my memories of eighty years-第26节

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！


her　it　was　longer　or　shorter。　　That　would　often　enlarge　my　speech；　but　I　was　young　and　vigorous　and　had　no　responsibilities。

I　remember　one　committee；　where　the　train　was　scheduled　for　ten　minutes；　succeed　in　having　it　delayed　an　hour；　and　instead　of　a　brief　address　from　the　platform　of　the　car；　carried　the　presidential　party　to　a　stand　in　the　central　square　where　many　thousands　had　gathered。　　In　the　first　place；　this　city　was　not　on　Mr。　Blaine's　schedule；　and　as　it　was　late　in　the　afternoon；　after　a　fatiguing　day；　he　therefore　told　the　committee　peremptorily　that　ten　minutes　was　his　limit。　　Then　he　said　to　me：　　〃Chauncey；　you　will　have　to　fill　out　the　hour。〃

Mr。　Blaine's　wonderful　magnetism；　the　impression　he　made　upon　every　one；　and　his　tactful　flattery　of　local　pride；　did　a　great　deal　to　remove　the　prejudices　against　him；　which　were　being　fomented　by　a　propaganda　of　a　〃mugwump〃　committee　in　New　York。　　This　propaganda；　as　is　usually　the　case；　assailed　his　personal　integrity。

Notwithstanding　the　predictions　made　at　the　time；　he　was　nominated；　and　it　was　subsequently　repeated　that　he　would　not　carry　New　York。　From　my　own　experience　of　many　years　with　the　people　of　the　State　and　from　the　platform　view…point；　I　felt　confident　that　he　would　have　a　majority　in　the　election。

It　was　a　few　days　before　the　close　of　the　canvass；　when　I　was　in　the　western　part　of　the　State；　I　received　an　urgent　telegram　from　Mr。　Blaine　to　join　him　on　the　train；　which　was　to　leave　the　Grand　Central　Station　in　New　York　early　next　morning　for　his　tour　of　New　England。　　Upon　arrival　I　was　met　by　a　messenger；　who　took　me　at　once　to　Mr。　Blaine's　car；　which　started　a　few　minutes　afterwards。

There　was　an　unusual　excitement　in　the　crowd；　which　was　speedily　explained。　　The　best　account　Mr。　Blaine　gave　me　himself　in　saying：　〃I　felt　decidedly　that　everything　was　well　in　New　York。　　It　was　against　my　judgment　to　return　here。　　Our　national　committee；　however；　found　that　a　large　body　of　Protestant　clergymen　wanted　to　meet　me　and　extend　their　support。　　They　thought　this　would　offset　the　charges　made　by　the　'mugwump'　committee。　　I　did　not　believe　that　any　such　recognition　was　necessary。　　However；　their　demands　for　my　return　and　to　meet　this　body　became　so　importunate　that　I　yielded　my　own　judgment。

〃I　was　engaged　in　my　room　with　the　committee　and　other　visitors　when　I　was　summoned　to　the　lobby　of　the　hotel　to　meet　the　clergymen。　I　had　prepared　no　speech；　in　fact；　had　not　thought　up　a　reply。　When　their　spokesman；　Reverend　Doctor　Burchard；　began　to　address　me；　my　only　hope　was　that　he　would　continue　long　enough　for　me　to　prepare　an　appropriate　response。　　I　had　a　very　definite　idea　of　what　he　would　say　and　so　paid　little　attention　to　his　speech。　In　the　evening　the　reporters　began　rushing　in　and　wanted　my　opinion　of　Doctor　Burchard's　statement　that　the　main　issue　of　the　campaign　was　'Rum；　Romanism；　and　Rebellion。'　　If　I　had　heard　him　utter　these　words；　I　would　have　answered　at　once；　and　that　would　have　been　effective；　but　I　am　still　in　doubt　as　to　what　to　say　about　it　now。　　The　situation　is　very　difficult；　and　almost　anything　I　say　is　likely　to　bitterly　offend　one　side　or　the　other。　　Now　I　want　you　to　do　all　the　introductions　and　be　beside　me　to…day　as　far　as　possible。　　I　have　become　doubtful　about　everybody　and　you　are　always　sure…footed。〃　　I　have　treasured　that　compliment　ever　since。

As　we　rode　through　the　streets　of　New　Haven　the　Democrats　had　placed　men　upon　the　tops　of　the　houses　on　either　side；　and　they　threw　out　in　the　air　thousands　of　leaflets；　charging　Blaine　with　having　assented　to　the　issue　which　Doctor　Burchard　had　put　out　〃Rum；　Romanism；　and　Rebellion。〃　　They　so　filled　the　air　that　it　seemed　a　shower；　and　littered　the　streets。

A　distinguished　Catholic　prelate　said　to　me：　　〃We　had　to　resent　an　insult　like　that；　and　I　estimate　that　the　remark　has　changed　fifty　thousand　votes。〃　　I　know　personally　of　about　five　thousand　which　were　changed　in　our　State；　but　still　Blaine　lost　New　York　and　the　presidency　by　a　majority　against　him　of　only　one　thousand　one　hundred　and　forty…nine　votes。

Whenever　I　visited　Washington　I　always　called　upon　Mr。　Blaine。　The　fascination　of　the　statesman　and　his　wonderful　conversational　power　made　every　visit　an　event　to　be　remembered。　　On　one　occasion　he　said　to　me：　　〃Chauncey；　I　am　in　very　low　spirits　to…day。　　I　have　read　over　the　first　volume　of　my　'Twenty　Years　in　Congress；'　which　is　just　going　to　the　printer；　and　destroyed　it。　　I　dictated　the　whole　of　it；　but　I　find　that　accuracy　and　elegance　can　only　be　had　at　the　end　of　a　pen。　　I　shall　rewrite　the　memoirs　in　ink。　　In　these　days　composition　by　the　typewriter　or　through　the　stenographer　is　so　common。〃　　There　will　be　many　who　differ　with　Mr。　Blaine。



