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 hut 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 Eepublican. But he had now come 

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

 dered me what was known as "The American Ticket, " 

 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 



