y weakened his oration as a vote-making speech by
launching shafts of irony first into Sherman and then into Blaine.
"Nobody is really worried about a third term," he said in conclusion,
"except those hopelessly longing for a first term. Without patronage,
without telegraph wires running from his house to this convention,
without election contrivances, his name is on the country's lips.
Without bureaus, committees, officers, or emissaries to manufacture
sentiment in his favour, without intrigue or effort, Grant is the
candidate whose supporters stand by the creed of the party, holding
the right of the majority as the very essence of their faith, and
meaning to uphold that faith against the charlatans and guerillas,
who, from time to time, deploy and forage between the lines."[1693] As
these sabre-cuts, dealt with the emphasis of gesture and inflection,
flashed upon the galleries, already charmed with the accomplishment of
his speech and the grace of his sentiment, loud hisses, mingled with
distracting exclamations of banter and dissent, proclaimed that the
spell of his magic was broken.

[Footnote 1693: New York _Times_, June 7.]

Balloting for a candidate began on the fifth day. Many rumours
preceded Conkling's method of announcing New York's vote, but when his
turn came, he explained that although he possessed full instructions
concerning the true condition of the vote, he thought it better to
call the roll, since several of the delegates preferred to speak for
themselves. This plan, so adroitly submitted, made it impossible to
conceal one's vote behind an anonymous total, and compelled John
Birdsall, the Queens County senator, to lead in the disagreeable duty
of disobeying the instructions of the State convention. Birdsall rose
with hesitation, and, after voting for Blaine in a subdued voice,
dropped quickly into his seat as if anxious to avoid publicity. Then
the convention, having listened in perfect silence, ratified his work
with a chorus of hisses and applause. Gradually the anti-third termers
exhibited more courage, and after Robertson and Husted had called out
their candidate with an emphasis that indicated pride and defiance,
the applause drowned the hisses. Woodin's conduct contrasted sharply
with his usual courage. He was an aggressive member of the opposition,
but at this moment, when brave hearts, unflinching resolve, and
unruffled temper were needed, he stood at the rear of the hall, while
Leander Fitt