The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-06-29


England censured in dishOhorable speculation the
Presidents Private Secretary basely escaping con-
Ue tSa upon trial for guilty compcy in frauds
high crimes and confessed misdemeanor. the DEM
onsrraion is complete that the first steps in reform
must be the peoples choice of honest men from an
other party lest the disease of one political organiza
ton infect the body politic and lest by making
change Of men or party we can get no change of
measures and no reform.
All these abuses, wrongs and crimes the product of
sixteen years ascendancy of the Republican party
cans themselves but their reformers voted down
in convention and displaced from the cabinet The
the eighty thousand Office holders. its leaders and
guides. Reform can only be had by fearful civic
revolution We demand change of system,
change of parties that we may have change Of meas
ures and of men.
The reading was frequently interrupted by
| applause.
The denunciaton of resumption and the de-
mand for its repeal was received with especial
| favor.
AT the conclusion Mr.. Dorshemer said the
committee had adopted and endorsed, though
not as part Of the platform, the resolution he
had read endorsing the action of the
House of Representatives in cutting down
| the appropriations and exhorting them to
| frmneso; also the resolution in regard to the
| just claims of soldiers and Sailors widows and
| orphans.
MIR. Ewing Introduces the Rag Baby.
Mr.. Ewing of Ohio took the platform and at
| the request of several members of the commit
/ tee, presented the minority report recommend
| ing the striking out of the following clause in
| the majority to wit
As such hndrance we denounce the resumption
| clause of act of 1875, and we demand its repeal
| He proposed to substitute therefor the fol-
| lowing words:
"The law for the resumption of specie payments on
tie Republican party without deliberation in Con-
gress and without discussion before the people, and
hahn hot o1dh
injurious to the business OF the country should be
| forthwith repealed
| Mr.. Ewing moved, and Mr.. Eaton Of Kansas
i seconded the motion, that the amendment thus
/ suggested be made
| Mr.. Ewing proceeded to state his objection to
| the clause proposed to be stricken out. 1t de-
| nouncod only one clause of the resumption act,
that one fixing the time for resumption thus by
| implication leaving all the rest to stand as un-
| Objectionable. The construction given to this
| will be that the Democratic party wants re-
sumption earlier than 1879. Another objec-
i ton is that the resolution as reported falters
with the questions of which it treats; 1t COM
| mitS the party to reduction of greenbackS and
| a perpetuation of the natioaal bank system,
leaves the Secretary of the Treasury perhaps
with the power to issue gold awaiting the day
| OF resumption-a policy which the Western
| Democrats almost unanimously oppose.
/ The resolution of the committee supports by
implication bill for which the Democrats are
| not responsible, q measure which never re-
| ceived Democratic vote
Here time was called and much confusion
| ensued in consequence of effoIts to secure more
time for Ewing.
Chair ruled that as objection was made time
| could not be extended.
| Mr.. Dorsheimer appealed for the withdraw
| al OF the objection and it was withdrawn by
unanimous consent Mr.. Ewing was author
| lied to proceed.
Another scene of confusion ensued and Mr..
| McLIaine of Maryland renewed his objections
to hearing. Mr.. Ewing. Finally Mr.. Ewing
| thanked the convention for the kindly spirit
manifested towards him and said he would
| trouble them no further. lCries of Ewing, Or
| der, Order)
Mr.. Cox of New York rose to point of or
| der, in which he was understood to reflect on
the chair for favoritism and he was called to
order by the chair and directed to take.his seat.
Mr.. Dorsheimer said he right here proposed
| to make straight issue between hard and soft
money (Applause.) By that we will stand
| votes to its most distinguished advocate, but if
| you want to give us any show to carry TIE hard
| money states stand by the platform as pre-
| scented. (Applause) This is a compromise in
which the East has yielded so much as to have
already ELECTED strong protests numerously
signed by the Eastern states. On this we
stand or fall, and if you adopt the amendment
of the gentleman of Ohio then good bye to
your hopes. The committee report, however,
gives us living chance of success, In con-
NNN~SA~SNe sAAS SesAA ~ psNeSo va
the question.
