my memories of eighty years-第18章

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ways　willing；　but　Conkling　never。

Conkling　had　a　controversy　which　was　never　healed　with　Senator　Platt；　who　had　served　him　long　and　faithfully　and　with　great　efficiency。　During　the　twenty　years　in　which　Platt　was　leader；　following　Senator　Conkling；　he　displayed　the　reverse　qualities。　　He　was　always　ready　for　consultation；　he　sought　advice；　and　was　tolerant　of　large　liberty　of　individual　judgment　among　his　associates。　　He　was　always　forgiving；　and　taking　back　into　confidence　those　with　whom　he　had　quarrelled。

One　summer　I　was　taking　for　a　vacation　a　trip　to　Europe　and　had　to　go　aboard　the　steamer　the　night　before；　as　she　sailed　very　early　in　the　morning。　　One　of　my　staff　appeared　and　informed　me　that　a　very　serious　attack　upon　the　New　York　Central　had　been　started　in　the　courts　and　that　the　law　department　needed　outside　counsel　and　asked　whom　he　should　employ。　　I　said：　　〃Senator　Conkling。〃　　With　amazement　he　replied：　　〃Why；　he　has　been　bitterly　denouncing　you　for　months。〃　　〃Yes；　but　that　was　politics；〃　I　said。　〃You　know　the　most　brilliant　lawyer　in　the　United　States　might　come　to　New　York；　and　unless　he　formed　advantageous　associations　with　some　of　the　older　firms　he　could　get　no　practice。　　Now；　this　suit　will　be　very　conspicuous；　and　the　fact　that　Senator　Conkling　is　chief　counsel　for　the　Central　will　give　him　at　once　a　standing　and　draw　to　him　clients。〃　　His　appearance　in　the　case　gave　him　immediate　prominence　and　a　large　fee。

Senator　Conkling's　career　at　the　bar　was　most　successful；　and　there　was　universal　sorrow　when　his　life　ended　in　the　tragedy　of　the　great　blizzard。



VI。　　HORACE　GREELEY

While　secretary　of　state　of　New　York；　the　decennial　State　census　was　taken；　and　the　appointment　of　three　thousand　census　takers　involved　as　much　pressure　from　congressmen；　State　senators；　assemblymen；　and　local　leaders　as　if　the　places　had　been　very　remunerative　and　permanent。　　I　discovered　what　a　power　political　patronage　is　in　party　organization；　because　it　developed　that　the　appointment　of　this　large　number　of　men；　located　in　every　town　in　the　State；　could　easily　have　been　utilized　for　the　formation　of　a　personal　organization　within　the　party。

I　was　exceedingly　fond；　as　I　am　still　and　always　have　been；　of　political　questions；　issues　affecting　the　general　government；　the　State；　or　localities；　party　organizations；　and　political　leaders。　　So；　while　devoted　to　my　profession　and　its　work　and　increasingly　enjoying　its　labor　and　activities；　politics　became　an　interesting　recreation。　　With　no　desire　for　and　with　a　determination　not　to　take　any　public　office；　to　be　called　into　party　councils；　to　be　at　an　occasional　meeting　of　the　State　committee　and　a　delegate　to　conventions　were　happy　relief　and　excursions　from　the　routine　of　professional　work；　as　golf　is　to　a　tired　business　man　or　lawyer。

The　nomination　of　General　Grant　for　president　by　the　Republicans　and　of　Horatio　Seymour　by　the　Democrats　had　made　New　York　the　pivotal　State　in　the　national　election。　　John　T。　Hoffman；　the　most　popular　among　the　younger　Democrats；　was　their　nominee　for　governor。　The　Republicans；　with　great　unanimity；　agreed　upon　John　A。　Griswold；　a　congressman　from　the　Troy　district。　　Griswold　was　the　idol　of　his　colleagues　in　the　New　York　delegation　in　Congress；　and　his　attractive　personality　and　demonstrated　business　ability　had　made　him　a　great　favorite　with　politicians；　business　men；　and　labor。　　The　canvass　for　his　nomination　had　been　conducted　with　great　ardor　by　enthusiastic　friends　in　all　parts　of　the　State；　and　the　delegations　were　nearly　all　practically　pledged　to　his　nomination。　　No　one　dreamed　that　there　would　be　an　opposition　candidate。

On　the　train　to　the　convention　John　Russell　Young；　then　managing　editor　of　the　New　York　Tribune　under　Mr。　Greeley；　came　to　me　and　said：　　〃Mr。　Greeley　has　decided　to　be　a　candidate　at　the　convention　for　the　nomination　for　governor。　　You　are　his　friend；　he　lives　in　your　assembly　district　in　Westchester　County；　and　wishes　you　to　make　the　nomination　speech。〃

I　tried　to　argue　the　question　with　Young　by　portraying　to　him　the　situation　and　the　utter　hopelessness　of　any　attempt　to　break　the　slate。　　He；　however；　insisted　upon　it；　saying　that　all　pledges　and　preferences　would　disappear　because　of　Greeley's　services　to　the　party　for　so　many　years。

