EARLY MANHOOD -1851-1857 73 



Peabody, at that time the American Amphitryon in the 

 British metropolis, discussed current questions in a way 

 that fascinated me. Of that I may speak in another chap 

 ter; suffice it here that he was one of the most attractive 

 men in conversation I have ever met, and that is saying 

 much. 



I took but slight part in the campaign ; in fact, a natural 

 diffidence kept me aloof from active politics. Having 

 given up all hope or desire for political preferment, and 

 chosen a university career, I merely published a few news 

 paper and magazine articles, in the general interest of anti- 

 slavery ideas, but made no speeches, feeling myself, in fact, 

 unfit to make them. 



But I shared more and more the feelings of those who 

 supported Fremont. 



Mr. Buchanan, though personal acquaintance had 

 taught me to like him as a man, and the reading of his 

 despatches in the archives of our legation at St. Peters 

 burg had forced me to respect him as a statesman, repre 

 sented to me the encroachments and domination of Ameri 

 can slavery, while Fremont represented resistance to such 

 encroachments, and the perpetuity of freedom upon the 

 American Continent. 



On election day, 1856, I went to the polls at the City 

 Hall of Syracuse to cast my first vote. There I chanced 

 to meet an old schoolmate who had become a brilliant 

 young lawyer, Victor Gardner, with whom, in the old 

 days, I had often discussed political questions, he being 

 a Democrat and I a Republican. But he had now come 

 upon new ground, and, wishing me to do the same, he ten 

 dered me what was known as &quot;The American Ticket,&quot; 

 bearing at its head the name of Millard Fillmore. He 

 claimed that it represented resistance to the encroach 

 ments and dangers which he saw in the enormous for 

 eign immigration of the period, and above all in the in 

 creasing despotism of the Roman Catholic hierarchy 

 controlling the Irish vote. Most eloquently did my old 

 friend discourse on the dangers from this source. He 



