The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-10-16

The CHATTANOOGA CONFERENCE.-The New
York Times gives the following entertaining
account of the first day of the Chattanooga
Convention: -rsi 3 :rl
Throughout the day, it has been hardly pos
sible to treat the proceedings of this body with
gravity. The scant array of patriots gathered
before the Presidents chair was almost exclu-
sively composed of Federal officeholders, and
twas difficult to resist the impression that
they were working for bread and butter. Two
of the reconstructed states, North Carolina and
South Carolina, were wholly unrepresented,
and the general opinion was that in staying
away discretion with them had been the better
part of valor. North Carolina was, perhaps,
hardly missed, but it was expected that South
Carolina would be on hand to explain the sci
ence of government according to the new books
of Moses. Morris it necessary to 60 into his
tory of the antecedents of those who were
actually present. The leaders have been men,
toned, and the nation knows them by heart.
Some of the Democratic papers are to waste
space, tomorrow, in giving the antecedents of
these personages, which seems work of SUI
pererogation. Their names will sufficiently
answer the purpose of showing that this con-
vention is a political blunder. Nothing that it
can say or resolve will be likely to have much
effect on American opinion; yet it is to say
and resolve great deal. .-f
1t is but fair to say that the convention did
not seem to be wildly impressed bv- the speech
of itsScharman. That it was not an enthu-
siastic body was apparent from the fact that
only twice during his harangue did it break
into applause, and its inconsistency appeared
by the fact that on neither occasion was there
the slightest cause for these approving mani
festations. When Governor Parsons finally
concluded. the task of appointing the remain
ing committees was undertaken, and at once it
appeared that few men were of manv minds.
The great trouble was to determine the number
of which each committee should be composed,
but it was finally decided, after gray-headed
delegate from Tennessee had made score or
of speeches on the subject, that each COM
mttee should have one member from each
state, which was an act of great kind
ness to Mr.. Wentworth, who. as the sole repre-
sentative of Florida, would have had some diff
ficulty in subdividing himself if contrary rule
had been adopted. When the committee had at
last been appointed it was found that there was
one from each of the represented states on
resolutions, on address, and on facts and sta
tistics: which latter will come to be known as
the Outrage committee, for it is to be con-
tinued beyond the sessions of the convention
and to furnish the nation with any desired
number OF southern outrages. 1t was raised
on the motion of Governor Brooks of Arkan-
sas, who,it appears, at this late day, is Simon
Pure Republican, fully entitled to the sympa-
thy of the reconstructed.
In the several delegations could ibe seen men
who have become known to the nation and the
mention of whose names is sufficient to show
the ideas Dy which the convention is likely to
be dominated. From Louisiana there were
Senator West P. B. s. Plnchhack, and Attor-
ney-General Field; from Arkansas, SEN
ators Clayton and Dorsey, Governor Joseph
Brooks and Judge Mcclure; from Georgia, Col
onel Farrow; from Alabama, Governor Par
sons, Governor Lewis, Senator Spencer, and
Arthur Bingham; from Tennessee, Mr.. Prosser;
from Texas, Governor Davis and Bowles Baker,
who has somewhat unsavory record at Mobile
in connection with cotton permits by the steam
er Planter. There was sprinklng of twenty
five colOred men among the $50 delegates who
were present, the most prominentamong whom
was Congressman jeff Long of Georgia, who
was continually calling upon somebody to make
speech during thel intervals of business, all of
which invitations were firmly declined.
The hall in which the convention met was
like the town of Chattanooga-hal finished.
The walls were especially incomplete, and the
floor was covered with saw-dust, which gave
forth most unsavory smell. The local COM
mittee had, however, done all in their power to
make the barracks presentable, and the stage
was tastefully carpeted and decorated with
flags There were upright placards to desig-
nate the places of the various states, in faint
imitation of the habit of national conventions
and these constituted the preparations which
had been made forlthe meeting ofithe body.