The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1876-07-14
The St. Louis Convention.
TILDEN AND HENDRICKS.
Detailed Report of the Ma
tional Democratic
Convention.

The convention assembled at ten
| O'Clock in the large and beautiful hall OF
| the St. Louis chamber of commerce
which was decorated with garlands OF
leaves, state coats-of-9Tms, flowers, etc
The delegates were promptly in their
places, but it was twenty minutes past
! twelve before the conventioISFWas called
| to order by Hon. Augustus Schell,
chairman OF the national democratic COM
mittee.
Mr.. Schell, in calling order, said:
| GENTLEMEN.-As chairman of the nation.
al democratic convention, the duty has been
| assigned to me to call this convention to or
der. According to the usages of the deme-
cratic party, this large body of representa-
tives, coming from every section of the
union, have assembled for the purpose of
nominating for the democratic party candi-
| dates for president and vice president of the
United States, whose election will make a
| change in the administration of the govern
| ment, and stay the corruption which is now
destroying it. [Applause.l The moment
| GUS issue before the country is outlined and
| clear, in distinct form and proportion, and
it cannot be overlooked, underestimated or
| avoided. Administrative reform is demand
ed by the American people, of every class,
| [applause] and of all parties. The cOrrup-
| tiOn which now exists in the government
and elevated, and the question to whose
hands shall be committed the duty of cleans
| ing and raising it; shall it be committed to
those whose uncleGn hands have spoiled it?
| No; in this hour, when the national honor,
public virtue, and the moral sentiment of
mankind demand reform, the duty must and
shall be assigned to the democratic party.
[Great applause.l The people will not sup
port this that the thing to be reformed can
be reformed by itself. They will answer: 1t
is necessary in the case of an individual who
is answerable to his conscience and to his
God for his sins; hut what is to become of
public officials integrity if men to whom is
assigned the performance of public trusts
shall abuse their power, violate their obliga-
tiOns and their oaths The people are gener-
Ods and confding, and are honest. They
may be slow, but in the end they are intelli-
gent and sagacious. The people well COM
prehend their rights and their interests.
Their rights have been fearfully violated, and
their interests too shamefIlly neglected to
ever again trust the administration of their
government to the republican party. Great
applause. There is also another issue which
commands the consideration of the country,
and that is the currency issue. The demo-
cratic party has from its origin, and through
all the time of its existence, been what is
known the hard money party of the coun-
try [applause], and the subtle and adroit
effort on the part of the republican party to
cndTR6 upon J06 ueUlOCIdIlC party Ine pre-
sent condition of affairs, and to insist that
that party is now the sOftmOney party, is
entirely incorrect; for, let me ask, on what
page of the statutes, on what act of public
authority, in which democrats have had the
power and the control, is there written one
word, one line, one law, which has provided
or caused the present condition of things
All the acts of this government recognize
and the issue of paper money authOriZin 7
their use as legal-tender, and the action Of
the supreme court in declaring the law con-
stitutiOnal under which these acts were au-
thorized, were all done and performed dur,
ing the existence and power of the republi-
can party. What has been the effect of it?
Commerce is paralyzed the manufacturing
interest almost destroyed in the country;
prosperity has disappeared, and want has
taken its place. How is it to he remedied?
The democratic party with its interests will
see that the remedy is applied of frugal and
economical government, and diminutiOn of
taxation. 1t cannot be brought about by
forced contraction. [Applause.l 1t should
not be assisted by additional imitation, but
take the country as it stands, Iapplause1
We are called upon to apply the remedy, and
one remedy which cOmInends itself to every
honest man and to every reasonable demo-
crat is to demand the repeal of the resump
ton act [Applausel. | repeat, that act
put the government in the power OF the dem
Ocratic party, and let them pursue the course
-
ministration of that government, and / as
sure you the time is not far distant when
specie payment will he resumed the pros
periUy of the country be restored, and the
whole American people be happy once more
Gentlemen, the tide is auspiciOus and the
occasion a suggestive one. One hundred
years ago the first democratic assemblage
met in Philadelphia, representatives of the
colonies of the Atlantic shore of this cOun-
try. [Appausel. They were under the
guide of that sage, that patriot, that name
ever to be revered, Thomas Jefferson Zap
plausel, who laid the foundation of that civil
and religious liberty which our fathers built
and which we now enjoy on this occasion.
This centennial year the democratic party
has assembled in convention once more to do
that which our fathers did that is to say, to
proclaim the course and to adopt the means
which shall be necessary to restore us to our
ancient prosperity. [Applausel. During all
the time that the power OF the government
has been in the hands of the democratic par
ty, during all that time prosperity has gov
erned our country; but whenever that flag
has been dropped by the advances of repub-
lican power, sorrow and shame have been
our condition. [Applausel. May we not
hope now, after sixteen wears of republican
power, that the democratic party may as
sumo its rightful position before the country?
TApplausel. l shall not attempt to forecast
the action of this convention in the perform
suce of the duties whiCh it is called upon to
perform either IN the nomination of a presi-
dent or president of the United States
or in the adoption of it's platform. The rules
by which this convention is governed are
such as to insure the nomination ef some
gentleman whose character and position as a
statesman and as an Individual is ripe in the
experience of one and pure and stainless in
his character in the other; who will see that
none other is nominated for either of those
offices. As to the platform, this convention
will act wisely and in accordance with the
principle that those are best governed who
are least governed. [Applausel. | doubt
not that much will be left to the energy, the
management and the economy of our people,
and less to federal legislation, for the future
government of our country. have now TIE
honor, in the name of the national commit
tee, to propose for your temporary chairman
Mr.. Henry NJ. Watterson, of Kentucky
[Cheersl.
Mr.. WattersOn was unanimously elect
ed temporary chairman, and Senator Bar
mum, of Connecticut, and Senator Ran
som, of North Carolina, were appointed
committee to conduct him to the chair
Mr.. WattersOn assumed the chair and
was received with cheers. Upon the
subsistence of the applause, Mr.. Waiter
son addressed the convention.
At the conclusion of Mr.. Watterson's
remarks, which were received with great
applause, Bishop Marvin made a prayer,
the assemblage rising.
MISS PHGBE CozzINs ADDRESSES THE
CONVENTION.
At this point the chair announced
that delegates from the national wo-
mans rights organization were present
and desired to address the convention.
No objection being made, Miss Cozzins
then stepped forw ard and deliverd an
ad lress.
Accompanying this address was the
following plank for the democratic plat
form, which was referred to the commit
tee on resolutions
WHEREAS, The damocratic partv was the
first to abolish the property Qualification and
extend the right of suffrage to all white men
of the older states and,
WHEREAS, 1t was democratic Legislature
that extended the right of suffrage to the wo
men of Wyoming; therefore,
ReSolUed, That we pledge ourselves to secure
the right of suffrage to the women of tba