Potts.] iUo [April 19, 



tinent. I shall not stop to answer the reader's rising thought of Philadel- 

 phia and 1776." This is strong language, but Mr. Bromlej' impresses the 

 reader with its truth. Both narratives, though widely different in their 

 style, deserve a place in the history of this important occasion. ] 



"The Nomination of Lincoln. 



"As a member of the 'Opposition State Executive Committee ' I signed 

 a call for a State Convention in Trenton, on March 8, 1860, for the purpose 

 of selecting delegates to the National Coovention at Chicago. At that 

 period there was a respectable and extremely active portion of the party 

 in East Jersey in favor of nominating Mr. Seward for the Presidency and 

 seeking to secure for him the vote of this State in convention. Aside from 

 the Presidential question, it was highly important that we achieve success 

 in our own State, and this, I felt confident, could not be accomplished with 

 Mr. Seward as our Presidential candidate. It occurred to me that our 

 proper course would be to hold the vote of the State on Mr. Dayton, and 

 possibly give him the nomination. At all events, it might at least aid in 

 nominating a candidate with whom success in this State was possible. 

 Mr. Thomas H. Dudley came into the Supreme Court office one day on 

 professional business, and I called his attention to what I deemed the 

 unfortunate tendency of affairs. He coincided with me in opinion, but 

 argued that the loss of the State under the circumstances was unavoidable 

 — at least he perceived no recourse. I suggested that we start a candi- 

 date in our own State, to hold the vote, and named the Hon. William L. 

 Dayton. Mr. Dudley, after some consideration, assented. I then ad- 

 vised holding a caucus of leading men of the party to give force to tlie 

 movement, whereupon Mr. Dudley agreed to notify such gentlemen in 

 the First Congressional District as he might deem proper and I was to 

 summon from the Slate at large. We thus assembled some sixty promi- 

 nent Jerseyraen at Jones' Hotel, Chestnut street, Philadelphia. I also 

 spent considerable time in securing the attendance of a number of active 

 Philadelphia Republican politicians. My object was to induce them to 

 join in the movement ; but they preferred Mr. Cameron. As far as their 

 cooperation was concerned, the movement was without success. Abra- 

 ham Browning. Esq., of Camden, presided at the meeting, and after con- 

 siderable discussion, in wlticli Mr. Dudley took by far the most promi- 

 nent part, the Jerseyraen present unanimously determined to use their 

 best efforts to secure delegites in favor of Mr. D lytoa. Tiie effect of 

 this meeting was fully manifested iu the State Convention. But a small 

 moiety of the East Jersey delegates were for Mr. Seward, while the large 

 majority were decidedly for Mr. Dayton. Mr. Dudley was selected as a 

 delegate from the First District, and at Chicago was one of the most prom- 

 inent and active members of the New Jersey delegation, exercising all 

 necessary influence in holding the vote of his State for ]\[r. Dayton until 

 he was able to cast it for Mr. Lincoln, and practically give him the nomi- 

 uatiot]. 



