The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-06-28
ST. LOUIS.
National Democratic Convention.
The Time Spent i'm Speechmak-
ing.
Enthusiasm of the Crowd for Tilden.

bled in the hall of the st. Louis Chamber of
Commerce, which was decorated with garandS
OF leaves, the State coat OF arms, etc: The
weather was very warm and sultry, betokening
storm, and the delegates were promptly in
their places.
Convention Called 10 Order.
Itw 1920, however, before the convention
was called to order by Augustus Schell, chair
man of the National Democratic committee. A
military band in the rear of the chairman's desk
meanwhile, kept the assembly interested by
playing various national airs
Speech of MIR. schelI.
Mr. Schell made some brief remarks upon the
purpose of the Convention to nominate candi-
date whose election should change the govern
ment and overthrow corruption, and said that
administrative reform was demanded by the
people and this duty must be confided to the
hands OF the Democratic party The thing to
be reformed, he said, cannot 10 reformed by it.
self, the people are intelligent they understand
their rights, and will not again trust their inter-
ests to the Republican party.
He referred to the Democratic as the hard
money party from the beginning, and said that
it was trick to try to saddle on it the existing
policy, inconsistent with hard money princi-
pies. All the acts authorizing paper money as
legal tender including the opinion of the Su-
preme Court sustaining it,were done during the
Republican administration.
He then referred briefly to the evil results,
and said that the remedy is not rapid contrac-
ton or increased currency, but that the one
remedy at this time is repeal of the resump-
ton act. That being done and the Democratic
party being given the reins of government, their
policy on money and sound finance will bring
specie speedily.
He asked if after sixteen years of Republic
canlsm the Democratic party might not hope to
resume its supremacy in the government, and
said that the rules that would govern the Con-
ventiOn would insure good nominations and ex-
horted wisdom in making the platform.
The Temporary Organization.
AT the conclusion he nominated Henry Wat
terson of Kentucky for temporary chairman,
which was unanimously agreed to, and Mr.,
Watterson took the chair amid applause.
Speech of Henry Watierson.
On taking the chair Mr.. Watterson said, GEN
tlemen of the Convention, we are
called together TO determine by our
wisdom whether honest government
administered by honest men shall be
restored to the American people or to decide by
our folly that it is the destiny of the country to
pursue an endless circle of partisan passion and
corruption until with the loss of our material
we'll being we lose the poor mans last hope
civil liberty itself. He attributed the hard
times to partisan misrule and sectional misdi.
rectiOn. The Republicans are not alone respon-
sible. With them rest the disgraces with us
the follies. These twin agents of national mis-
chance working under the miserable rule of
contraries have kept the people of the North
duu OOubu dSlu6 duu nave SuppIl6Q SuSC0QaQc6
to corruption. They have disturbed values un-
settled prices made our whole financial system
a cheat and SNARE They have driven the best
elements of political society into exile and
have organized charlatapism into sort of pub
lie policy, enabling the rogue to get cheap ad-
vantage of his dupe and sacrificing every popu-
lar interest to the lust of that oligarchy which
has become so encruSted with power as to be-
lieve itself entitled to rule by sheer force of Its
own wrong doing. So much let us set down to
ft,s.n k.ewr,
long account of damages between North and
South. 1t is for you to say whether the same
conflict with consequences multiplied and mag
nifed shall by any act of yours be inaugurated
between East and West.
He cautioned the Convention to direct their
energies to the common enemy, and not make
battle among themselves. The work before us
should relate to ideas rather than to individuals
1t is the issue not the man that should engage
us. We have come here to make the people
fight for free, no less than for honest, govern
ment, for the reform of the public service and
regeneration of public morals, for administra-
tive relief from administrative nihilism, en-
braced in the simple creed of home rule, to re-
duce taxes and make living chance for the
South as well as the North, and for both the
East and West.
The points of the speaker were emphasized
by frequent applause.
At the conclusion he introduced Rev. Mr.
