When the state convention gathered in April 1880 , Randall was confident of victory , but soon found that the Wallace faction outnumbered his . Wallace 's majority scrambled the party 's organization in Philadelphia and , although some Randall supporters received seats , the majority owed allegiance to the senator . Despite the defeat , Randall pressed on for Tilden , both in Pennsylvania and elsewhere . As rumors circulated that Tilden 's health would keep him from running again , Randall remained a loyal Tilden man up to the national convention that June . After the first ballot , the New York delegation released a letter from Tilden in which he withdrew from consideration . Randall hoped for the ex-Tilden delegates to rally to him . Many did so , and Randall surged to second place on the second ballot , but the momentum had shifted to another candidate , Major General Winfield Scott Hancock . Nearly all of the delegates shifted to Hancock , and he was nominated
national convention
1880 Democratic National Convention
Samuel J. Randall