The Portland daily press., 1872-06-21
The Democratic District Convention.

One hundred and seventy mine farmers and
business men of York and Cumberland coun-
ties came up to Portland yesterday to perform
the solemn duty of designating two persons to
represent them in the sad duty of closing the
eyes of the once great and powerful Democrat
ic party at Baltimore ON the 9th of nextmontb.
There was a great deal of unseemly levity in
dulged in. The patient has been SO long in
failing health, and his decease SO certain that
we don't wonder his friends, to whom he has
been burden, are glad that the final hour is
at hand which will give them liberty to 90 after
strange objects of alteration.
These men came up early in the morning
and INDUCED in hand-shakings and talks about
crops. Agricultural topics are always in order
now In gatherings of that kind. They talked of
springing grain; the white wheat and luxurient
oats; but their talk was modified with sad
thought OF the autumn harvest and the inevita-
BILE fail of November
Well, after they had talked of all these
things, and discussed informally the merits of
their proposed delegates to the Baltimore OBJ
sequies, Col. John M. Adams, of the Argus
commanded silence and called Luther s. Moore
of Limerick to preside temporarily Mr..
Moore thanked the convention for the honor
&c He said he wouldn't infict speech on
them; it was better that they proceed to bust
ness. Willis McIntire of Biddeford, and
Charles H. Reynolds of Gorham, were appoint
ed temporary secretaries. Col John NJ Good
win of lBiddeford, Asa Low of Sanford, Lu-
Their Junkins of York, Jonathan Smith of Deer
ing, and Washington Bray of Naples were
made Vice Presidents; and then Col L. D. M.
Sweat of Portland moved that this organiza-
ton be made permanent. The call for the
Convention was read by the President and the
District Committee were invited to act as
Committee ON Credentials. They had their
figures all ready and at once reported that
70 people had come up from "Old York to
join the one hundred from Cumberland.
HI. X. Bradbury of Hollis 7. H. Hubbard of
Biddeford, and Col Charles B. Merrill were ap-
pointed to draw up the customary resolutions
of principles and intentions The Convention
then voted to proceed to the main business of
the session, but agreed TO divide to give the
county delegates an opportunity to present
names of delegates and alternates The York
county delegates withdrew and chose Asa
The choice of delegate from York fell on Will
liam Emery of Alfred, with Shipley w. Kicker
of South Berwick as alternate. The Cumber-
land delegates chose Charles p. Kimball chair
man and George o. Gosse secretary The
chairman made them a little speech and pro-
posed committee to receive their votes. Here
Charles I'll. Haskell rose and said there had
been red-hot fight between himself and
Commodore" Churchill, in which the man in
blue had got rather the best of him. He wasn't
going to be ugly about it, but would act with
the party just the same. He wanted har-
mony and thought the party had got strength
enough to send man to Congress from this
district next fall. 1--WE believe somebody made
a similar remark ON a similar occasion two
years ago. He presented the name of James
M. Churchill for the suffrages of the Conven-
ton.
Here the audience stamped, clapped their
hands and gave three cheers
Then the chairman got up and said this was the
strongest augury of succe IS that he had witness
ed. They owed Mr.. Haskell three more cheers.
They ought to remember him and his friends
and give him three more. And as cheers were
ohOoP, 1he duulcnCo gave I'M Cnnree very good
ones. Col. Sweat moved that the nomi-
nation of Mr. Churchill be made unani-
nous; but Col Merrill interrupted the
natural action of the delegation and
moved that Mr.. Haskell be unanimously
for alternate; so both motions were
carried amidst a tumult. -Fj
Here the Convention consolidated again, and
the chairmen of the delegations made their re-
ports, and the President asked to have the NOM
nations ratified and confirmed And the dele
gates stood up and made another tumult with
their voices
Mr.. Bradbury, one of the gentlemen appoint
ed to do something positive, then came forward
and #~E rE E9
Resolved, That we, the Democracy of the
First Congressional District, most heartily re-
affirm and endorse the platform of principles
set forthby the late Democratic State Conven-
ton.
The delegates made no objection to this dec
laration, but informally agreed to disband as
they had already occupied forty-fve minutes of
time. 1t is questionable whether it
was worth while for most of these people to
come so far and do so little that might not have
been done by the District Committee