After leaving the House of Representatives , English had remained in touch with local politics , and served as chairman of the Indiana Democratic Party . His son had been elected to the state house in 1879 , and the elder English was still consulted on political matters . Although he had not sought elected office since 1858 , he had raised his national profile in 1879 through several interviews and letters to friendly newspapers . English attended the 1880 Democratic National Convention in Cincinnati as a member of the Indiana delegation , where he favored presidential candidate Thomas F. Bayard of Delaware , whom he admired for his support of the gold standard . The first ballot was inconclusive , with Bayard in second place . Major General Winfield Scott Hancock of Pennsylvania led the voting , and on the second ballot was nominated for President
1880 Democratic National Convention
1880 Democratic National Convention
William Hayden English