Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-09-29
The Convention.

In other respects besides its result, the con
venton here afforded cause of pride and con-
graduation 10 the republicans of Massachusetts,
and to all who cherish the honor of this com
monwealth. AT the close of canvass conduct
ed with so much heat, in convention almost
every one of whose members felt an intense
personal interest in the issue, the
decorum, fairness and mutual courtesy
with which the business was conducted,
are in the highest degree crcditable
to the temper and intelligence of the delegates.
Those in the state and elsewhere who predicted
a scene of disorder and violence resulting per-
haps in hopeless confusion before the business
of the convention could be transacted, showed
their ignorance of the people of Massachusetts
Our citizens have too much self-control and re-
spect for the rights and opinions of others
TO turn a meeting for deiberation and
action on important political matters
into scene of riot and tumult Much
of the credit for the harmonious and Or
derby dispatch of business is due to the pres-
dent, who performed the delicate and arduous
duties Of his position with remarkable skill,
energy, prompttude, and fairness. He com
manded the respect and Difference of the assem-
bly,, and his decisions, enforcing the prophecies
of debate and excluding everything irrelevaut,re-
ceiyed in all cases the ready and cheerful assent
of the most excited and eager partsans. Only
through his efficiency as presiding officer was
itpossible to bring to an end in one day the pro-
ceedings, prolonged beyond precedent by the
peculiar difficulties of the situation Mr.. Hoar's
conspicuous and excellent service in this memoir
able convention will recommend him very
strongly to the confidence of the people of the
state
1t may be, if the cause is not properly under
stood, considered disparagement to the good
faith and fairness Of some of the delegates that
more votes were cast in certain counties than
the number to which they were entitled. II has
been suggested in some quarters shat this dis
crepancy was proof of fraud. We are salts
ned, however, that no fraud was intended. The
excess OF votes doubtless arose from mistakes
that might easily have been made, and in some
cases were made, as we happen to know. 1t is
within our knowledge that two towns, entitled
10 only two delegates each, chose three through
misapprehensiou Of their rights under the call
for the convention. The attention Of the com
mittee on credentials not having been called to
the circumstance, and being much occuped
with other matters, the mistake was not recti-
fed, and each OF these cases would thus account
for one Of the votes above the allotted number
Similar mistakes probably occurred elsewhere.
This explanation seems proper to relieve the
convention from the odous imputation Of hay
ing among It's members men who were capable
of ballot box stuffing.
The only thing to be regretted in the doings Of
the convention was the failure of Mr.. Aldrich to
receive the nomination for the Office Of attorney
general We have explained elsewhere the pecu-
liar combination Of circumstances which caused
this departure from what would undoubtedly
have been the action Of the convention, if It's
concluding business had been conducted more
deliberately and not under the pressure Of ex.
eitemeni arising from the great event Of the
day. Without dlsparagement to the candidate
selected, who is an able lawyer, and will not fall
behind the requirements Of his position, we do