Hon. Dam VOORHEES,, of Indiana, took the
platform. He said Mr. Dorsheimers issue was
was false issue as stated by him. There is no
issue here of hard or soft money. They were
all in favor of resumption as soon as health
fully practicable. Whoever desires it earlier
desires it for some private, improper purpose.
He earnestly opposed any attempt at forced re-
sumption. The law had been 10 force two years
and the country is two per cent farther from a
gold standard than it was when the law was
passed. National laws of legislation if not UNI
wise. will soon fill the Il per cent gap between
these national laws, Referringllto Mr.. DORIS
heimer he said that the west had followed the
lead of New York too long already and it was
now time to assert the power of the mighty
Mr. Watterson, of Kentucky, urged the pol
icy of supporting the report of the committee
signed by twenty-nne of its members after
careful consideration, asserting the impolicy of
overturning it; but the convention ought to
stand by the twenty nine members and not by
the eight who have produced here this danger
GUS question. He moved the previous ques-
ton.
Another scene of great confusion followed,
many delegates asking to be heard, and one
from Pennsylvania bitterly ,denouncing the
gag law as restricting all freedom of debate.
Mr.. Abbott, of New Jersey, asked division
on the questian. He was in favor of a motion
to strike out but was opposed to inserting what
was proposed for he was for hard money.
The previous question was seconded and
Mr.. Doittle made few remarks amid much
disorder in which he said victorysor death de-
pended ON the question now before the Conven
ton and he desired to move an amendment to
the, pending amendment. @
Cox of New York demanded vote by States
on the main question which having been di
vided was first taken on the motion to strike
out
Mr.. Doolittle moved to adjourn.
At last an attempt was made to Call the roll,
but the disorder was 50 great that the dele
gates could not hear enough TO understand the
question.
A Texas delegate moved to clear the CALLER
les. a>-s
AS the chair did not put the question he ey-
identity did net understand it.
The excitement was long continued with in
creasing force and violence, dozen gentlemen
speaking at once.
Convention retired for consultation
Mr.. Burch of Tennessee wanted to know
whether if the vote to strike ACKNOWLEDGMENT
and the Convention fail to insert the proposed
substitute the effect would be to leave the re-
sumption act to stand as it is.
Chair answered in the affirmative
Mr.. Burch wanted to know then whether any
parliamentary legerdermain. could then cheat
the Convention out of an opportunity to have
square vote on the minority vote.
Ewing Beaten.
States were called and ell voted nay except
ing the following: Illinois, IS ayes; Iowa, 8;
Kansas, 10; Kentucky, "A; (under the unit
rule), Indiana, IS; Michigan, 5; Missouri %;
Ohio, Is; Tennessee, "a; Virginia, 1; West
Virginia, 10; Pennsylvania (under the unit
rule) So.
The chair announced the votes, ayes 219,
nays 49, So the amendment was rejected.
During the call the chair stated that during
the confusion preceding the call he changed
his ruling and the pending question was not d-
vided therefore the pending question was in
fact upon Mr.: Ewing's motion both to strike
out and insert.
Mr.. DOolitte read an amendment " ich he
desired to propose providing that any law sub !
sttuted for the resumption act repeal shall
provide only for very gradual resumption.
Chair stated that under the operation of the
previous question no amendment was in order
and the pending question was now upon the
adoption of the committees report.
Roll was called. The only negative votes
were Illinois, 3; Iowa, a: Kansas, 6; Michigan,
1 Missouri, s.. Virginia, l.; West Virginia, 10;
Indiana, 80; (the chairman of the delegation
said that this was because they did approve the
financial plank Ohio, 20. Before the vote was
announced complaint was made by delegates
on the floor that delegates were seated on the
platform. Mr.. Jacobs of Brooklyn was spe-
,cially ont of place near the chair. The Presi-
dent directed all not entitled to seats on the
platform to retire therefrom. The chair an