n Ohio by Salmon P. Chase, received
cordial support in New York City. George Opdyke directed it, Horace
Greeley heartily endorsed it, Daniel S. Dickinson favoured it, and
Lucius Robinson and David Dudley Field sympathised with it.[978] Parke
Godwin and William Curtis Noyes, if unwilling to go as far as Opdyke
and Greeley, would have welcomed Lincoln's withdrawal.[979] Roscoe
Conkling, being advised of the scheme, promptly rejected it. "I do not
approve of the call or of the movement," he wrote, "and cannot sign
it. For that reason it would not be proper or agreeable that I should
be present at the conference you speak of."[980]

[Footnote 977: "The undersigned, citizens of the State of New York and
unconditional supporters of the national government, convinced that a
union of all loyal citizens of the United States upon the basis of a
common patriotism is essential to the safety and honour of the country
in this crisis of its affairs; that the present distraction and apathy
which depress the friends of the Union threaten to throw the
Government into the hands of its enemies; and that a convention of the
people should be assembled to consider the state of the nation and to
concentrate the union strength on some one candidate, who commands the
confidence of the country, even by a new nomination if necessary; do
therefore invite their fellow citizens ... to send delegates ... to a
convention at Cincinnati on Wednesday, September 28, for friendly
consultation, with the purpose above stated."--New York _Sun_, June
30, 1889.]

[Footnote 978: Under date of Aug. 18, 1864, Greeley wrote Opdyke: "I
must go out of town to-morrow and cannot attend the meeting at your
house. Allow me to say a word. Mr. Lincoln is already beaten. He
cannot be elected. We must have another ticket to save us from utter
overthrow. And such a ticket we ought to have anyhow, with or without
a convention."--_Ibid._

On August 26, Dickinson declared that "the cry for a change, whether
wise or ill founded, should be both heard and heeded."--_Ibid._

On August 29, Lucius Robinson regretted "that it will be impossible
for me to be present at the meeting at Mr. Field's to-morrow
evening.... McClellan will be the next President unless Lincoln is at
once withdrawn."--_Ibid._]

[Footnote 979: Nicolay-Hay, _Abraham Lincoln_, Vol. 9, p. 366.]

[Footnote 980: New York _Sun_, June 30, 1889.]

It is doubtful if Lincoln knew of this conspiracy, but his friends