Pre-convention politics 1880 Republican National Convention

senator roscoe conkling of new york

in january, caucuses held in local districts pick delegates. state conventions select number of these delegates represent state @ national convention. prior convention, there great deal of machine politics conducted candidates. john sherman utilized treasury department employees owed jobs him meet @ local caucuses across south guarantee loyal state delegations. state-level bosses, roscoe conkling, used state conventions pick delegates politically allied particular candidate. in state delegate-selection convention @ utica, new york, grant s supporters carried 217–180 majority on blaine supporters, conkling passed resolution declaring that, republicans of new york believe re-election of ulysses s. grant presidential candidate of urgent importance, , delegates day assembled called upon , instructed use earnest , united efforts secure nomination.

conkling commanded delegates follow resolution, , if violate it, guaranteed victims of political revenge , personal dishonor. however, in chicago, there number of new york delegates went against resolution , publicly expressed support blaine. j. donald cameron used similar tactics intimidate dissenters in pennsylvania state convention. third member of triumvirate , john a. logan, literally locked out blaine supporters illinois state convention, , replaced them chosen grant supporters.

by may 29, 4 days before opening of convention, trainloads upon trainloads of delegates, lobbyists, reporters, , campaign followers had arrived @ union , dearborn railway stations in chicago. candidate supporters channeled through chicago streets daily parades , rallies. pre-convention possible outcomes of voting published number of sources. one, albany evening journal, predicted blaine 277 votes, grant 317, sherman 106, , 49 other candidates. of these predicted candidate vote totals short of 379 needed win. many in chicago knew victor, grant, determined if unit rule, postulated delegates particular state must vote candidate preferred state s delegation, in effect. if not case, long deadlock result until 1 side succumbed other.

before voting began, delegates had vote on important matter of unit rule. prior start of convention, james garfield noted, regard [the unit rule] being more important choice of candidate. if rule supported majority of delegates, state party bosses, members of triumvirate , able solidify grant s nomination bid. if conkling , other stalwart bosses had way, sixty dissenters states represented triumvirate silenced. unfortunately half-breeds, j. donald cameron chairman of republican national committee. cameron planned exercise power adopt new rules convention, , suppress dissenters of unit rule. plan leaked, , within days, delegates in chicago knew it. supporters of sherman , blaine campaigns knew had prevent cameron exercising power. blaine s forces agreed prevent cameron imposing unit rule removing him chair of republican national committee.

an 1880 political cartoon depicts senator conkling on presidential puzzle consisting of of potential republican , democratic nominees pieces of sliding puzzle.

at 7:00 p.m. on may 31, j. donald cameron convened republican national committee s last meeting before opening of convention. of forty-six men @ meeting, cameron counted sixteen allies. rest of men anti-grant delegates had decided gang on cameron. colorado senator jerome b. chaffee first bring unit rule @ meeting. chaffee handed cameron handwritten motion orchestrated william e. chandler. cameron expected this, , knew had find fault in chaffee s motion. cameron called chaffee s motion out of order. upon being questioned chaffee, cameron explained committee appoint temporary chairman convention, , not vote on unit rule issue (which said belonged rules committee). cameron used george cornelius gorham, california stalwart delegate secretary of united states senate had become expert on parliamentary procedure, justify ruling. 1 one, anti-grant delegates unsuccessfully tried appeal cameron s motion. gorham proclaimed committee chairman, cameron saw fit. marshall jewell, connecticut delegate , national committee member had served in grant s administration postmaster general, spoke against cameron s rulings. cameron did not comment, , called brief recess. after recess, acknowledged motion william e. chandler elect george frisbie hoar, neutral senator , delegate massachusetts, convention s temporary chairman.

the committee voted 29–17 in favor of electing hoar temporary chairman of convention. @ midnight, committee adjourned, , members agreed continue meeting following morning. news of cameron s behavior had spread throughout town overnight. hardliner strategy had failed, , conkling , other grant managers sought control situation before became worse. next morning, conkling asked trusted colleague, chester a. arthur, solve problem. arthur assessed situation , drew compromise. met chandler , rest of anti-grant cabal @ entrance of committee s suite. arthur acknowledged grant men had rejected senator hoar temporary convention chairman day before, said grant men might perhaps reconsider. proposed delegates decide on unit rule in free vote, , in return, don cameron restored chairman of national committee. after discussing number of minutes, 2 men came agreement. arthur confident since chandler, leader of blaine s campaign, had accepted deal, agreed grant men. chandler discussed compromise deal thirty anti-grant committee members, , james garfield, had expressed opposition unit rule. 23 out of 30 anti-grant men agreed terms, , garfield commented proposition must accepted in spirit of reconciliation.

the committee reconvened again on afternoon of june 1, j. donald cameron sitting committee chairman. arthur made number of motions, indicating grant men new york , pennsylvania support senator hoar s appointment temporary chairman of convention. no 1 objected , motions accepted. meeting adjourned. reporter new york tribune later remarked grant followers had been saved utter ruin excellent management of general arthur....