ctions any delegates
except the four from the State at large. After a lengthy and heated
debate the convention finally sustained this contention, and since that
time the unit rule has not been recognized in a National Republican
Convention.

This action, no doubt, resulted in the defeat of General Grant for the
nomination; for it was a well-known fact that his nomination was
possible only through the enforcement of the unit rule. His friends and
supporters, however, under the leadership of Senator Conkling, made a
strong and desperate fight with the hope that the tide might ultimately
turn in their favor, but with the intention, in any event, of
preventing if possible the nomination of Mr. Blaine. General Grant's
name was placed before the Convention by Senator Conkling in one of his
most eloquent and masterly efforts.

"The man whose name I shall place in nomination," he said, "does not
hail from any particular State; he hails from the United States. It is
not necessary to nominate a man that can carry Michigan. Any Republican
can carry Michigan. You should nominate a man that can carry New York.
That man is U.S. Grant."

Mr. Blaine's name was placed in nomination by a delegate from Michigan
by the name of Joy. His effort did not come up to public expectation.
The eloquent speech of Senator Frye, of Maine, who seconded the
nomination, made up in part for the public disappointment in Mr. Joy's
effort. The name of Secretary John Sherman was placed before the
Convention in one of General Garfield's most powerful and convincing
efforts. It is safe to say that the speech delivered by General Garfield
on that occasion made him the nominee of that convention. After drawing
an eloquent and vivid picture of the kind of man that should be made
President,--with the intention of naming John Sherman as the man thus
described,--he asked in a tone of voice that was pitched in a high key:

"Who is that man?"

The response came from different parts of the hall, "Garfield."

And sure enough it was Garfield. After a number of fruitless ballots it
became apparent that neither of the three leading candidates could
possibly be nominated. Very few, if any, of the Grant men would at any
time go to either Blaine or Sherman. Very few, if any, of the Sherman
men would go to Blaine, while Blaine men could not in any considerable
numbers, be induced to go either to Grant or Sherman. While a number of
Sherman men would have supported Grant i