The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1850-09-07
The Elg,n Convention.

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scattered through the district. John H. Bryant,
Esq, of Bureau, presided, tlanked by the usual
complement of vce-presidents and secretaries.
As the delegates had all gone to Elgin predeter-
mined 10 commit foolish act, being no less than,
in the name of Free Soil Democracy, to contribute
all that lay in their power towards IT, election Of
a Clay whis in opposition To an antislayery-ex
a., tension democrat--like n man about TO commit
suicide they first attempted to smother the rebel
lings Of conscience and common sense, by framing
to their mind, some spccious, but really very rid-
culous excuses, for the folly about to be COMM;
ted The proceedings were therefore commenced
by the adoption Of long string OF high sounding
resolutions, declaring the necessity for 'rmncss,
"f,ithiulness to the cause of liberty DC ON the
part of the great free soil party and denouncins
all other parties rs hostile to freedom in the terri
tories, and dcducing from such premises, their
Justification forkeeping up a third party orsanza
ton while il is notorious that tie whole democra.
tic party of the district is rs much devoted to the
free soil principle, and as hostile to slavery cX-
tension, as the veriest barnburner ever could be.
Thus prepared and fortified. the convention pro
ceedel to the main business before 1.-THE nOmi
nation Of candidate Now there was joy among
the old line abolitonsts when they found that,
while nearly all over the district the keeping up
Of third party organization was but little favor
cd the Chicago free sellers went SO heartily into
IL, nut n.
laughing of different sort when these same old
line abolitonists met the Chicago Boys in con
vcntion at Elgin. The way some sixty halfprlce
passengers on 0gdens rail road managed to yell,
stamp, and vote in by reclamation their own man
in defiance Of all argument or opposition must
have been particularly gratifying as well as edfy.
ing to the country delegates" They had a beau.
tifu illustration of the fact that "some things can
he done rs well as others"
We have in the Chicago Journal an interesting
and life-like sketch of the proceedings Of this FL
gin convention, which, as it gives clear insight
how city out.votcd, or, rather, outwitted whole
congressional district, We copy for the benefit Of
the unintiared into games of that sort.
On motion of Mr. NInierre, a Committee Of five
were selected to report resolutipns-and being
short Of timber, il was also voted that this Com
mittee report officers for the Convention. Til,
Committee reported the permanent officers Of the
Convention as follows;
j. H. Bryant, President Bureau Co.
G.. Mcclure and Throop Vice Presidents, Kane
Co.
William Sloan and Justice Secretaries, Cook
Go.
Voted to take m informal ballot ior candidate
Upon canvassng. W b. Ogden had 10 votes, Mr.
loveioy 81 aud scattering Upon which it was
moved that W B. Ogden be the unanimous choice
of this Convention.
This motion began to start the pins in the old
Buffalo Platform. MIR Haven said, he could not
trust Mr. Ogden; he had not been Free Soil long
enough, and that he could not consent TO see hi-
old friend Lovcoy thrust off the course by those
new converts from Cook, who had rushed out
here to control the action Of this Convention that
he had sworn To support Loveioy until he was e.
lectcd to Congress, and should vote for him wheth'
or or no.
Mr.. Geo. Manerre arose and told the old wheel
horses OF the Liberty party, that Mr.. Ogden was
rs good Free SOIL as any man IN this district, and
had been So since the death Of Lovcoy at Alton,
and that he had paid his money out freely for the
cause. In proof of this. lie cited the recent Inli-
case, where he lately paid Literally, and that
too, before he was thought OF rs 4 candidate for
Congress.
Mr. Pinkerton Of Dundee replied extolling
Loyejoy and telling the Chicago boys that Love
Joy had given pair of shoes 10 a pqrO roman
and he did not think Mr. Ogden had done even
as much rs that and he should not submit to be
controlled by those that could come out here for
half price and out vote them. lie wanted them
To wait until they could send out and bring in the
Simon pureS' The time drawing near for the
cars To start. Mr. Goodrich arose and told them
it was half past ., and urged the question or an
other ballot
Mr. Pinkcrton and others urged the consilcra.
lion Of the resolutions All was confusion The
cry was question Motion Sit down.
Mr. Farnsworth said be was sorry to see such
Noise and Confusion that his preference was
for Iovejoy and he hai been the wheel horse Of
the Liberty party, and they could trust him with
their banner, in the Halls Of Congress, or at the
gates Of Heaven Mr. Hayden and others at
tempted 10 speak, but were interrupted by ques-
tions and motions by the Cook county boys.
Mr. Loveioy at last took the floor and said lie
wanted to see HE friends have fair play-that
they would not submit TO the dictaton of Chica-
go, and his friends should be heard, if not there
a, least somewhere else At this time, the wins.
tie was heard which set every thing in commo.
ton. All Chicago was in buz-some crying,
question gden"-"Lovejoy flake off
your hats must go|-"Qucstionl' -when an
old man rose and remarked up where he came
from, they had no whistles He wished to know
ii the whistle was gong TO be precedent for fl-
ture free soil conventions For himself he had
voted the straight Liberty ticket for twelve years,
AMI never heard a whistle beforehand if the wills
tie had such an effect upon the party and was it
10 be a precedent, he wanted to know it. After
mach trouble, formal vote was taken, the Cook
county boys voting upon the run, and before the
votes were counted, they were ON their way for
Chicago, leaving the old Liberty Workers to sort
and count votes, and make proclamation that Mr..
Ogden was the candidate. The vote stood, Og.
den so, Lovejoy IS. So chagrined were the old
Liberty party, that they Withdrew with their can.
didate, leaving the free soers To plaster up n set
of resolutions that would heal all old sores, and
bring together the loose planls Of the Buffalo
Platform, One old wing that got decoyed into
the fold in lS4S, and who worked hard for them.
went into this convention, (he said with good in
tentions. When he saw the commissions and
throes Of this Heterogeneous mass, he accostcd an
old wing thus: will you take me into the wing
party againt am coming | never got in with