sty; his soundness and firmness in dealing with all questions
affecting the public credit, the integrity of the currency,
and the rights of citizenship, had endeared him to the people
of a Commonwealth which ever valued such traits in her public
men. The Methodist denomination, always large in Massachusetts
and powerful in her Republican councils, was proud that this
statesman and warrior was of its fold. As the time for the
convention approached, four ex-Governors, men of great personal
influence, leaders in the Republican Party, yet of highly
different character, who represented very different shades
of Republican opinion--Boutwell, Bullock, Claflin and Rice--
declared themselves in favor of nominating him again. Nothing
could have prevented his carrying Massachusetts as by a great
wave, but the fact that he had been, in his second term, subject
to a most unworthy influence in the matter of appointments
to public office. The whole National executive patronage
in Massachusetts seemed given up to advancing the personal
fortunes of General Butler. Brave soldiers, honored Republicans,
were turned out of post-offices, to be replaced by incompetent
and dishonorable adventurers, odious in the neighborhoods
from which they came, to please this ambitious and unscrupulous
man. This excited a deep indignation which culminated when
William A. Simmons was made Collector of Boston. No personal
respect for General Grant could induce the Massachusetts Republicans
to run the risk of having again a President who was subjected
to personal influences like these. But for the appointment
of Simmons as the principal Federal officer in Massachusetts,
I think she would have supported Grant for a third term. The
Edmunds movement would never have been made, and his nomination
at Chicago would have been certain.

The State Convention passed resolutions in favor of Mr. Edmunds,
and elected as Delegates-at-Large, George F. Hoar, Worcester;
Charles B. Codman, Boston; John E. Sanford, Taunton; and
Julius H. Seelye, Amherst.

The District Delegates were: Charles W. Clifford, New Bedford;
Azariah Eldridge, Yarmouth; William C. Lovering, Taunton;
F. A. Hobart, Braintree; Phineas Pierce, Boston; Choate Burnham,
Boston; Eustice C. Fitz, Chelsea; Daniel Russell, Melrose;
Dudley Porter, Haverhill; N. A. Horton, Salem; George S.
Boutwell, Groton; George A. Marden, Lowell; R. M. Morse,
Jr., Boston; George W. Johnson, Milford; W. S. B. Hopkins,