Utica's Conkling leading figure at 1880 Republican convention: Mohawk Valley history

1880, 143 years ago

Conclave in Chicago

Roscoe Conkling, dashingly dressed as always, enters Exposition Hall in Chicago for the opening of the Republican Party National Convention. And, as always, all eyes are on the tall U.S. senator from Utica as he struts down the aisle to his seat. Convention delegates are there to pick the GOP presidential candidate for the elections in November.

There is no doubt that Conkling -- a former mayor of Utica and now the Senate's most eloquent orator -- is one of the leading figures at the convention for he has told newspaper reporters that he plans to get former two-term President Ulysses S. Grant nominated at the convention and then in November get Grant elected and in the White House for a third term. It will not be easy to do because of the hallowed tradition against a third term dating back to 1797 when then President George Washington declined a third term in office.

Grant, however, is open to a nomination and is pleased that Conkling -- his close friend and adviser -- is heading his team. Others seeking the nomination include James G. Blaine, John Sherman and James A. Garfield.

It will take 378 votes to win the nomination and when the convention opens, the obvious front runners are Grant -- his supporters are called "Stalwarts" -- and Blaine -- supported by "Half-Breeds." The first ballot vote : Grant 304, Blaine 284, Sherman 93 and Garfield 0. By the 36th ballot, Blaine and Sherman conlude that they could not, either one of them, win the nomination. They now are determined, at all costs, to see to it that Grant never has a third term as president. So, they throw their votes to Garfield.The 36th ballot vote: Grant 306, Blaine 42, Sherman 3 and Garfield 399.

It is a bitter pill for Conkling to swallow. but he rises and tells the delegates: "James Garfield having received a majority of all the votes cast, I … move that he be unanimously presented as the nominee (for president) of the convention."

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Conkling is not placated when the convention picks Chester A. Arthur, of New York and a fellow Stalwart, as the vice presidential candidate. In fact, Conkling -- still furious having failed to get Grant nominated -- tells Arthur to decline the nomination. Arthur refuses to do so. Eventually, Conkling begins to campagin for the Garfield-Arthur ticket. In November, Garfield defeats Democrat Winfield Scott Hancock and becomes 20th president of the United States. On July 2, 1881, Garfield is shot by Charles Guiteau and dies on Sept. 19, 1881. Vice President Arthur becomes president.

1923, 100 years ago

Let's celebrate

W. Pierrepont White, of the Mohawk Valley Historical Society, urges officials in Oneida and Herkimer counties to begin now to plan several historical anniversaries coming during the next 10 years. They include: the 100th anniversary in 1925 of the opening of the Erie Canal … the 150th anniversary in 1926 of the building of Fort Dayton (today the village of Herkimer) … the 150th anniversary in 1927 of the Battle of Oriskany … the 150th anniversary in 1933 of Gen. George Washington's visit to the Mohawk Valley.

1948, 75 years ago

Rail cutbacks

The Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad announces that it will discontinue most passenger service between Utica and Binghamton. The announcement draws priotests from several communities on the rail line, including Norwich, Sherburne, Waterville, Hamilton, Greene, Oxford, Brookfield, Binghamton and Utica.

1973, 50 years ago

Name change

After more than 50 years, the Greater Utica Chamber of Commerce is no more. In its place is the Mohawk Valley Association for Progress. President Dwight E. Vicks Jr. and his entire slate of chamber officers have been re-elected to lead the transition. Vicks says the association will tackle regional problems, concentrating on transportation and industrial development.

Meanwhile, Professor Charles Schmidt, of Mohawk Valley Community College, is retiring after 26 years in the college's business department.

1998, 25 years ago

Hall of Fame

The National Distance Running Hall of Fame names its first class that will be inducted on the eve of the 21st Boilermaker Road Race in July. Joe Kelly, the hall's director, says the ceremony will take place in Hamilton College's Wellin Hall and that inductees will be former Olympians Joan Benoit Samuelson, Frank Shorter, Bill Rodgers and Ted Corbitt and women's racing pioneer Katherine Switzer, who broke the gender barrier at the Boston Marathon in 1967.

Michael Spellman is elected commander of the Malson-Jones VFW Post 7393 in New York Mills. Other officers include: Al LaTour, senior vice commander; Ken Hunter, junior vice commander; Ray Babitz, quartermaster; Vincent Jones, chaplain; Art Jones, judge advocate, and Robert Szarek, surgeon.

2013, 10 years ago

Bicentennial

The village of Whitesboro begins to celebrate its 200th anniversary wih a Bicentennial Parade. Margaret Stephenson is grand marshal.

In Holland Patent, the Leon R. Roberts American Legion Post 161 elects Dick Roberts as its commander. Other officers include: Gary Wedgewood, first vice commander; John Damon, second vice commander; Harold Clawson, third vice commander; Steve Ballard, sergeant-at-arms; Art Farr, chaplain; Ray Doucette, adjutant; Bob Leahy, service officer, and Tom Heburn, finance officer. Debra Roberts is president of its auxiliary. Other officers: Alice Shaler, first vice president; Bev Seifried, second vice president; Chris Hurlbut, third vice president; Diane Money, chaplain; Roberta Owens, secretary, and Sue Wedgewood, treasurer.

The Augusta Presbyterian Church celebrates its 215th anniversary. It was founded by the town of Augusta's early settlers in 1798, many who came from Massachusetts and Connecticut.

Trivia quiz

Who was president of the United States when Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin became the first to walk on the moon? (Answer will appear here next week.)

Answer to last week's question: (1) Jimmy Carter was the first president to graduate from the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis He did in June 1946. (2) Bill Clinton was the first president who was a Rhodes Scholar. He studied from 1968 to 1970 at Oxford University in England. (3) Warren G. Harding, editor and publisher of the Star newspaper in Marion, Ohio, was the first publisher to be elected president. (4) Theodore Roosevelt was the first president to receive a Nobel Peace Prize. He did in 1906 for his work in getting Russia and Japan to sign a peace treaty, thus ending the Russo-Japanese War.

This Week in History is researched and written by Frank Tomaino. E-mail him at ftomaino221@gmail.com.

This article originally appeared on Observer-Dispatch: Utica man instrumental at Republican convention: Mohawk Valley history