Edmunds and Washburne were the only other nominations proposed. They, with Sherman, were minor candidates, whose only hope lay in the enmity of the Grant and Blaine factions, whose evenly-balanced powers would prevent the success of either.
At twelve o’clock the Convention adjourned over till Monday,—but not for a Sabbath of repose! On Sunday very few of the delegates found time for church, but devoted the day to mustering forces, polishing arms, and a general preparation for the battle of the ballots on Monday. Of the group of great men who led these hosts of enthusiasts, Garfield was one of the very, very few, who attended religious worship. Bound by the good habit of Sabbath observance, he went his solitary way to a little congregation of Disciples, where the tumult and turmoil of the time was smoothed away in peaceful contemplation of the eternal.
A bright, cool, and delightful morning made the Convention open pleasantly on Monday, and at half-past ten the Hall was filled with an immense crowd, made up largely of ladies, come to see the climax of this great battle, and to be in at the finish. The Blaine men were confident. Grant’s followers were not so confident, but still determined. All were hopeful, as the uncertain always may possibly favor us, and most men believe in the luck of their own stars.
On motion, when called to order, the roll of States was called for the first ballot, which appears in full on the opposite page.
After this vote it became evident that there would be no immediate choice, and with a long breath of resignation to its fate, the multitude settled down to a prospectively long siege. There were twenty-eight successive ballots taken, when the day’s work ended, and still no choice.
On Tuesday, June 8, the sixth and last day of the Convention, the great work of nomination was completed. “It was done, and well done.” We give the work of the day somewhat in detail:
On the twenty-ninth ballot Sherman’s vote suddenly went up from 91 on the previous ballot to 116. This resulted from a change in Massachusetts, which broke for him to the extent of twenty-one votes. On the thirtieth he reached his best vote, 120, and then steadily sank to 99 on the thirty-fifth ballot.
Finally that wonderful Grant column of three hundred and five, which had stood so nobly by their great candidate for many hours, began to gain. Pennsylvania gave him an increase, and on the thirty-fourth ballot he had 312 votes. It then became evident that the anti-Grant factions must combine at once, or be beaten.
| FIRST VOTE. | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| STATES. | Grant | Blaine | Sherman | Washburne | Edmunds | Windom |
| Alabama | 16 | 1 | 3 | |||
| Arkansas | 12 | |||||
| California | 12 | |||||
| Colorado | 6 | |||||
| Connecticut | 3 | 7 | 2 | |||
| Delaware | 6 | |||||
| Florida | 8 | |||||
| Georgia | 6 | 8 | 8 | |||
| Illinois | 24 | 10 | 8 | |||
| Indiana | 1 | 26 | 2 | 1 | ||
| Iowa | 22 | |||||
| Kansas | 4 | 6 | ||||
| Kentucky | 20 | 1 | 3 | |||
| Louisiana | 8 | 2 | 6 | |||
| Maine | 14 | |||||
| Maryland | 7 | 7 | 2 | |||
| Massachusetts | 3 | 2 | 1 | 20 | ||
| Michigan | 1 | 21 | ||||
| Minnesota | 10 | |||||
| Mississippi | 6 | 4 | 6 | |||
| Missouri | 29 | 1 | ||||
| Nebraska | 6 | |||||
| Nevada | 6 | |||||
| New Hampshire | 10 | |||||
| New Jersey | 16 | 2 | ||||
| New York | 51 | 17 | 2 | |||
| North Carolina | 6 | 14 | ||||
| Ohio | 9 | 34 | 1 | |||
| Oregon | 6 | |||||
| Pennsylvania | 32 | 23 | 3 | |||
| Rhode Island | 8 | |||||
| South Carolina | 13 | 1 | ||||
| Tennessee | 16 | 6 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Texas | 11 | 2 | 2 | 1 | ||
| Vermont | 10 | |||||
| Virginia | 18 | 3 | 1 | |||
| West Virginia | 1 | 8 | ||||
| Wisconsin | 1 | 7 | 3 | 9 | ||
| Arizona | 2 | |||||
| District of Columbia | 1 | 1 | ||||
| Montana | 2 | |||||
| New Mexico | 2 | |||||
| Utah | 1 | 1 | ||||
| Washington | 2 | |||||
| Dakota | 1 | 1 | ||||
| Idaho | 2 | |||||
| Wyoming | 1 | 1 | ||||
| Total | 304 | 284 | 93 | 30 | 34 | 10 |
It was at this point that Wisconsin pointed them the way to victory. Garfield’s manly course in the Convention had created a favorable impression on all sides, the result of which in the Wisconsin delegation was that he was freely talked of for second choice. They held no caucus, and during the night of Monday were anxiously waiting to see some other State make the break for Garfield. After the adjournment on Monday night the matter was talked up in the delegation, and it was agreed that, if no other solution offered itself within three or four ballots, the delegation would throw its solid strength to Garfield. No consultation was had on the subject with the other leaders, as it was intended to operate as a feeler, Wisconsin being among the last States called on the roll. The result of this feeler is now a matter of history. The thirty-fifth ballot developed a Garfield strength of 50 votes.