The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-07-13

mlttee on permanent cfEanlsatlOn, anC
Sam'l. McGowan, of Abbeville, for the
committee on platform and resolutions
Every State was entitled to one member
on each committee. Hon. B. F. Perry
of Greenville, was designated as Vice
President, and James A. Foyt, of An
derson, was named as Secretary, in the
organization of the Convention-these
officers being selected, like the commit
tees, from each State.
The magnificent hall in which the
Convention was held belonged to the
Merchants Exchange wealthy and
influential corporation, embracing the
produce merchants and dealers of st
Louis. The building was recently erec
ted for the accommodation of the grow.
ing interests of the mercantile commu
nifty, and is a most substantial and pala'
tial ornament to that portion of the city
The architect, Maj, Francis D. Lee, is g
native of South Carolina, who removed
to st. Louis ten years ago, and has
achieved great success in his profession
He was member Of the resident com.
mittee, in charge of the decoration and
arrangement of the hall, and it was un-
der his immediate supervision that the
admirable plans of the resident commit
tee were perfected. We will not attempt
a full description of the hall and its ex.
tensive ornamentation, which reflected
most iayorably upon the liberality and
good taste Of the citizens of st. Louis,
whose profuse hospitality was manifested
in the extensive and elaborate arrange
ments made for the comfort, convenience
and entertainment of delegates and visi-
tors. The hall is about two hundred feet
in length and about eighty feet in width,
and its capacity was estimated to hold
six thousand persons, on the floor and in
the galleries. The 'rostrum was directly
facing the main entrance, and was beau
tifully decorated with costly flowers in
large marble vases. Along the front
edge of the platforms, on either side Of
the rostrum, were flower pots filled with
rare exotics and beautiful plants-an
evidence of the cultivated taste and
elegance pervading the community
Over the centezof The rostrums land
against the gallery was large medallion
representing the coat of arms of the
United States, and around the entire
hall, resting against the gallery, were a
number of smaller medallions represent
ing the coat of arms of each State and
Territory. These medallions were en-
twined WITH long grasses to form an ap-
propriate frame, and were connected
with each other by festoons of ever
greens.
The arrangement of the hall for the
seating of delegates was in semi-circu-
lar form, enclosing the rostrum as the
focal point. The seats we're arranged for
the exact number of delegates, and each
State was assigned its position, which
was designated by small banner, on
which was inscribed the name of the
State, surrounding the typical eagle on q
shield. Narrow aisles at convenient dis
tances permitted the delegates to reach
their places. The seats were common
wood bottom chairs, fastened together
underneath with a strip of plank. 4
single row of chairs for ladies was in the
rear Of the delegates, against the railing
which separated the spectators from the
Convention. Outside of the railing was
the accommodations for visitors, and
every inch of available space was brought
into requisition, as the demand was much
greater than the supply even in this
large structure. The seats were so
arranged that those in the rear were
nearly as desirable as the front rows, as
they gradually ascended from the floor.
The entire arrangement was temporary
in its character, and yet the improve
ments were entirely substantial.
The police management was excellent
in every respect; indeed, we were i'm
pressed with the polite and intelligent
conduct of the police force throughout
the city. Officers were stationed on the
grand staircase to prevent persons
ascending to the main entrance who were
not supplied with tickets of admission,
and thereby prevent blockade of the
passage-ways. Others were stationed at
convenient distances to preserve order,
and several policemen assisted the door
keepers in recognizing those entitled to
admission. Each delegate was supplied
with a badge and ticket of admission,
besides three tickets for his friends, and
we were told that such was the anxiety
to witness the proceedings, persons were
offering large sums of money for admis-
sion cards; in some instances s25 was
offered without success.
The temporary organization of the
Convention was decidedly pleasing to
every one. The selection of Mr.. Henry
Watterson, the gifted and accomplished
editor of the Louisville Courier-Jounal,
as temporary chairman was recognized as
a just and worthy tribute to an honored
profession, which makes and unmakes
politicians every day, and is seldom ex-
alted through its members to prominent
places in party management. Besides, it
was a merited acknowledgment of the
L. NJ Wof