Convention
The Republican state convention met on September 7. The convention was divided between supporters of the state's two Republican United States Senators, Roscoe Conkling and Reuben Fenton, who were in a struggle over the state's vast federal patronage network. The first skirmish was over the election of a temporary chair; George William Curtis, a reformer supported by Conkling, defeated Charles Van Wyck, supported by Fenton, 220–150. [1] Curtis delivered an address calling the convention to order which received thunderous applause and, during the afternoon recess, his name was elevated as a candidate for governor. [1]
When the convention met that evening, Curtis was formally nominated along with Horace Greeley and Stewart L. Woodford, each of whom had been candidates in the tightly contested convention of 1868. Greeley was supported by Fenton. [1] After an inconclusive informal ballot which showed support evenly distributed among the three candidates, a motion was adopted for a formal ballot, which showed Woodford gaining primarily at the expense of Curtis. A motion to adjourn failed, and a second formal ballot showed most Curtis supporters abandoning him for Woodford, who won a majority of the vote. Curtis thanked the convention for the honor of its support and withdrew, moving to make Woodford's nomination unanimous.
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