When　we　arrived　at　Syracuse　and　stated　our　determination　to　present　Mr。　Greeley's　name；　it　was　hilariously　received　as　a　joke。　　Efforts　were　made　by　friends　of　Greeley　to　persuade　him　not　to　undertake　such　an　impossible　task；　but　they　could　produce　no　effect。

Mr。　Griswold　was　put　in　nomination　by　Mr。　Demers；　one　of　the　most　eloquent　young　men　in　the　ministry　of　the　State；　and　afterwards　an　editor　of　power；　and　his　speech　filled　every　requirement。

Then　I　presented　Mr。　Greeley。　　At　first　the　audience　was　hostile；　but　as　the　recital　of　the　great　editor's　achievements　grew　in　intensity　and　heat；　the　convention　began　to　applaud　and　then　to　cheer。　　A　delegate　hurled　at　me　the　question：　　〃How　about　Greeley　signing　the　bail　of　Jefferson　Davis？〃　　The　sentiment　seemed　to　change　at　once　and　cheers　were　followed　by　hisses。　Then　there　was　supreme　silence；　and　I　immediately　shouted：　〃There　are　spots　on　the　sun。〃

The　effect　was　electrical。　　Delegates　were　on　their　feet；　standing　on　chairs；　the　air　was　full　of　hats；　and　the　cheers　deafening　for　Greeley　for　some　minutes。　　Mr。　Demers；　the　preacher　delegate；　lost　his　equilibrium；　rushed　up　to　me；　shaking　his　fist　excitedly；　and　shouted：　　〃Damn　you！　you　have　nominated　him　and　beaten　Griswold。〃

A　recess　was　taken；　and　when　the　convention　reconvened　the　ballot　demonstrated　that　if　the　organization　is　given　time　it　can　always　reform　its　shattered　lines　and　show　the　efficiency　of　discipline。

When　I　met　Mr。　Greeley　soon　after；　he　said：　　〃I　cannot　understand　why　I　desired　the　nomination　for　governor；　nor　why　anybody　should　want　the　office。　　There　is　nothing　in　it。　　No　man　now　can　name　the　ten　last　governors　of　the　State　of　New　York。〃

Having　tried　that　proposition　many　times　since　on　the　average　citizen；　I　have　found　that　Mr。　Greeley　was　absolutely　right。　Any　one　who　does　not　think　so　can　try　to　solve　that　problem　himself。

The　meeting　of　the　Electoral　College　at　the　Capitol　at　Albany　in　1864　was　one　of　the　most　picturesque　and　interesting　gatherings　ever　held　in　the　State。　　　People　came　from　all　parts　of　the　country　to　witness　the　formality　of　the　casting　of　the　vote　of　New　York　for　Abraham　Lincoln。　　The　members　of　the　college　were；　most　of　them；　men　of　great　distinction　in　our　public　and　civic　life。

Horace　Greeley　was　elected　president　of　the　college。　　The　meeting　was　held　in　the　Senate　chamber。　　When　Mr。　Greeley　took　the　chair；　the　desk　in　front　of　him　made　only　his　bust　visible　and　with　his　wonderfully　intellectual　face；　his　long　gray　hair　brushed　back；　and　his　solemn　and　earnest　expression；　he　was　one　of　the　most　impressive　figures　I　ever　saw　occupying　the　chair　as　a　presiding　officer。

One　of　the　electors　had　failed　to　appear。　　Most　of　us　knew　that　under　pressure　of　great　excitement　he　was　unable　to　resist　his　convivial　tendencies；　but　no　one　supposed　that　Mr。　Greeley　could　by　any　possibilibility　know　of　his　weakness。　　After　waiting　some　time　one　of　the　electors　moved　that　the　college　take　a　recess　for　half　a　day。　　Mr。　Greeley　turned　very　pale　and；　before　putting　the　question；　made　a　little　speech；　something　like　this；　in　a　voice　full　of　emotion；　I　might　almost　say　tears：　　〃My　brethren；　we　are　met　here　upon　the　most　solemn　occasion　of　our　lives　in　this　crisis　of　the　republic。　　Upon　the　regularity　of　what　we　do　here　this　day　may　depend　whether　the　republic　lives　or　dies。　　I　would；　therefore；　suggest　that　we　sit　here　in　silence　until　our　absent　brother；　who　is　doubtless　kept　from　us　by　some　good　reason；　shall　appear　and　take　his　seat。〃

The　effect　of　this　address　upon　the　Electoral　College　and　the　surrounding　audience　was　great。　　Many　were　in　tears；　and　the　women　spectators；　most　of　whom　were　in　mourning　for　those　lost　during　the　war；　were　all　crying。

As　secretary　of　state　it　was　my　duty　to　have　the　papers　all　prepared　for　execution　as　soon　as　the　college　had　voted；　and　to　attach　to　them　the　great　seal　of　the　State；