hen made my first political speech
to a popular audience and cast my first vote. The meeting was held
at Plymouth, and Honorable Joseph M. Root, the Whig candidate for
Congress, was to be the orator. For some reason Mr. Root was
delayed, and I was pressed into service. Of what I said I have
not the remotest recollection, but my audience was satisfied, and
I was doubly so, especially when Mr. Root came in sight. After
that I made a few neighborhood speeches in support of the Whig
candidate for governor, Mr. Mordecai Partley, a gentleman who for
several years had lived in Mansfield, but had long since retired
from public office after eight years' service in the United States
House of Representatives. Mr. Bartley received 147,378 votes, Mr.
Tod, Democrat, 146,461 votes and Mr. King, Third Party, 8,411 votes;
so close were parties divided in Ohio in 1844.

At this time I had but two definite ideas in respect to the public
policy of the United States. One was a hearty belief in the doctrine
of protection to American industries, as advocated by Mr. Clay,
and, second, a strong prejudice against the Democratic party, which
was more or less committed to the annexation of Texas, and the
extension of slavery. I shared in the general regret at the defeat
of Mr. Clay and the election of Mr. Polk. I took some part in the
local canvasses in Ohio prior to 1848, but this did not in the
least commit me to active political life. I was appointed a delegate
to the national Whig convention, held in Philadelphia, in 1848, to
nominate a presidential candidate. I accepted this the more readily
as it gave me an opportunity to see my future wife at her school
at Patapsco, and to fix our engagement for marriage upon her return
home. The chief incident of the convention was the struggle between
the friends of General Scott and General Taylor.

When the convention was being organized, Colonel Collyer, chairman
of the Ohio delegation, said there was a young gentleman in that
convention who could never hope to get an office unless that
convention gave him one, and nominated me for secretary of the
convention. Mr. Defrees said there was a delegate from Indiana in
the same condition and moved that Schuyler Colfax be made assistant
secretary. We then marched together to the platform and commenced
our political life, in which we were to be closely associated for
many years.

The nomination of General Taylor, cordially supported by me, was