Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-05-03

II not that mere good intentions but tha
e a superior intelligence, coupled with su
0 perior virtue, should guide our affairs
: that not merely an honest, pOpula
e man, but that statesman be put at tn
e head of our government. In selectin,
E candidates for office, politicians are ac
D eiistomed to discuss the question o
: availability. What does availability
/ mean in our case? Look for the bes
{ men we have, and among the very bes
| let US select the strongest. The people
earnestly desire a thorough reform
t of our government. They want no
[ only change, but a change for the
: better. They want also therefore to bC
assured that ii will be for the better
and that the best candidate is likely tC
be the most available. If We present
men for the suffrage of the people whose
character and names appeal to the
loftiest interests and aspiration of the
patriotic citizen, we shall have on om
Side that which ought TO be, and which
now trust will be, the ruling argument
of the political cOntest-the conscience
of the nation. If that be done,
then success will be certain. Then
let us appeal to the minds and
hearts, TO the loftiest ambition OF
the people, with those arguments and
!, entreaties which spring only from
a clear conviction Of right. Then we
shall not appeal in vain for their sup
port to those of our fellow-citizens who
hitherto were separated from us by party
divisions, who desire honestly to work
for the best interests of the country in
this crisis, and whom we shall welcome
with frateTnRl feeling in this struggle for
a great cause, whether they call them
selves Democrats or Republicans. Then
weshall successfully overcome those pref
udices which now confront US. The in
sidiOus accusations that this great
convention is mere gathering of dis
appointed and greedy politicians,
will fall harmless at our feet, for
we shall have demonstrated by our
action that we were guided by pure
and patriotic motives, and they can be
done. Let us despise, as unworthy of
our cause, the tricks and manipulatiOns
| by which, to the detriment of the repub-
! lie, political bodies have so frequently
| been controlled. Let us, in the face of
! the great things to be accomplished, rise
above all petty considerations. Personal
| friendship and State pride are noble SEN
| timents; but what is personal friendship,
what is State pride, compared with the
great duty we owe to our common cOun-
| try, and the awful responsibility resting
on our action? As sensible men we
know that every one of us cannot be
gratified in the choice of his favorite.
Many of us will have to be disappoint-
ed, but in this solemn hour our hearts
should know but one favorite-and
that is the great American Republic.
For these words of warning and en-
treaty trust nobody will consider them
misplaced. / fervently hope the result
of our deliberations will show that they
were not spoken in vain. l know they
have sprung from the most anxious de-
sire to do what is best for our country,
and thus I appeal to you, with all the
fervor of anxious earnestness. We stand
on the Threshold of a great victory,
and victory will surely be ours if we
truly derire it.
THE BUSINESS BEGINS.
The annexed report of the Committee
on Credentials was presented:
Mr.. President-The Committee on
Credentials respectfully report the fol-
lowing persons whose names are here
uneo attached and contained in the
schedule numbering from one to forty
one inclusive, are entitled to seats in
this convention, to wit: Maine, No. l :;
Massachusetts,, 2; New Hampshire, 3;
Pennsylvania, 4; New York, 5; Connec-
ticut s; Merylavd, Z; Virginia, 8; Lou
isiana, g; Indiana, 10; Tennessee, IL;
Missouri, u; North Carolina, Is; Wis
consin, IA; California, Is; Nebraska, Is;
Alabama, Il; Texas IS; Oregon, 10;
Michigan, 90; Delaware, 81; Illinois, %:
West Virginia, %; Kansas, "a.
the subject matter of the protest, we re-
port the following resolution:
Rc8oIUed. That in the opinion of this
Convention, the contestants in the Con-
vention from the State of New York
are not entitled to feets in this Conyen-
ton.
In relation to the California delegation
we report the following resolution:
Resolued, That in the absence of such
credentials as seem sufficiently regular,
this committee cannot report the name
of Miss Laura DeFOrce Gordon as del
egate to the Convention from California,
but recommend that she and other la
dies present be rendered the courtesy of
the Convention. Further, that Colonel
w. w. Ro9kerby is entitled to cast the |
entire vote for California, and that the
other contestants are not entitled to
seats in this Convention.
Allof which is respectfully submitted.
Signed, THGS. J. WoRRELL, Chm.
BYRON SHERRY,
ROB'T j. FLEMING,
A motion was made to accept the re-
port Of the committee, with the excep-
ton of the resolution relative to Cali
fornia.
Mr.. Phillips, of Illinois-I understand
that a convention of few gentlemen
in a county in California met
and appointed the gentleman
named as a member of this convention.
He had heard that other gentlemen are
not citizens of California. Some of them
have not been citizens of California.
A deIegate-Mr. President, rise to a
point of order. We are not discussing
California resolutions.
The Chairman-We are discussing the |
whole proposition.
Cries of "Question ~ Question
The Chairman-The point of order is |
overruled.
Mr.. Phillips, continuing Some of
these gentlemen have not resided in |
California for many years. Now, gem
tlemen of the convention, is it fair, is ii |
Just, is it in conformity with the high |
principles that brought US here, in the |
name of which we are assembled, to
attempt to manipulate adelegation from
the State of California not justly entitled |
to their seats?
Continued cries of "Question.
B. r. Niekerson, of California, eX-
cluded by the report, made some re-
marks, amid many interruptions and
much impatience on the part of the con- |
vention. He asserted he had been |
resident of the State for twenty-five |
years and of the city of San Francisco,
for the past ten years, and intended to |
reside nowhere else. He claimed to be |
the Secretary of the State Central Conn |
mittee of California, and to have been |
requested to come here and take his |
seat in the convention. He considered |
it an outrage that gentlemen who only /
little mining districts in the |
interior of the State, should be allowed /
to carry the whole State in their panta-
looms pocket.
The Chairman of the Committee on
Credential, arose after repeated calls,
and stated that the question of admissi-
bility of certain California delegates was
in the committee meeting. 1t
was there shown that those who asked
to be admitted were not residents of the
State, and had not been from one to
ten years.
The committee found that Judge
alone was entitled to admis-
sion, and they reported the fact to the
While the debate was going on Mrs.
Gordon, intent on pushing the woman's
right movement into prominence, had
taken her position in front of the plat
form near the Presidents stand, and
very pluekily and persistently sought
TO be recognized by the presiding officer,
addressing the chair at every little mo-
mentary lull of the discussion, but
never getting beyond the words "Mr.
PRESIDENT Mr. Schurz studiously
paid no attention to her, carefully
avoiding her when practicable, and
never looking in the direction where
she stood. This continued until the re-