Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1875-07-23
DEMOCRATIC STATE CONVENTION.
First Day.

Institute, had made no nomination either
for Governor, Attorney General or Comp
troller, when the Convention adjourned
among the "wee small hours" of Thursday
morning, to meet again at 1890 A. NJ
The following summary of the proceed
ings, from the Sun, will give the reader
a pretty correct idea of the doings of the
Convention up to the hour of adjournment,
and as much as our limited space will
afford.
The Hon. Stevenson Archer of Hartford
county, presided over the preliminary proceed
ings of the Convention, and the permanent
organization was effected by eecting Hon T.
J. Heating, of Queen Anne's county, President.
with six Vice Presidents from various sections
of the State, and Morris A. Thomas, of Balti-
more city, and Francis Brengle, of Frederick,
Secretaries
1t will be seen that the rather unexpected
Groome simplifed the contest very materially,
and the result seemed foregone conclusion.
The greater part of the session was consumed
in debate over the vitality important question
whether the Baltimore city delegates should be
permitted to vote on questions incidental to'a
permanent organization and the appointment
of committee on credentials, growing out of
the fact that three wards of the city were car
ried in The interesyof Mr.. Hamilton for Cover
nor, and that thefCity Convention as a body
ignored that result in those wards and selected
delegates from them in the interest of Mr.. Car
roll for Governor, thus ruling out the three
delegates to the State Convention whose tickets
had been successful in the wards referred to.
There was much very earnest debate on this
point. Messrs. Freaner, of Washington; Cor
and Prettyman, of Montgomery, presented to
the Convention arguments against the right of
the city delegates TO vote on such preliminary
questions. Responses were made by Messrs.
Wootton and German, of Howard county, and
Mr.. Fenlon, of Baltimore city. The subject
was cut off in all It's preliminary stages at this
point by the decision Of the Chairman that the
city delegates, having credentials from the City
Convention was prima facie evidence that they
were entitled TO vote in the premises. From
this decision an appeal was taken, and the Con-
vention by vote of c. to ~ sustained the
chair, thus evincing Enthusiastically that the
Carroll interest had majority of votes in the
Convention.
| After all this skirmishing had been gone
through u Committee on Credentials and Per-
manent Organization was constituted, consist
| ing of one from each county and legislative
district of Baltimore city, and the Convention
took a recess, while the committee labored with
its burden.
| On the reassembling of the Convention there
were majority and minority reports presented,
the majority report indorsed by the Carroll
delegates ON the committee, and minority re-
port by the Hamilton delegates. The majority
report is brief, and while claiming that in the
case of the three contesting delegates from Ball
timore city they are convinced the delegation
who presented credentials from the City Con-
veuton were elected in conformity to usage,
yet virtually admits error by recommending
that hereafter each county aud each legislative
district of the city shall be represented in the
State Convention by delegates equal in number
| to their representation in the two houses Of the
Legislature. to be elected by and in each eoun-
ty and legislative district of Baltimore city r.-
-r--~.i-,a r,a .'ru. --r-i -fvvrivrr -arzst v c'f
at such time and places NAV be designated
by the local committees or conventions after a
call by the State Central Committee
The minority report is lengthy. II urges
that the action of the City Convention ignored
the rights of the minority In the tenth and
twentieth wards delegates were elected in favor
of Groome for Governor in the sixth, ihir-
| tenth and nineteenth for Hamilton, aud in all
| the other wards for Carroll that the City Con-
vention, as unit, ignored the preference Of
those FIVE wards for Hamilton and Grooms re-
speeiivsiy, and gave the entire city representa-
| ton in the State Convention TO Mr.. Carroll for
Governor. 1t is claimed tina, each legislative
district should have held convention jus, as
each county in the State did, and should have
chosen its delegates in like manner. I, is also
asserted that all this action was taken as fore
Sailing the dictum of the State Central Com
mittee of the Democratic party in Maryland,
and was, therefore, illegal. But waving all
minor objections, and looking TO unity Of the
party, and eonceding the right of the city to
full and fair representation in the Convention,
the report comedies to Mr.. Carroll the ward re-
presentation he secured ut the primary election,
and claims for Messrs. Hamilton and Groome
representation from the wards which were
carried by them.
The majority report was adopted in commit
| tee by vote of 10 to IL, and in Convention by
a vote of SO to 40. There was much aud ex-
cited debate over these reports both in COM
mittee and in Convention, considerable acri-
mony being evineed on the part of the warning
factions.
Many hours were spent in dilatory debate
and efforts for a recess by the Hamilton men,
without opportunity having been afforded even
for the presenting of names of candidates or
preparation of platform. At twenty-five
minutes past four the Convention adjourned
until 80 A. NJ, with the understanding that
the voting shall commence at that hour
second Day.
Upon the Resembling of the Conven-
ton Thursday morning the first business
transacted was the appointment of COM
mittee to prepare Platform of principles
Soon after. the nominations for Governor
were made. The names Of John Lee Car
roll, VIM. T. Hamilton and Richard Grason
were presented by their respective friends
The name of Gov. Groome was not present
ed, as he had announced to the Conven-
ton, by letter, his withdrawal. Upon the
first ballot Mr.. Carroll was declared the
nominee of the Convention. The vote
stood for Carroll go, Hamilton 43, Grason
Z. The vote of the Baltimore county
delegation, which was cast for Grason,