User information
Historical sketch
Scope and Content note
Cataloguing information
Processed by
Charles Latham
24 February 1994
VOLUME OF COLLECTION: 1 item
COLLECTION DATE: 1892
PROVENANCE: Heritage Collectors Society, 161 Peddlers Village, Lahaska PA 18931, 22 September 1993
RESTRICTIONS: None
REPRODUCTION RIGHTS: Permission to reproduce or publish material in this collection must be obtained in writing from the Indiana Historical Society
ALTERNATE FORMATS: None
OTHER FINDING AIDS: None
RELATED HOLDINGS: M 132, Benjamin Harrison; also see card catalog for numerous other references to Harrison
ACCESSION NUMBER: 93.0679
As Benjamin Harrison entered the fourth year of his Presidential term in the spring of 1892, he had alienated some of the powerful men of his party, particularly Platt of New York and Quay of Pennsylvania. He was also on guarded terms with his former Secretary of State, James G. Blaine, who though ill (he died in January 1893) still had a good deal of political magnetism. He had also been considerably preoccupied with his wife's illness. His renomination was therefore less assured than is usual for a sitting President.
As time approached for the Republican convention in Minneapolis in June 1892, Harrison's supporters, led by his friend Louis T. Michener and by Chauncey Depew and Frank Hiscock of New York, organized to secure his renomination. At a caucus chaired by Depew, they ascertained a "low water mark" of support for Harrison (521 votes), and proceeded to gather additional strength until they had enough votes to elect William McKinley chairman of the convention and then to nominate Harrison on the first ballot.
Sources: Materials in collection
Harry G. Sievers, Benjamin Harrison, HoosierPresident, pp. 219-231
This collection consists of one item, a specially bound book of autographs. The title page reads, "Five Twenty-One-- Low Water Mark," with a tipped-in photograph of Benjamin Harrison. There follows a printed page describing the operation of the "Low Water Mark" Committee, and then, one to a page, autographs of its forty-four members. Apparently one of these books was made up for each member of the committee. This book has the name of N. D. Ridout of California printed on the cover (his signature seems to spell the name Rideout).
MAIN ENTRY: Harrison, Benjamin, 1833-1901
SUBJECT ENTRIES: Harrison, Benjamin, 1833-1901
Autographs--United States
Presidents--United States--Nomination
Presidential candidates--United States
Politicians--United States--Autographs
END