lly fell
off to eighty-one, when the delegation, without formally withdrawing
his name, dropped him with not a word and divided between Blaine and
Hayes, giving the former nine votes and the latter sixty-one.[1491] In
fact, Morton and Conkling, the two political legatees of Grant, fared
about alike, their strength in the North outside their respective
States aggregating only six votes. The President, believing a "dark
horse" inevitable, wrote a letter favouring Hamilton Fish.[1492]

[Footnote 1490: New York _Commercial Advertiser_, September 28, 1877.]

[Footnote 1491: Conkling's votes came from the following States:
California, 1; Florida, 3; Georgia, 8; Michigan, 1; Mississippi, 1;
Missouri, 1; Nevada, 2; New York, 69; North Carolina, 7; Texas, 3;
Virginia, 3. Total, 99. George William Curtis refused to vote for
Conkling.

Seven ballots were taken, as follows:

Blaine 285 296 293 286 308 351
Bristow 113 114 121 126 111 21
Morton 124 120 113 108 85
Conkling 99 93 90 84 81
Hayes 61 64 67 68 113 384
Hartranft 58 63 68 71 50
Jewell 11
Wheeler 3 3 2 2 2 2

On the final ballot the following New York delegates voted for Blaine:
William H. Robertson, Westchester; James W. Husted, Westchester; Jacob
Worth, Kings; John H. Ketcham, Dutchess; Jacob W. Haysradt, Columbia;
James M. Marvin, Saratoga; Stephen Sanford, Montgomery; Amos V.
Smiley, Lewis, and James C. Feeter, Herkimer.]

[Footnote 1492: John Russell Young, _Around the World with General
Grant_, Vol. 2, p. 275.]

For Vice-President the convention turned to New York. Stewart L.
Woodford was the choice of the delegation. In presenting Conkling's
name his oratorical power had won admiration, while delegates from
Ohio, Indiana, and other Western States, where his voice had been
heard in opposition to Greenbackism, did not forget his unselfish
devotion, nor the brilliant rhetoric that clothed his unanswerable
arguments. But the Blaine States manifested genuine enthusiasm for
William A. Wheeler, a man of pure life, simple habits, ripe culture,
and sincere and practical principles, who had won the esteem of all
his associates in Congress. To add to his charm he had a good presence
and warm family affections. He possessed, too, a well-earned
reputation for ability, having served with cred