The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1867-10-08

4
ton III III
The resolutions adopted by the Democrauo
States Convention which met at Albany las'
week deal in ,clittering financial generahties'
declar;no International debt a sacred obliga-
t;onn o,d in various ways striving to convey
v;,ho,, distinctly expressing the idea that the
Democrats of New York are III FAVOR OF honest
,,o,,oant Of the debt. The reported proceed
inc of the convent III show just how much
these ingeniously worded resolutions are
worth Two delegates entered vigorous pro-
test against the resolutions, declaring that the
party is sin favor of taxing Government bonds
aud paying the debt in currency and the con-
vention ought to sag So" To this Mr.. Haskins
replied very frankly that the Democracy must
first get power and then they could regulate
the financial question: Meanwhile he deplor-
ed this untimely discussion every moment OF
which "was losing the party hundreds OF votes
in the coming election" The people OF the
Empire State will know how to deal with a
party which declares in its State convention,
that its first business Is to get power
and that after getting into power 1t VIII
adopt measures so base that it dares not now
even announce them. We copy the following
account of this instructive scene from the New
York Times: fIi
. The Convention was remarkably harmonious
for a Democratic body, until they came to the
platform. The Chairman of the Committee on
Resolutions having read the report one John
McKeon startled the Convention by protesting
in the most excited manner against the entire
platform. There was not a resolution in it
that suited him. He thought it was about
time that Democratic Convention took bold
1o,,
OF the Democracy ofthe country. They had stood
on the defensive long enough, and it was time
they made an attack on the enemy. The reso-
buttons reported by the Committee said moth
ing whatever about the equality or sovereignty
of the States; nothing about the tariff; moth
ing definite even about the Excise Law
As to the national debt it entirely ignored
the issue now before the people. 1t seemed to
imply that the Government bonds should be
paid in gold. The Democracy of the country
demanded that they should be paid an currency.
Money that was good enough to pay the soldier
with his broken leg was good enough to pay
| the Government bondholder. They also de-
manded that these bonds should be taxed. As
to the liquor question: he was in favor of put
ting the traffic III that article the same foot
| ing as all other merchandise. He closed his
remarks by denouneing the whole platform as
weak and meaningless, and offered an amend
men. to the fifth resolution, pledging the Con
vention to a repeal of the Excise Law of 1867.
and call being made for the taking up of each
resolution separately, when the second resOlu-
ton was reached Mr.. McKeon again took
the floor and repeated his views upon the finan-
ces and national debt and offered an amend
ment corresponding herewith .-.lsi.a-
MIR. John ID. Hasklns, a member of the Com
mittee on Resolutions, protested with great
energy against the amendment and the re-
| marks by which it was supported. He said
that such an amendment would put upon the
Democratic Party the stigma of reputation,
and they would be beaten by 10000 majority
| Let the Democracy first get pOoer, he said, and
| then they could regulate the financial question,
| equalize taxation, and put down the oppressors
| of the people.
| Mr.. Dewitt, Of Ulster. came to the support
| of MIR. McKeon. He, too, believed that the great
| men of the Democratic Party ,oere in .fdUor Of
taxing Government bonds and paying the debt
in currency, and this Convention ought to say
Mr. Tilden said it had been already decided
| by the Supreme Court that these bonds could
not be taxed, and there was therefore, no oc-
casion to introduce this firebrand into the par
| ty. He moved to lay the amendment on the
| table. =
| On this motion another discussion was
| about to spring up, half a dozen delegates
| jumping to their feet in the most excited man.
ner, when Mr.. Haskins implored them to
| desist from any further discussion ofths char
acter EUe1y moment of this discussion he said
,ods losing the party hundreds of Uotes in the
ing election.
Mr.. McKeon demanded the yeas and nays on
the resolution to lay his amendment on the
table, which was granted, and the amendment
| was table 4. as f
In order to prevent a repetition of the scene
| on the remaining resolutions, Mr.. Millspaug b
| of Orange, then moved that the resolutions as
| reported from the Committee be adopted, and
| on this motion he called the previous question.
A member objected that the previous ques-
| ton could not be called, inasmuch as the Con-
vention had not adopted any rules, but Gov.
| Seymour said that all deliberative bodies had
| Alright to put an end to debate whether they
had adopted rules or not and the previous
| question was also in order. ss, 1isfh
This ended the debate, and the resolutions
as reported, with the single amendment rela-
tive to the Excise Law, were adopted.