This
could not be done until the result of the balloting was made known--four
hundred and eighty-four for Lincoln, twenty-two for Grant. Missouri then
changed its vote, and the secretary read the grand total of five hundred
and six for Lincoln; the announcement being greeted with a storm of
cheering which lasted many minutes.
The principal names mentioned for the vice-presidency were Hannibal
Hamlin, the actual incumbent; Andrew Johnson of Tennessee; and Daniel S.
Dickinson of New York. Besides these, General L.H. Rousseau had the vote
of his own State--Kentucky. The radicals of Missouri favored General
B.F. Butler, who had a few scattered votes also from New England. Among
the principal candidates, however, the voters were equally enough
divided to make the contest exceedingly spirited and interesting.
For several days before the convention met Mr. Lincoln had been besieged
by inquiries as to his personal wishes in regard to his associate on the
ticket. He had persistently refused to give the slightest intimation of
such wish. His private secretary, Mr. Nicolay, who was at Baltimore in
attendance at the convention, was well acquainted with this attitude;
but at last, over-borne by the solicitations of the chairman of the
Illinois delegation, who had been perplexed at the advocacy of Joseph
Holt by Leonard Swett, one of the President's most intimate friends, Mr.
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