the majority.
Grant had a majority in each of these States. But there was
a minority of 18 in Illinois, 26 in Pennsylvania, and 19 in
New York, who were for other candidates than Grant. If their
votes had been counted for him it would have given Grant on
the first ballot 367 votes, 13 less than the number necessary
for a choice. As his votes went up on one of the ballots
to 313, it is pretty certain that counting these 63 votes
for Grant would have insured his nomination. But there were
several contests involving the title of their seats of 16
delegates from the State of Louisiana, 18 from Illinois, and
three others. In regard to these cases the delegates voted
in accordance with their preference for candidates. This
was beside several other contests where the vote was not determined
by that consideration. Now if the vote of Illinois, Pennsylvania
and New York had each been cast as a unit, in accordance
with the preference of the majority of the delegation in
each case, these 37 votes would have been added to Grant's
column and subtracted from the forces of his various antagonists;
and the 63 votes of the minority of the delegations in these
three States would also have been added to the Grant column,
which would have given him a total vote of more than 400,
enough to secure his nomination. So the result of the convention
was to be determined by the adaption or rejection of what
was called the unit rule.

Don Cameron, the Chairman of the National Committee, left
the Senate for Chicago about ten days, I think, before the
day fixed for the meeting of the convention. It was whispered
about before his departure that a scheme had been resolved
upon by him and the other Grant leaders, which would compel
the adoption of the unit rule, whatever might be the desire
of the convention itself. It was his duty, according to established
custom, to call the convention to order and to receive nominations
for temporary presiding officer. He was pledged, upon those
nominations, as it was understood, to hold that the unit rule
must be applied. In that way the sitting members from the
disputed States and districts would be permitted to vote, and
the votes of the three States would be cast without dissent
for the Grant candidate. When the temporary President took
his place he would rule in the same way on the question of
the choice of a permanent President, and the permanent President
would rule in the same way on the conf