my memories of eighty years-第7部分

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；　on　the　one　side；　and　Horace　Greeley；　with　an　exceedingly　capable　body　of　earnest　lieutenants　on　the　other；　the　question　of　success　or　defeat　depended　upon　the　harmonizing　of　the　two　factions。

Without　having　been　recognized　by　the　politicians　or　press　of　the　State；　Reuben　E。　Fenton；　who　had　been　for　ten　years　a　congressman　from　the　Chatauqua　district；　had　developed　in　Congress　remarkable　ability　as　an　organizer。　　He　had　succeeded　in　making　Galusha　A。　Grow　speaker　of　the　House　of　Representatives；　and　had　become　a　power　in　that　body。　　He　had　behind　him　the　earnest　friendship　and　support　of　the　New　York　delegation　in　the　House　of　Representatives　and　had　not　incurred　the　enmity　of　either　faction　in　his　own　State。　　His　nomination　saved　the　party　in　that　campaign。

As　an　illustration　how　dangerous　was　the　situation；　though　the　soldiers'　vote　in　the　field　was　over　one　hundred　thousand　and　almost　unanimously　for　the　Republican　ticket；　the　presidential　and　gubernatorial　candidates　received　less　than　eight　thousand　majority；　the　governor　leading　the　president。

The　re…election　of　Mr。　Lincoln　and　the　election　Reuben　E。　Fenton　over　Governor　Seymour　made　our　State　solidly　Republican；　and　Governor　Fenton　became　at　once　both　chief　executive　and　party　leader。　　He　had　every　quality　for　political　leadership；　was　a　shrewd　judge　of　character；　and　rarely　made　mistakes　in　the　selection　of　his　lieutenants。　　He　was　a　master　of　all　current　political　questions　and　in　close　touch　with　public　opinion。　　My　official　relations　with　him　as　secretary　of　state　became　came　at　once　intimate　and　gratifying。　　It　required　in　after…years　all　the　masterful　genius　of　Roscoe　Conkling　and　the　control　of　federal　patronage　granted　to　him　by　President　Grant　to　break　Fenton's　hold　upon　his　party。

Governor　Fenton　was　blessed　with　a　daughter　of　wonderfuI　executive　ability；　singular　charm；　and　knowledge　of　public　affairs。　　She　made　the　Executive　Mansion　in　Albany　one　of　the　most　charming　and　hospitable　homes　in　the　State。　　Its　influence　radiated　everywhere；　captured　visitors；　legislators；　and　judges；　and　was　a　powerful　factor　in　the　growing　popularity　and　influence　of　the　governor。

One　of　the　most　interesting　of　political　gatherings　was　the　Democratic　convention；　which　met　at　Tredwell　Hall　in　Albany　in　the　fall　of　1864；　to　select　a　successor　to　Governor　Seymour。　The　governor　had　declared　publicly　that　he　was　not　a　candidate；　and　that　under　no　conditions　would　he　accept　a　renomination。　　He　said　that　his　health　was　seriously　impaired；　and　his　private　affairs　had　been　neglected　so　long　by　his　absorption　in　public　duties　that　they　were　in　an　embarrassing　condition　and　needed　attention。

The　leaders　of　the　convention　met　in　Dean　Richmond's　office　and　selected　a　candidate　for　governor　and　a　full　State　ticket。　　When　the　convention　met　the　next　day　I　was　invited　to　be　present　as　a　spectator。　　It　was　supposed　by　everybody　that　the　proceedings　would　be　very　formal　and　brief；　as　the　candidates　and　the　platform　had　been　agreed　upon。　　The　day　was　intensely　hot；　and　most　of　the　delegates　discarded　their　coats；　vests；　and　collars；　especially　those　from　New　York　City。

When　the　time　came　for　the　nomination；　the　platform　was　taken　by　one　of　the　most　plausible　and　smooth　talkers　I　ever　heard。　He　delivered　a　eulogy　upon　Governor　Seymour　and　described　in　glowing　terms　the　debt　the　party　owed　him　for　his　wonderful　public　services；　and　the　deep　regret　all　must　have　that　he　felt　it　necessary　to　retire　to　private　life。　　He　continued　by　saying　that　he　acquiesced　in　that　decision；　but　felt　it　was　due　to　a　great　patriot　and　the　benefactor　of　the　party　that　he　should　he　tendered　a　renomination。　　Of　course；　they　all　knew　it　would　be　merely　a　compliment；　as　the　governor's　position　had　been　emphatically　stated　by　himself。　　So　he　moved　that　the　governor　be　nominated　by　acclamation　and　a　committee　appointed　to　wait　upon　him　at　the　Executive　Mansion　and　ascertain　his　wishes。

When　Mr。　Richmond　was　informed　of　this　action；　he　said　it　was　all　right　but　unnecessary；　because　the　situation　was　too　serious　to　indulge　in　compliments。

In　an　hour　the　delegation　returned；　and　the　chairman；　who　was　the　same　gentleman　who　made　the　speech　and　the　motion；　stepped　to　the　front　of　the　platform　to　report。　　He　said　that　the　governor　was　very　grateful　for　the　confidence　reposed　in　him　by　the　convention；　and　especially　for　its　approval　of　his　official　actions　as　governor　of　the　State　and　the　representative　of　his　party　at　the　national　convention；　that　in　his　long　and　intense　application　to　public　duties　he　had　impaired　his　health　and　greatly　embarrassed　his　private　affairs；　but；　but；　he　continued　with　emphasis。　。　。　　He　never　got　any　further。　　Senator　Shafer；　of　Albany；　who　was　unfriendly　to　the　governor；　jumped　up　and　shouted：　　〃Damn　him；　he　has　accepted！〃

