparation. Doubtless owing to the interest in the Centennial Exposition, political anticipation was somewhat less eager than during previous presidential years. Certainly there THE "RAG" (BABY) was less of bitterness than in 1872, and the picAT THE MASTHEAD tures were drawn and the editorials written more in the spirit of entertainment than of determined warfare. Of the pictures by Nast, the illustrations of the eccentric progress of the now rudderless (tail-less) Tiger were perhaps the most amusing, though the Rag-baby refused to down in the halls of legislation and continued its ludicrous career in the pages of the Weekly.

Concerning the Presidential candidates, Mr. Tilden was the inevitable selection of the Democracy, while in the Republican ranks the crusade of Secretary Bristow against the Whisky Ring had made him a noteworthy antagonist of this New York Champion of Reform. Yet there were candidates more prominent than Bristow. Senator Conkling, who had led the Grant campaign in New York in 1872, was regarded as a great leader, and was, moreover, favored by the President. Blaine of Maine was perhaps foremost of all, while Morton of Indiana,

Governor Hayes of Ohio, and Marshall Jewell of Connecticut were all entitled to consideration. That Grant, even had he so desired, could become a candidate in the face of the accumulated disgrace of his appointed officials was out of the question.

The Republican National Convention of 1876 met at Cincinnati on June 14, and for a few days rivalled in public interest the Centennial Exhibition. The foremost men of the nation were among its delegates, including George F. Hoar of Massachusetts, George William Curtis of New York, and Robert G. Ingersoll of Illinois. The fact that its decision was wholly a matter of

surmise lent to it a vastly added attraction.

In deference to the Centennial Celebration the Platform adopted was highly patriotic, containing a good deal of the Declaration of Independence, supplemented with recommendations as to the continued progress toward specie payment, protection of home industries, and monogamy in Utah.

The claims of the candidates were well considered. Mr.

Thompson, of In

diana, offered the name of Senator Morton, whose Inflation tendencies had made him acceptable to that wing of the party. Judge Harlan nominated Mr. Bristow, who was also the candidate of George William Curtis and Richard Henry Dana. The name of Roscoe Conkling was presented by Stewart L. Woodford; Governor Hayes of Ohio was advocated by exGovernor Noyes and ex-Senator Wade, while Senator James G. Blaine was put in nomination by Colonel Robert G. Ingersoll, in that celebrated Plumed Knight speech which has never been equalled in the nominating speeches of any National Convention, and which at once placed Robert Ingersoll at the head and front of political oratory in America.

The fact that it was too late to begin balloting at the close of the speeches lost Blaine the nomination. The spell of Colonel Ingersoll's eloquence was upon the assembly. Had a vote been taken then the "Plumed Knight" would have been chosen on the first ballot. But the sunlight faded from the west windows, and with it died Blaine's moment of opportunity. "The gathering shades of evening compelled an adjournment," he says, in his book of recollections, and the sentence somehow has a pathetic sound.

Yet Blaine led in the balloting next morning, receiving two hundred and eighty-five on the first count, increasing the number to three hundred and fifty-one as against three hundred and eighty-four for Hayes of Ohio, who had begun the battle with the trifle of sixty-one.* Hayes's nomination was now made unanimous, and on the first ballot William A. Wheeler of New York was selected to complete the ticket.

Thomas Nast was particularly pleased with this ticket, for a day or two before the convention he had come out with a front

*On the first ballot Roscoe Conkling of New York obtained ninety-nine votes, which figure included sixty-nine of New York's seventy, that of George William Curtis having been given to Bristow. Conkling never forgave the defection, and retaliated in due time.

page caricature of himself" making a slate " upon which Secretary Fish led, with Governor Hayes as his running mate. Hayes's anti-inflation record appealed to Nast forcibly. The ticket made good one-half his prophecy-a fair percentage, in view of the numerous candidates. The week following the convention the cartoonist depicted himself again, this time rejoicing over the partial fulfilment of his forecast and approving the ticket in general. Hamilton Fish said, when he saw the picture:

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Well, I'm glad Nast had to scratch me off. I've got enough of politics."

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gether was the comment of the Evening Post. Throughout the land "Third Term " and "Cæsarism " were laid aside and forgotten. The Republican forces were united for war.

The Democratic Convention met at