the Flag, Boys, Shouting the Battle-cry of Freedom,' and 'Marching through Georgia.'

"At this time nearly every person within the hall was on his feet, each cheering for his own favorite. Flags, shawls, parasols, hats and all other movable things within reach were swung furiously to and fro. Bob Ingersoll, seizing a lady's shawl, waved it frantically from the platform. In the centre of the stage, just back of the chair, a fine-looking lady, with a flag in one hand and parasol in the other, swung them to and fro and repeated time and again, 'Hurrah for Blaine !' She appeared to be in company with Governor Jewell, of Connecticut. Finally, she obtained two flags, and with one in each hand continued her enthusiastic efforts as long as the uproar lasted. It may safely be said that no public assemblage ever before witnessed such a scene. People seemed actually to have lost their senses in the giddy whirl."

For half an hour this continued before the chair made any effort to control the members. The Illinois cases were then disposed of in favor of the majority, and, worn out with excitement, the convention shortly after adjourned to Saturday morning.

CHAPTER XXX.

T

THE THUNDERS OF ORATORY,

HE weather, which till now had been auspicious, changed its mood with the dawn

of the fourth day of the great battle, and those who left their hotels and homes for Exposition Hall had to face inclemency. Inside the Hall, however, there was but little change. A distinguished editor, writing home to his paper, thus described the opening on June 5th:

Cameron looked freshest of all the chief gladiators. He wasted none of his vitality in oratory, and his energies had not been lavishly taxed, like those of Logan, Conger and others. He flitted about on the platform before the convention opened, visibly anxious, but calm and imperturbable as ever. When the call to arms rang out from the chair, he hastened down to his command, where the Grant leaders were admirably posted. Cameron, with his Pennsylvania phalanx, shattered, but yet defiant, was in the centre of the western block of the convention; Conkling, with his better-preserved New York corps, in the centre of the field, with Boutwell and his few Massachusetts followers, and with Creswell and his cunningly broken Blaine column of Maryland, and

his dozen of Ohio Grant men, forming a semi-circle in the rear of the undisputed third-term chief on the eastern block. Within easy call of Alabama and Arkansas was the clouded face and burly form of Logan. A brood of strangers sat with him in his own delegation, whom he had rejected at Springfield; but he was their oracle nevertheless, although he made discord in the Grant melody that so uniformly came from Illinois when the roll-call was ordered. Logan was early at his place; his dark face was darker than ever, and the nervous twitching of the right arm that he swings so violently in debate told that he was impatient for the final charge. His hand was jammed into his wealth of Indian locks every few moments and then would drop from force of habit to adjust the right lapel of his coat. Creswell came in as serene as if a Grant victory were gained; but Boutwell betrayed the harassing conflict going on between his hopes and fears. He has outgrown his amiability with departing powers, and he is not vested with a command in critical emergencies. Taft sat complacently between the Sherman and Garfield expectants, patiently waiting for the hour when he could take a third or more of his delegation to his old commander.

"Conkling awaited, as is his custom, until the ten thousand people had come and got clearly seated, and then he strode down the centre aisle

420

He knew that his ap

in his imperial manner. pearance would be the signal for a thundering salute to himself and the first round of party applause for Grant, and he was not mistaken. He played it nobly and smiled in his sweetest manner to his worshipers. The Blaine leaders were fidgety and flying hither and thither until they had to get in line for the battle. Hale and Frye looked worn with anxiety and seemed to be distrustful of themselves. They knew that they could crowd Blaine up close to and probably abreast with Grant on the first ballot, but they trembled with apprehension lest the Sherman wing should fail them in their extremity. They entered the contest hopeful on Sherman, preferring Blaine to Grant, but they knew that they had many dangerous rocks and shoals to encounter in getting their craft to shore. It is the day of fate for Blaine. His generals entered the fight this morning conscious that if they lost, the execrations of Blaine's millions of followers would fall upon' them. They had been reproached for two days for missing the golden opportunity to nominate Blaine on Thursday, when the Grant lines had been broken and when a vigorous pursuit would have scattered them beyond the hope of concentrating again under the flag of the old soldier. Just in front of Conkling sits the shrewdest and most level-headed of all the Blaine leaders. though seldom seen at the front, General Sewell,

Al

of New Jersey, would have had Blaine nominated on Thursday evening had he been in command; but Chandler, Frye and Hale spoke, and Chandler spoke away two hours of valuable time.

"The residuary legatees in expectancy sat at long range from each other. The little Vermont delegation was nestled down in the south-west corner of the hall; and they had the Yankee shrewdness that keeps its own counsels and throws its tubs most judiciously to the jostling whales. They made no speeches, played no tricks for the galleries, but patiently waited and hoped for the line to be thrown to them by the snarling disputants for its possession. They did not even boast of a leader, although they have some of the Green Mountain State's best men in their ranks.

"The other camp of expectants presented several pretenders, each hoping to be preferred to the others. Governor Foster stepped in quietly, and sat down as serenely as if it was to be a day of pleasure. He did not attempt to rival Garfield in drawing the applause of the upper tiers, but he had a quiet impression creeping over him that if Sherman should be defeated, the governor of Sherman's State would be made the Vice-Presidentto pull the ticket through the Buckeyes in October. 'Dennison and Taft came in at the rear of the herd, like the veteran bulls that have been dispatched from commanding the younger and more aggressive buffaloes. Bateman, the Sherman