The　convention；　when　finally　brought　to　order；　reaffirmed　its　complimentary　nomination　as　a　real　one；　with　great　enthusiasm　and　wild　acclaim。

When　the　result　was　reported　to　Mr。　Richmond　at　his　office；　I　was　told　by　one　who　was　present　that　Richmond's　picturesque　vocabulary　of　indignation　and　denunciation　was　enriched　to　such　a　degree　as　to　astonish　and　shock　even　the　hardened　Democrats　who　listened　to　the　outburst。

A　committee　was　appointed　to　wait　on　the　governor　and　request　him　to　appear　before　the　convention。　　In　a　little　while　there　stepped　upon　the　platform　the　finest　figure　in　the　State　or　country。　Horatio　Seymour　was　not　only　a　handsome　man；　with　a　highly　intellectual　and　expressive　face　of　mobile　features；　which　added　to　the　effect　of　his　oratory；　but　he　never　appeared　unless　perfectly　dressed　and　in　the　costume　which　was　then　universally　regarded　as　the　statesman's　apparel。　　His　patent…leather　boots；　his　Prince　Albert　suit；　his　perfectly　correct　collar　and　tie　were　evidently　new；　and　this　was　their　first　appearance。　　From　head　to　foot　he　looked　the　aristocrat。　　In　a　few　minutes　he　became　the　idol　of　that　wild　and　overheated　throng。　　His　speech　was　a　model　of　tact；　diplomacy；　and　eloquence；　with　just　that　measure　of　restraint　which　increased　the　enthusiasm　of　the　hearers。　　The　convention；　which　had　gathered　for　another　purpose；　another　candidate；　and　a　new　policy；　hailed　with　delight　its　old　and　splendid　leader。

Commodore　Vanderbilt　had　a　great　admiration　for　Dean　Richmond。　The　commodore　disliked　boasters　and　braggarts　intensely。　　Those　who　wished　to　gain　his　favor　made　the　mistake；　as　a　rule；　of　boasting　about　what　they　had　done；　and　were　generally　met　by　the　remark：　〃That　amounts　to　nothing。〃　　Mr。　Tillinghast；　a　western　New　York　man　and　a　friend　of　Richmond；　was　in　the　commodore's　office　one　day；　soon　after　Richmond　died。　　Tillinghast　was　general　superintendent　of　the　New　York　Central　and　had　been　a　sufferer　from　being　stepped　on　by　the　commodore　when　he　was　lauding　his　own　achievements　and　so　took　the　opposite　line　of　extreme　moderation。　　The　commodore　asked　Tillinghast；　after　praising　Mr。　Richmond　very　highly；　〃How　much　did　he　leave？〃　　〃Oh；〃　said　Tillinghast；　〃his　estate　is　a　great　disappointment；　and　compared　with　what　it　was　thought　to　be　it　is　very　little。〃　　〃I　am　surprised；〃　remarked　the　commodore；　〃but　how　much？〃　　〃Oh；　between　five　or　six　millions；〃　Tillinghast　answered。　　For　the　first　time　in　his　life　the　commodore　was　thrown　off　his　guard　and　said：　　〃Tillinghast；　if　five　or　six　million　of　dollars　is　a　disappointment；　what　do　you　expect　in　western　New　York？〃　　At　that　time　there　were　few　men　who　were　worth　that　amount　of　money。

Governor　Seymour　made　a　thorough　canvass　of　the　State；　and　I　was　appointed　by　our　State　committee　to　follow　him。　　It　was　a　singular　experience　to　speak　and　reply　to　the　candidate　the　day　after　his　address。　　The　local　committee　meets　you　with　a　very　complete　report　of　his　speech。　　The　trouble　is　that；　except　you　are　under　great　restraint；　the　urgency　of　the　local　committee　and　the　inevitable　temptations　of　the　reply　under　such　conditions；　when　your　adversary　is　not　present；　will　lead　you　to　expressions　and　personalities　which　you　deeply　regret。

When　the　canvass　was　over　and　the　governor　was　beaten；　I　feared　that　the　pleasant　relations　which　had　existed　between　us　were　broken。　　But　he　was　a　thorough　sportsman。　　He　sent　for　and　received　me　with　the　greatest　cordiality；　and　invited　me　to　spend　a　week…end　with　him　at　his　home　in　Utica。　　There　he　was　the　most　delightful　of　hosts　and　very　interesting　as　a　gentleman　farmer。　　In　the　costume　of　a　veteran　agriculturist　and　in　the　farm　wagon　he　drove　me　out　mornings　to　his　farm；　which　was　so　located　that　it　could　command　a　fine　view　of　the　Mohawk　Valley。　　After　the　inspection　of　the　stock；　the　crops；　and　buildings；　the　governor　would　spend　the　day　discoursing　eloquently　and　most　optimistically　upon　the　prosperity　possible　for　the　farmer。　　To　his　mind　then　the　food　of　the　future　was　to　be　cheese。　　There　was　more　food　value　in　cheese　than　in　any　known　edible　article；　animal　or　vegetable。　It　could　sustain　life　more　agreeably　and　do　more　for　Iongevity　and　health。

No　one　could　have　imagined；　who　did　not　know　the　governor　and　was　privileged　to　listen　to　his　seemingly　most　practical　and　highly　imaginative　discourse；　that　the　speaker　was　one　of　the　ablest　party　managers；　shr