erable contest over the platform, and as usual,
it was determined to adopt the platform before making the nominations
of President and Vice-President. But the Convention became very
restless after the day of speechmaking; evening was approaching,
and the Committee on Platform being still out, it was determined
to make the nomination for President that day. I mounted the
platform, and in the brief speech I have quoted, placed General
Grant in nomination. I never saw such a fervid audience. The
floors and galleries were crowded, and the people seemed wild with
enthusiasm for Grant. As I uttered the word "Grant," at the
conclusion of my speech, and his picture was lowered from the
ceiling of the hall, the demonstration was indescribable.

While we were waiting for the Committee on Platform to report,
there were quite a number of speeches by favorite sons of the
different States, Senator Logan and Governor Oglesby, from Illinois,
being among them.

Senator Logan's speech is not very clear in my memory; but I do
remember very well the speech by Governor Oglesby. He made a
wonderful impression. I do not recall that I ever saw a man
electrify an audience as did Governor Oglesby on that occasion.
It was the first convention where there were colored men admitted
as delegates. Some of the colored delegates occupied the main
floor. Old Garret Smith, the great abolitionist, was in the gallery,
at the head of the New York delegation. Oglesby took for his theme
first the colored man, represented there on the floor of that
convention, and then Garret Smith. He set the crowd wild. They
cheered him to the echo. We adjourned for luncheon immediately
after he concluded his speech, and many of the delegates asked me
who that man was. I was proud to be able to tell them that it was
Governor Oglesby of Illinois; and the remark was frequently made
that it was no wonder that Illinois gave sixty thousand Republican
majority with such a man as its Governor.

The platform was finally adopted, and Wilson of Massachusetts was
nominated for Vice-President, in place of Schulyer Colfax. Colfax
was much mortified at his defeat, but it turned out for the best,
because Colfax became involved in the _Credit Mobilier_ before the
campaign was over, and his name on the ticket would have injured
the chances for success. Wilson, who was nominated to succeed
Colfax for Vice-President, was a very good man. He was a Senator,
and it was said