62

436 LIFE AND TIMES OF FREDERICK DOUGLASS

candidate, in the person of Grover Cleveland, whose term was then expiring.
Although he had not entirely satisfied the Southern section of his party or the
Civil Service Reformers of the North, to whom he owed his election, he had
so managed his administration that neither of these factions could afford to
oppose his nomination for a second term of the Presidency. With the
Republican party the case was different. It was not only out of power and
deprived of the office holding influence and machinery to give it unity and
force, but its candidates for Presidential honors were legion, and there was
much doubt as to who would be chosen standard bearer in the impending
contest. Among the doubters I was happily not one. From the first my candi-
date was Senator John Sherman of Ohio. Not only was he the man fitted for
the place by his eminent abilities and tried statesmanship in regard to general
matters, but more important still, he was the man whose attitude towards the
newly enfranchised colored citizens of the South, best fitted him for the place.
In the Convention at Chicago I did what I could to secure his nomination, as
long as there was any ground of hope for success. In every convention of the
kind there comes a time when the judgment of factions must yield to the judg-
ment of the majority. Either Russell A. Alger of Michigan, Allison of Iowa,
Gresham of Indiana, or Depew of New York, would in my opinion have made
an excellent President. But my judgment as to whom was not the judgment of
the Convention, so I went, as in duty bound, with the choice of the Majority
of my party and have never regretted my course.

Although I was not a delegate to this National Republican Con\ention.
but was, as in previous ones, a spectator, I was early honored by a spontane-
ous call to the platform and to address the convention. It was a call not to be
disregarded. It came from ten thousand leading Republicans of the land. It
offered me an opportunity to give what I thought ought to be the accepted
key note to the opening campaign How faithfully I responded will be seen
by the brief speech I made in response to this call. It was not a speech to
tickle men's ears or to flatter party pride, but to stir men up to the discharge
of an imperative duty. It would have been easy on such an occasion to make
a speech composed of glittering generalities, but the cause of my outraged
people was on my heart and I spoke out of its fullness, and the response that
came back to me showed that the great audience to which I spoke was in
sympathy with my sentiments. After thanking the Convention for the honor
of its hearty call upon me for a speech I said:–

"I have only one word to say to this Convention and it is this: I hope this
Convention will make such a record in its proceedings as will entirely put it