REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION OF 1880.

NOMINATION OF THE COMPROMISE CANDIDATE, GARFIELD Since the indications were that the Democrats would be successful in the Congressional elections of 1878, the election in the "shoe-string district" that year was allowed to go by default.
In 1880, the year of the Presidential election, I decided that I would again measure arms with Chalmers for Representative in Congress from that district.

It was practically a well-settled fact that there was to be a bitter fight for the Republican Presidential nomination that year.
There were three prominent candidates in the field for the nomination,--James G.Blaine, U.S.Grant, and John Sherman.

Grant was especially strong with southern Republicans, while Blaine had very little support in that section.

Sherman was well thought of on account of the splendid record he had made as a member of the United States Senate, and, in addition to that, he had the influence and the support of the National Administration, of which he was a member,--being at that time Secretary of the Treasury.
In the State of Mississippi Bruce, Hill and I,--the three leading colored men,--had formed an offensive and defensive alliance.