my memories of eighty years-第19章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
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； and then they were sent by special messenger to Washington to be delivered to the House of Representatives。 Mr。 Greeley； at the opening of the session； said to me： 〃Chauncey； as I am not very familiar with parliamentary law； I wish you would take a seat on the steps beside me here； so that I can consult you if necessary。〃 After this effective and affecting speech he leaned down until he was close to my ear； and said： 〃Chauncey； how long do you think it will be before that d… drunken fool will be able to return and take his seat？〃
General Grant's administration soon aroused great opposition。 Carl Schurz； Charles Francis Adams； and other leaders became very hostile to the administration and to a second term。 The country was longing for peace。 The 〃carpet…bag〃 governments of the South were full of corruption and incompetence and imposed upon the Southern States intolerable burdens of debt。 The feeling was becoming general that there should be universal amnesty in order that the best and most capable people of the South could return to the management of their own affairs。
This led to the calling of a convention of the Republicans； which nominated Horace Greeley for president。 I had no desire nor the slightest intention of being involved in this controversy； but was happily pursuing my profession； with increasing fondness for private life。
One day Commodore Vanderbilt； who had a strong friendship for Mr。 Greeley； but took no interest in politics； said to me： 〃Mr。 Greeley has been to see me and is very anxious for you to assist him。 If you can aid him in any way I wish you would。〃
Afterwards Mr。 Greeley called at my house。 〃Chauncey；〃 he said （he always called me Chauncey）； 〃as you know； I have been nominated by the Liberal Republican convention for President of the United States。 If I can get the indorsement of the Democratic party my election is assured。 My Democratic friends tell me that in order to accomplish that I must demonstrate that I have a substantial Republican following。 So we have called a meeting at Rochester； which is the capital of the strongest Republican counties of the State。 It is necessary to have for the principal speaker some Republican of State and national reputation。 I have selected you for that purpose。〃
To my protest that I did not wish to enter into the contest nor to take any part in active politics； he said； very indignantly： 〃I have supported you in my paper and personally during the whole of your career。 I thought that if anybody was capable of gratitude it is you； and I have had unfortunate experiences with many。〃 I never was able to resist an appeal of this kind； so I said impulsively： 〃Mr。 Greeley； I will go。〃
The meeting was a marvellous success for the purpose for which it was called。 It was purely a Republican gathering。 The crowd was several times larger than the hall could accommodate。 Henry R。 Selden； one of the judges of the Court of Appeals and one of the most eminent and respected Republicans of the State； presided。 The two hundred vice…presidents and secretaries upon the platform I had known intimately for years as Republican leaders of their counties and districts。 The demonstration so impressed the Democratic State leaders that at the national Democratic convention Mr。 Greeley was indorsed。
There were two State conventions held simultaneously that year； one Democratic and one Liberal Republican。 In the division of offices the Democratic party； being the larger； was given the governorship and the Liberal Republicans had the lieutenant… governorship。 I was elected as the presiding officer of the Liberal Republican convention and also was made unanimously its nominee for lieutenant…governor。 The Democratic convention nominated Francis Kernan； one of the most distinguished lawyers of the State； and afterwards United States senator。
If the election had been held early in the canvass there is little doubt but that Mr。 Greeley would have carried the State by an overwhelming majority。 His difficulty was that for a quarter of a century； as editor of the New York Tribune； he had been the most merciless； bitter； and formidable critic and opponent of the Democratic party。 The deep…seated animosity against him was fully aroused as the campaign proceeded by a propaganda which placed in the hands of every Democrat these former slashing editorials of the New York Tribune。 Their effect upon the Democratic voters was evident after a while； and when in the September election North Carolina went Republican； a great mass of Republicans； who had made up their minds to support Mr。 Greeley； went back to their party； and he was overwhelmingly defeated。
In the early part of his canvass Mr。 Greeley made a tour of the country。 There have been many such travels by presidential candidates； but none like this。 His march was a triumphal procession； and his audiences enormous and most enthusiastic。 The whole country marvelled at his intellectual versatility。 He spoke every day； and often several times a day； and each speech was absolutely new。 There seemed to be no limit to his originality； his freshness； or the new angles from which to present the issues of the canvass。 No candidate was ever so bitterly abused and so slandered。
A veteran speaker has in the course of his career original experiences。 The cordiality and responsiveness of his audience is not always an index of their agreement with his argument。 During the campaign Mr。 Greeley came to me and said： 〃I have received encouraging accounts from the State of Maine。 I have a letter from such a place〃naming it〃from the principal of the academy there。 He writes me that the Congregational minister； who has the largest church in town； the bank president； the manufacturer； the principal lawyer； and himself are lifelong readers of the Tribune； and those steadfast Republicans intend to support me。 He thinks if they can have a public meeting with a speaker of national reputation； the result might be an overturn in my favor in this community； which is almost unanimously Republican； that it may influence the whole State； and；〃 continued Mr。 Greeley； 〃he suggests you as the speaker； and I earnestly ask you to go。〃
When I arrived at the place I was entertained by the manufacturer。 The audience crowded the largest hall in the town。 The principal of the academy presided； the Congregational minister opened the exercises with a prayer； and I was introduced and received with great cordiality。
For such an audience my line of talk was praising General Grant as the greatest general of modern times； and how largely the preservation of the Union depended upon his military genius。 Then to picture the tremendous responsibilities of the presidency and the impossibility of a man； however great as a soldier； with a lifetime of military education； environment； and experiences； succeeding in civil office； especially as great a one as the presidency of the United States。 Then came； naturally； a eulogium of Horace Greeley； the maker of public opinion； the moulder of national policies； the most eloquent and resourceful leader of the Republican party since its formation。 The audience cheered with great enthusiasm all these allusions to General Grant； and responded with equal fervor to my praise of Horace Greeley。
When I concluded they stood up and gave me cordial cheers； and the presiding officer came forward and said： 〃I now suggest that we close this meeting with three rousing cheers for Horace Greeley。〃 The principal of the academy； the manufacturer； the minister； the lawyer； a very few of the audience； and several women responded。 After this frost a farmer rose gradually； and as he began to let out link after link of his body； which seemed about seven feet talI； he reached his full height； and then in a voice which could be heard a mile shouted： 〃Three cheers for General Grant！〃 The response nearly took the roof off the house。 I left the State the next morning and told Mr。 Greeley that he could not carry Maine。
Among the amusing episodes of the c
