Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-07-11

resumed business.
Tho Chairman appointed the following
Committee on Resolutions:
Messrs. Williamson, of Cleveland.
Hastings, of Willoughby.
Fogg, of Cleveland
Ellsworth, Of Richfeld.
Walworth, of Euclid.
Mr.. ]. H. Clark. of the Committee on
Credentials, made a report in favor of ad-
hitting the regular delegations in the cases
Of all the contested wards and townships.
Mr.. 7. Jones moved that the report of the
Committee be accepted and adopted.
Gen. Crowell requested that;the memorial
in the case of the Third Ward be read to
the Convention, urging that the Convon-
ton could not decide these cases without
hearing the evidence.
DR.. Curtiss, Chairman of the Committee,
protested against going over, in convention,
the same ground gone over by the Com
mittee.
On motion of Mr.. Williamson the report
of the Committee was accepted.
Mr.. Williamson then moved that the case
of each township and ward be taken up
separately, and that in the case of each
contested delegation such delegation should
not be allowed to vote.
Mr.. Boardman thought this course would
occupy too much time in the convention.
Mr.. McReynolds protested earnestly
against the hurrying through of this i'm
portant matter. Rumors were abroad that
men were here occupying their seats by
Copperhead votes, and it was due to the
Convention and to the people who sent del
egates to the Convention, that the investi-
CATION be full and thorough. SO that not a
suspicion of corruption shall be left. He
favored Mr.. WiIliamson's motion. 1t came
from a man on the othor side of the house,
but It was fair and just.
DR.. Curtiss spoke warmly against the po-
sitioa of the last speaker, taking the re-
marks as insinuations against the fairness
and impartiality of the Committee.
Mr.. McReynolds made a personal expla-
nation stating that he meautn no disrespectt 70
the Committee, all of whom he believed to
be honest men, but that he wished to know
what the doings of the Committee had
been, in detail not SO much to satisfy him
self as to clear the party from the imputa-
tons which had been cast upon it.
An amendment was offered by Dr.. Ash
man, that no member of any of the contes-
ted delegations be allowed to vote on this
question, which was lost.
Mr.. Jones said that it would be impossi-
Bile to get all the evidence necessary to a
thorough investigation before the Conven-
ton as only the contesting evidence was
written while that against the memorials
was verbal, and many witnesses were now
scattered about the city.
Mr.. Williamson's motion was voted upon
and lost-the Parsons men and Mr.. Will
liams on (alone among the Spalding mem
voting for it.
Judge Bolton then demanded that the facts
on which the Committee had based their
report be submitted to the Convention.
The Convention was governed by the rules
of the House of Representatives, and by
them any member had a right to demand
evidence in any case of this kind. Tho
case of contesting the seat of Brooks In the
House, was cited as q precedent.
The Chair decided that the Convention
was competent to say whether the evidence
should be read.
Judge Bolton in rising to speak a
second time, an attempt was made
to silence him by calling for the
question. He respectfully protested
against being cut off from remarks. We
are all brothers and belong to the same
family. Ifmy candidates opponent is selec-
ted I hall give him a hearty support, and
I am sure there is no need of any division
in the Union ranks and there will be none.
But if there are men here who are elected
by Copperhead votes, l don't want to asso-
ciate with them. 1 want to go home and
say that this has been an honest Csnven-
ton. 1t is rumored that I96 votes were cast
in the Third Ward more than for Gen. Cox
for Governor. Perhaps the Ward has grown
80 enormously. So in the Third and Fifth
Wards. The evidence will show the cause
of this wonderful increase. The Judge
spoke several minutes, urging harmony,
and appealing for justice. He belonged .
the minority, but he demanded his rights,
and felt confident that this Union Conven-
ton would grant them. He called for the
evidence in these cases.
Gen. Crowell said that the house had no
authority to refuse to nave the testimony
read, if it were acting under the rules of
the House of Representatives. He was sur
prised at the sensitiveness of the Chairman
of the Committee on Credentials. Calling
for evidence in public bodies is a very com
mon occurrence, and is never considered an |
imputstion on the honesty of the commit
tee. Besides, in this case the committee
we're not a unit, the vote on the Second and
Third Wards standing ; to-.
The Chair then explained more fully his
position-that the report of the committee
was before this body as a whole that the
body was competent to decide whether it
would hear a part the whole, or none of
the evidence.
Mr.. McReynolds asked if the evidence
was not properly a part of the report, when
the Chair again repeated its ruling.
Dr.. Curtiss, in behalf of the commit
tee, explained their action. He said that
there was evidence to prove that there were
Copperhead votes cast in all the wards. Hell
would state a few instances. In the Fourth
Ward there were IS more votes than had
ever been polled for a Union candidate at
any election, and the delegates were elect
ed by a majority of three only. In Brook
lyn 80 or 40 Copperhesd votes were cast,
yet the regular delegation was allowed. In
the Third Ward all who would pledge
to support the Union nominees
were allowed to vote, and Ie6 more votes
were polled than for Governor Cox.
Lavan had testified before the com
and had stated that he had always
voted the Union ticket, and that he believ-
ed that all who voted under his direction
would sustain the nominee of the Conven-
ton. The speaker was unable to say whe-
the testimony of Lavan was reliable.
In the other wards there was evidence that !
votes had been cast. The COM
must reject all or admit all.
Mr.. Jones moved the previous question
u adopting the report.
Gen. Crowell asked the Chair if it WAS {
proper in a popular assembly to cut off all ]
by putting the previous ques-
on the adoption Of q report, after the