Marvin, who offered prayer. Chair announced
pCupUldIy SeCTtGdrltS, IrSu IL ". EFlDC6 OF
Mass, and T. o. Walker, Iowa; S. K Dono.
van OF Ohio, assistant secretary; also Dan. Able
of Missouri, sergeant-at-arms. Mr.. Abbott of
Mass. moved resolution adopting rules of last
national convention until otherwise ordered.
Littlejohn inquired if this includes twothirds
rule.
Chair. 1t does.
Abbotts resolution was then adopted.
Smalley of Vermont, moved to call the states
in order for presentation of credentials. Adopt
Committee on permanent organization and
on credentials were named by call of States.
Alter voting to adjourn, when Convention
adjourned to five clock, motion was carried
that the chairman of each delegation send the
name of one member to the president as men,
Der of the platform committee.
Committee on Resolutions.
Alabama, Leroy P. Walker; Arkansas, L.
" Mcguire; California, John S. Hager; Color
ado. T. j: Marshall; Connecticut. r. D. Hub.
bard; Delaware, Geo. Gray; Florida, John
Wess1tt; Georgia 9; F. Howell; 5lln9s, John
Iowa. H. 81. Lumbele; Kansas, Thos. L. Da-
Wis; Kentucky, IAlvan Duval; Louisiana, r. I'll.
Mann; Maine, d. r. Hastings; Maryland, Geo.
Freaner; Massachusetts, Edward Avery; Mich
Buck; Mississippi. A. M. Clayton; Missouri,
q. II. Horden; Nebraska, Geo. L. Enlen; Ne
vada, A. q. Ellis; New Hampshire. E. G. Bal
ley; New Jersey, Joseph Gales; New York.
VIM. Dorsheimer; North Carolina, Thomas L.
bingham; Ohio, Gen. Thomas Ewing; Ore
gon, M: Y. Brown: Pennsylvania, Malcomb
Hay; Rhode Island, VIM. B. Reed: South Car
DINA, Samuel MCGOWAN; Tennessee, John c.
Brown; Texas, Ashbel Smith; Vermont, Jo-
seph II. Williams; Virginia, John A Mere
dith West Virginia, John j. Davis; Wiscon-
sin, Alexander Mitchell.
Report on Credentials.
The Convention reassembled at 5. % D. m.
Committee on credentials reported that all the
States were represented and that there were no
contested seats. Report was adopted with an
amendment admitting delegations from the
District of Columbia and the Territories with
out votes.
John A. McClernand Made Chairman
Report of committee on permanent organiza-
ton was read commencing John A. McCler-
nand of Illinois for permanent president with
a vice president for each State. The report was
adopted and committee called Gen. McCler-
nand to the chair, who addressed the Conyen
tion extemporaneously.
He said: Gentlemen of the National DEM
ocratic Convention, thank you for the distin-
guished honor which you have done me in di-
Tecting me to preside over your deliberations.
You are the delegates of the Democracy of the
whole Union of 81 states, once unnaturally
strangled but now forever united in one indi-
visible republic, brothers of one political fam
lily, with the same heritage of liberty under
equal laws and heirs of one destiny. Shall
~
Shall we make that destiny the most glorious
in the history of free people? If your DELHI
erations, fellow Democrats, to-day shall be
wise, if your perceptions of the necessities of
our time, our country, our politics. shall be
just and sagacious, if your sympathy shall be
quick with the hearts of great people, then
beyond all peradventure we will transmit to
our children and our childrens children unim-
paired this great heritage. Yours will be a
better renown than the renown most priced by
the Roman 'conditores imper,' for greater
than the founders of empires are the preservers
of republics.
There are no enemies of the Union to-day on
this continent except that administrative CEN
tralism which is congesting at the capitol
the vital currents which ought to flow out
through every part, giving life the to farthest ex-
tremities of the body polite and energy to all
Its members, except that corruption which is
the curse that centralism never failed in age or
land to entail upon any government. Central
ism and corruption have imposed on ten states
the rapacious tyranries of carpet bag rule and
since peace have added $200,000,000 to their
debts. They have infected the government of
our Northern states and Northern cities with
the same disease of extravaganza and fraud.
They have debauched the Federal government
itself and made the names of scores of its high
officers and public men our public scandal, our
ofh