XIII。　　WILLIAM　McKINLEY

In　the　canvass　of　1896　the　Republican　organization　of　the　State　of　New　York　decided；　if　possible；　to　have　the　national　convention　nominate　Levi　P。　Morton　for　president。　　Mr。　Morton　won　popular　favor　as　vice…president；　and　the　canvass　for　him　looked　hopeful。　But　a　new　man　of　extraordinary　force　and　ability　came　into　this　campaign；　and　that　man　was　Mark　Hanna；　of　Ohio。　　Mr。　Hanna　was　one　of　the　most　successful　of　our　business　men。　　He　had　a　rare　genius　for　organization；　and　possessed　resourcefulness；　courage；　and　audacity。　　He　was　most　practical　and　at　the　same　time　had　imagination　and　vision。　　While　he　had　taken　very　little　part　in　public　affairs；　he　had　rather　suddenly　determined　to　make　his　devoted　friend；　William　McKinley；　president　of　the　United　States。

In　a　little　while　every　State　in　the　Union　felt　the　force　of　Mr。　Hanna's　efforts。　　He　applied　to　politics　the　methods　by　which　he　had　so　successfully　advanced　his　large　manufacturing　interests。　McKinley　clubs　and　McKinley　local　organizations　sprang　up　everywhere　under　the　magic　of　Hanna's　management。　　When　the　convention　met　it　was　plain　that　McKinley's　nomination　was　assured。

The　New　York　delegation；　however；　decided　to　present　Morton's　name　and　submit　his　candidacy　to　a　vote。　　I　was　selected　to　make　a　nominating　speech。　　If　there　is　any　hope；　an　orator　on　such　an　occasion　has　inspiration。　　But　if　he　knows　he　is　beaten　he　cannot　put　into　his　effort　the　fire　necessary　to　impress　an　audience。　It　is　not　possible　to　speak　with　force　and　effect　unless　you　have　faith　in　your　cause。

After　Mr。　McKinley　was　nominated　I　moved　that　the　nomination　be　made　unanimous。　　The　convention　called　for　speech　and　platform　so　insistently　that　their　call　had　to　be　obeyed。　　The　following　is　an　account　from　a　newspaper　of　that　date　of　my　impromptu　speech。　The　story　which　is　mentioned　in　the　speech　was　told　to　me　as　I　was　ascending　the　platform　by　Senator　Proctor　of　Vermont。

〃I　am　in　the　happy　position　now　of　making　a　speech　for　the　man　who　is　going　to　be　elected。　　（Laughter　and　applause。）　　It　is　a　great　thing　for　an　amateur；　when　his　first　nomination　has　failed；　to　come　in　and　second　the　man　who　has　succeeded。　　New　York　is　here　with　no　bitter　feeling　and　with　no　disappointment。　　We　recognize　that　the　waves　have　submerged　us；　but　we　have　bobbed　up　serenely。　　（Loud　laughter。）　　It　was　a　cannon　from　New　York　that　sounded　first　the　news　of　McKinley's　nomination。　　They　said　of　Governor　Morton's　father　that　he　was　a　New　England　clergyman；　who　brought　up　a　family　of　ten　children　on　three　hundred　dollars　a　year；　and　was；　notwithstanding；　gifted　in　prayer。　　（Laughter。）　　It　does　not　make　any　difference　how　poor　he　may　be；　how　out　of　work；　how　ragged；　how　next　door　to　a　tramp　anybody　may　be　in　the　United　States　to…night；　he　will　be　'gifted　in　prayer'　at　the　result　of　this　convention。　　（Cheers　and　laughter。）

〃There　is　a　principle　dear　to　the　American　heart。　　It　is　the　principle　which　moves　American　spindles；　starts　the　industries；　and　makes　the　wage…earners　sought　for　instead　of　seeking　employment。　That　principle　is　embodied　in　McKinley。　　His　personality　explains　the　nomination　to…day。　　And　his　personality　will　carry　into　the　presidential　chair　the　aspirations　of　the　voters　of　America；　of　the　families　of　America；　of　the　homes　of　America；　protection　to　American　industry　and　America　for　Americans。〃　　（Cheers。）

As　every　national　convention；　like　every　individual；　has　its　characteristics；　the　peculiar　distinction　of　the　Republican　convention　of　1896　was　its　adoption　of　the　gold　standard　of　value。　An　amazing　and　illuminating　part　of　our　political　literature　of　that　time　is　the　claim　which　various　statesmen　and　publicists　make　to　the　authorship　of　the　gold　plank　in　the　platform。

Senator　Foraker；　who　was　chairman　of　the　committee　on　resolutions；　devotes　a　considerable　part　of　his　interesting　autobiography　to　the　discussion　of　this　question。　　He　is　very　severe　upon　all　those　who　claim　to　have　originated　the　idea。　　I　have　been　asked　by　several　statesmen　to　enforce　their　claims　to　its　authorship。

The　silver　craze　had　not　yet　subsided。　　Bimetallism　had　strong　advocates　and　believers　in　our　convention。　　I　think　even　our　candidate　was　not　fully　convinced　at　that　time　of　the　wisdom　of　the　declaration。　　It　went　into　the　platform　rather　as　a　venture　than　an　article　of　faith；　but　to　the　surprise　of　both　the　journalists　and　campaign　orators；　it　turned　out　that　the　people　had　beco