Francis B. Carpenter, Six Months at the White House

[163] It created comparatively little excitement in Washington or elsewhere, as the action of the various State legislatures and local mass meetings had prepared the public mind for the result.

Toward evening of the 8th,--the day the nominations were made,--Major Hay and myself were alone with the President in his office. He did not seem in any degree exhilarated by the action of the convention; on the contrary, his manner was subdued, if not sad. Upon the lighting of the gas, he told us how he had that afternoon received the news of the nomination for Vice-President before he heard of his own. It appeared that the despatch announcing his renomination had been sent to his office from the War Department--while he was at lunch. Afterward, without going back to the official chamber, he proceeded to the War Department. While there, the telegram came in announcing the nomination of Johnson. “What!” said he to the operator, “do they nominate a Vice-President before they do a President?” “Why!” rejoined the astonished official, “have you not heard of your own nomination? It was sent to the White House two hours ago.” “It is all right,” was the reply; “I shall probably find it on my return.”

Laughing pleasantly over this incident, he said, soon afterward,--“A very singular occurrence took place the day I was nominated at Chicago, four years ago, of which I am reminded to-night. In ”