Now if the vote of Illinois, Pennsylvania
and New York had each been cast as a unit, in accordance
with the preference of the majority of the delegation in
each case, these 37 votes would have been added to Grant's
column and subtracted from the forces of his various antagonists;
and the 63 votes of the minority of the delegations in these
three States would also have been added to the Grant column,
which would have given him a total vote of more than 400,
enough to secure his nomination. So the result of the convention
was to be determined by the adaption or rejection of what
was called the unit rule.
Don Cameron, the Chairman of the National Committee, left
the Senate for Chicago about ten days, I think, before the
day fixed for the meeting of the convention. It was whispered
about before his departure that a scheme had been resolved
upon by him and the other Grant leaders, which would compel
the adoption of the unit rule, whatever might be the desire
of the convention itself. It was his duty, according to established
custom, to call the convention to order and to receive nominations
for temporary presiding officer.
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