orter of Grant, to ascertain whether, if the
committee were to remove Cameron and appoint another chairman,
he would recognize him as a person entitled to call the convention
to order and preside until a temporary Chairman was chosen,
and would execute his lawful orders, or whether he would treat
them as without effect and would execute the orders of Cameron.
He desired time of consideration, which was conceded. He
consulted Senator Philetus Sawyer of Wisconsin, who was himself
in favor of General Grant, but who desired above all things
the success of the Republican Party, and was not ready for
any unlawful or revolutionary action. Mr. Sawyer was a business
man of plain manners, and though of large experience in public
life, was not much versed in parliamentary law. He called
into consultation ex-Senator Timothy O. Howe, of Wisconsin,
formerly Senator from that State, and afterward Postmaster-
General under Arthur. He was a very able and clear-headed
lawyer, and had a high reputation for integrity. He advised
Mr. Strong that the committee might lawfully depose their
Chairman and appoint another, and that it would be his duty,
as Sergeant-at-Arms, to recognize the new Chairman and obey
his lawful orders. Strong was under great obligations to
Sawyer, who had aided him very largely in business matters,
and had a high respect for his judgment. He gave his response
to the Grant leaders in accordance with the advice of Mr.
Howe, in which Senator Sawyer concurred. They had intended
to make General Creswell the President of the convention.
But finding it impossible to carry their plans into effect,
in order to prevent the severe measure of deposing the Chairman
of the committee, they consented that the assurances demanded
should be given. There was then a negotiation between the
leaders on the side of Grant and of Blaine for an agreement
upon a presiding officer. It was well known that I was not
in favor of the nomination of either. Senator Hamlin, formerly
Vice-President and then a Senator, proposed my name to Mr.
Conkling as a person likely to be impartial between the two
principal candidates. Mr. Conkling replied that such a suggestion
was an insult. Hamlin said: "I guess I can stand the insult."
But on consultation of the Grant men and the Blaine men it
was agreed that I should be selected, which was done accordingly.
I was nominated orally from the floor when Mr. Cameron called
the convention to order, and