New-York tribune., 1876-06-16
the first contest of the Convention and for the first
time the Blaine men were beaten.

When Mr.. Mcpherson called for the report OF the
Chairman of the Committee on Credentials a buzz
of expectation ran all over the hall. The first
battle of the day was coming. The Chairman
pounded away with his mallet on his pine table till
he made the rays of the shiny muslin rosette on its
front shver. The crowd hushed into silence.
j. T. Ensor of Maryland read the report which
stated briefly the conclusions of the Committee ad-
Initting the anti-Srencer or Haralson delegation
from Alabama, the Conover delegation from Florida,
and the Bowen delegation from the District of
Columbia, three Blaine delegations with thirty
votes each. The conclusions Of the report was
received with unbounded applause. Not even
regret at the exclusion of old and trusted
a Republican as Frederick Douglass could diminish
the satisfaction of the better class of delegates at
seeing Z" Boss" Shepherd branded with the stigma
of party irregularity well that of official cor
ruption. Immediately upon the conclusion of the
reading of the report the minority report made its
appearance in the outstretched hand of Mr. Harris,
who was called to the stage to read it. 1t turned
out to be long and elaborate brief, evidently pre-
pared for such contingency in which the whole
history of the divisions in the party Alabama was
stated in great detail and in the Spencer way. The
reading of the report was interrupted by the ap-
plause of all the anti Blaine elements, and for this
purpose the partisans of CoDkling, Morton, Hart
ranft and Hayes were united, if for nothing else.
The report signed by ID of the Committee,
against 26 on the majority report
John Cessna of Pennsylvania objected that both
delegations from the District of Columbia were r
regular and moved to substitute the name of Fred
erick Douglass for that of Bowen, so that neither
might be given preference the other. Thus sug
gestion finally withdrawn, ana the contest over
Alabama began. The Morton and Conklipg men
were full of fight, and opened fire at once the Nor
ton men first IN the field. William Cumback of III
diana upheld the regularity of the Spencer delcga
tion as did also J. NJ. Tyner, of the Assistant
Generals. The anti-Blaine speakers fol-
lowed fast OH each others heels j. F. Dczendorf OF
Virginia came next and then young man from
North Carolina, who said he was proud of the State
in which he was born Ohio and the State of his
adoption North Cardinal, but he carefully con-
cealed the sentiments of North Carolina. He argued
for the admission of Spencer and his knavlsh crew
on the ground that recognition of the disorganizng
and dsintemating Horace Greeley elemcIf In the
party would be fatal When he hiss fl for his
pans he said he had nothing to say against Horace
Greeley "When God lays his hand on man take
mine Off" said this idiotic young person from North
Carolina: but he got no chance 10 say anything
more. The hisses and cries drowned his voice, and
be was fain to leave the platform.
Next came one of the ConklIng leaders, Theodore
NJ Pomeroy of New-York, who was received with
tremendous cheering and made one Of his nervous,
electric speeches, the burden of which that il
was question, not whether Spencer should be adj
mitted or not, but whether the State of Alabama
should be denied representation in the Republican
National Convention.
Judge Ensor defended his report, but the anti
Blaine leaders had il all their way, when T. W.
Keys. the political Warwick of Wisconsin and one
of the chief of the Blaine managers and quietly
remarked that It was the general impression in his
section of the hall that altogether too much elo-
uuence was being wasted on this question. lie
moved the previous question. "1he rules require
that majority of delegation shall demand the
previous question: said the Chairman" MAJORITY"
replied he, "why, Mr.. Chairman every living soJii
in this delegation wants it, That settled the pre-
vious question: and the vote began with the call of
the States.
This vote had been awaited with intense interest
aud anxiety by the parisans Of both sides, because
it was believed that it would be a test of Mr..
Baine's strength and the strength Of all the com
bmed elements of opposition to him. Union was
possible in such n question as this. where il was
not possible with any candidate, new or old, and
the hope Of the opposition was that by defeating
the Blaine party on this they mght throw them
into a condition of decentralization which would
make il possible 10 prolong the Convention
another day, and scatter the forces OF Blaine
1t soon became evident however, that the
vote was not strictly test vote. AS 1t pro-
ceeded il could be seen that all Mr.. Blane's dele
gates were not adhcrng strictly to bis fortunes on
this question: and that delegates belonging to other
candidates were voting with HIM. The truth was
George f. Spencer and Hays complicated the stu
ation Their own histories and those OF the men
who followed them were so disreputable, and their
connection with the worst evils of Administration
and carpet-bag rule in the South so obvious, that
one class of delegates at least hostile as they were
to Mr.. Blaine could not take this load on their
shoulders. The vote soon showed that the Bristow
delegates were voting largely though not wholly
with Mr.. Blaines supporters. The ballot proceeded
amid great excitement while all calculations went
10 pieces in the drifting OF delegations and the
closeness of the vote became every moment more
apparent. When Kentucky cast her 2i votes
against the Spencer delegation, and Massachusetts
followed with 20, and Michigan went the same way,
there was great enthusiasm, just as there was on
the other side iwhen New-YOrk gave 60 votes to
Spencer, and Donald Cameron rose in his unobtrusye
way and dropped 80 more in the same direction.
This last vote was the signal for an outburst OF
cheering, which was strongest in the Conkling sec
tions of the body Not few Conkiing delegates
were on their feet waving hats and handkerchiefs
at Pennsylvania. 1t was like shpwrccked sailors
shouting for sail. The vote stood 35i against 80,
and in the great wave Of Blaine enthusiasm that
swelled up George l.. Spencer was swept clean OIL
the map of American politics.
RECEPTION OF THE PLATFORM.
The interest of the Convention in the platform re-
ported by the Committee on Resolutions was not
very great, or at least the reading of II not
4 attn Tha