THE CIVIL WAR PERIOD-1857-1864 99 



words, coming from the heart of a strong man, made a 

 deep impression upon us all. 



About two weeks later I left Frankfort for America, 

 and at my parting from Consul-General Murphy at the 

 hotel, he said: "Let me go in the carriage with you; this 

 is steamer-day and we shall probably meet the vice-consul 

 coming with the American mail." He got in, and we 

 drove along the Zeil together. It was at the busiest time 

 of the day, and we had just arrived at the point in that 

 main street of Frankfort where business was most active, 

 when the vice-consul met us and handed Mr. Murphy a 

 newspaper. The latter tore it open, read a few lines, 

 and then instantly jumped out into the middle of the street, 

 waved his hat and began to shout. The public in general 

 evidently thought him mad; a crowd assembled; but as 

 soon as he could get his breath he pointed out the headlines 

 of the newspaper. They indicated the victories of Gettys- 

 burg and Vicksburg, and the ending of the war. It was, 

 indeed, a great moment for us all. 



Arriving in America, I found that some friends had 

 republished from the English edition my letter to Dr. 

 Russell, that it had been widely circulated, and that, at any 

 rate, it had done some good at home. 



Shortly afterward, being on a visit to my old friend, 

 James T. Fields of Boston, I received a telegram from 

 Syracuse as follows: "You are nominated to the State 

 senate: come home and see who your friends are." I 

 have received, in the course of my life, many astonishing 

 messages, but this was the most unexpected of all. I had 

 not merely not been a candidate for any such nomination, 

 but had forgotten that any nomination was to be made ; I 

 had paid no attention to the matter whatever; all my 

 thoughts had been given to other subjects ; but on returning 

 to Syracuse I found that a bitter contest having arisen be- 

 tween two of the regular candidates, each representing a 

 faction, the delegates had suddenly turned away from both 

 and nominated me. My election followed and so began 

 the most active phase of my political life. 



