But the Grant leaders were still confident. They felt sure
that none of their original votes, numbering three hundred
and more, would desert them, and that it would be impossible
for the rest of the convention, divided among so many candidates,
to agree, and that they would in the end get a majority.
I was myself exceedingly anxious on this subject. I also
felt that if the followers of Grant could get any pretext for
getting an advantage by any claim, however doubtful, that
they would avail themselves of it, even at the risk of breaking
up the convention in disorder, rather than be baffled in
their object. So the time to me was one of great and distressing
responsibility. The forces of Grant were led on the floor
of the convention by Roscoe Conkling, who nominated him in
a speech of great power and eloquence. The forces of Blaine
were led, as they had been in 1876, very skilfuly by Senators
Hale and Frye. Garfield was the leader of the supporters
of Mr. Sherman. One of the greatest oratoric triumphs I ever
witnessed was obtained by Garfield. There had been a storm
of applause, lasting, I think, twenty-five minutes, at the
close of Conkling's nominating speech.
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