Lincoln Outfoxed Seward for the Nomination

Lincoln Outfoxed Seward for the Nomination

by Gordon Leidner

In May 1860, the nation's attention turned toward Chicago, where the Republicans were meeting to select their presidential candidate.

William H. Seward, the Republican front-runner from New York, sent his political team to Chicago to lock up his party's nomination. In the mid-nineteenth century, it was not considered proper for the aspiring candidate to go to the convention himself, so Seward sent his political manager, Thurlow Weed, along with his states' 70 delegates and 13 railroad cars of supporters.

The residents of Chicago were delighted to have their city of 100,000 chosen for the Republican party's second presidential convention. At the cost of about $6,000, Republicans there built a new convention center for the occasion. Nicknamed "The Wigwam," it had excellent acoustics and could seat more than 10,000, which purportedly would be the largest audience yet assembled in the country under one roof.

The candidates

Seward and Weed--some would say the unscrupulous Weed--were confident. It would take 233 votes to win the nomination, and they had nearly a third of that in the New York delegation alone.

Who could possibly upset their plans? Not Pennsylvania's candidate, Simon Cameron. Cameron was considered a crook by most of the country, and would have little support outside of the 54 delegates from Pennsylvania. Not Ohio's Salmon P. Chase. Ohio's 46 votes probably would be split between he and fellow Ohioans Sen. Ben Wade and Judge John McClean. Not Missouri's Edwin Bates--although Bates had Missouri's 18 delegates and the backing of the nation's most powerful newspaper editor, Horace Greely of the New York Tribune.

Seward and Weed recognized that they were not on their own turf, and anticipated that Illinois' "Favorite Son," Abraham Lincoln, probably would receive all of the states' 22 votes. Since Illinois was considered a doubtful state for candidate Seward should he be the Republican candidate (where he would have a tough time defeating the anticipated Democratic nominee--Illinois' other favorite son, Stephen A. Douglas), Weed was prepared to acquire Illinois votes on the second ballot by offering Lincoln the vice-presidential spot.

That should secure Seward's nomination in the event of a tough floor fight, he and his supporters reckoned.

Lincoln's strategy

Lincoln had been busy preparing for the convention as well. Using all his political skill, he had persuaded the Illinois delegation to vote for him in a bloc. To lead the floor