Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-07-14

previous question, which the chair, without
giving ANYBODY a chance to vote for or
against it in decent fashion, declared to be
carried
Then followed a scene unparalleled in dis
graceful turbulence III any deliberatiye body
hundred men were on their feet yelling
for recognition. McCl rnand was pounding
| with his gavel, but Cen. Morgan, spring
ing upon his chair, shouted loud and clear I;
Il denounce this gag law denounce
the man who moved it, and the chairman
who iastens a upon US" Watterson at
the moment Happened to be standing by
the side of McClernand, and shaking his
fist al Morgan. was heard to yell %
mark you.n This episode added fuel to theI
flames of discord. and the Convention fell
at once into, and for over half an hour
afterward continued in, a state of total and
inextricable confusion. McClernand. wild
with rage, lost control of himself and also
of the Convention. Cox, of New York,
was constantly barking around him with
points of order. Doolittle had financial
resolution which the committee had refused
to take, and was constantly on his feet,
believing for recognition. Many others
were rivaling each other for ma.y min
utes, until finally McClernand was daft and
the Convention released from all control.
After hubbGb the Convention got to u
direct yJte on the substitution of the minor
ity for the majority report and the minor
ity report was rejected by vote of oil yeas
to 524 nays. There was more uproar, but
after 1t was over the majority report was
adopted with all the delegates but eighty
three voting for it.
The nominations followed. \ delegate
mounted the platform and proceeded to
name Senator Bayard. He was very iervent
in his praise of his candidate, but the can
didate was not received in very ELUSIVE
manner by the Convention, and was not
seconded by anybody. Col Williams, OF
Indiana next nominated Gov Hendricks.
He was guilty of the grave mistake OF
trenching upon facts. Tor he hinted that
Tilden would lose both Ohio and Indiana
in the October election, whereupon Tilden's
friends began kissing him with vigor
worthy of the first serpent. New Jersey
was called IN its order, when Leon
Albeit proceeded in the usual way
to nominate Joel Parker. New York
was called, and Senator Herman was
already on the rostrum. His only inter
ruptions were those OF applause, and long
before he concluded it was plain TO see that
sham reform and fat railroad contracts were
dear to the Democrat heart. When he con-
eluded, John Kelly stepped to the front. lie
was greeted with a storm of mingled cheers
and Kisses before he had uttered his first SEN
tence. Then came a scene OF wild coniu-
sion. Groans, yells, cheers, and Kisses came
from every part Of the vast crowded hall,
and Kelly stood before it calmly, smllIngly.
After this had continued for some time the
New York Tildenites became ashamed OF
themselves and their cause, and Weed, and
others asked that Kelly be given hear
ing Finally Senator Herman came down
to kelly's side, waved his hand for silence,
and demanded hearing for his colleague
Thus indebted TO the champion Of Iilden for
the chance TO utter word in Democratic
Convention, Kelly proceeded to make his
speech. lie told the Convention plumpy
that Indiana and OHIO are the States upon
which the Presidential election would turn
in October, and asserted his firm conviction
that Iilden cannot carry either. lie went
onto say that respectable minority OF the
New York delegation were unalterablY op-
posed to his nomination, because OF their
knowledge that he cannot carry New Ork
and cannot be elected. In a moment OF two,
the uproar was recommended among the del
egates. and Kelly ended his speech IN
storm that rendered his voice inaudible five
feet away from him. lie was not, however,
in any way dismayed by all this. He stood
his ground bravely, denounced Iilden round
IL, and 50 put himself upon record that any
subsequent admission that he should support
Tllden seemed incOmprehens5le.
When Kelly sat down, up rose gray beard
ed Flournoy, Of Virginia, who seconded the
nomination of Iilden, but sensation was
over, and thenceiorward the proceedings
were nothing more than formal.
After New York, the next candidate nom
mated was the ancient William Allen.
| When Pennsylvania was called, Hester
/ Clymer made the best speech OF the day. In
presenting the name of Gen. Hancock he
spoke Of him in such a way as not to wound
the sensibilities OF the Confederates, while
doing justice to his splendid services in the
| Mon cause.
After the nominations came luil, and
then the tired Convention adiourned until
Thursday. As the delegates left the hall
the general opinion outside the immediate
partisans Of Tilden, was epitomized by Col.
Mcclure, OF Pennsylvania, who said :
United States must be reversed II it. pos
sible to elect Tilden President"
THIRD AND LAST DAY.
The Convention reassembed Thursday
morning and Immediately proceeded to the
nomination of candidate for Vice Presi-
dent. When Indiana was called the dele
gates shouted for Hendricks Silence being
restored, Senator Mcdonald. of Indiana,
said that the mission oC Indiana in behalf OF
Governor Hendricks ended yesterday, and
that if the Convention desired TO use his name
further it must take the responsibility. The
hint was seized by Senator Wallace, of Penn
sylyania, who moved that the rules be sus-
pended and Hendricks be nominated by ac-
ciamation. Yet McClernand refused to
entertain the motion, although perfectly par
liamentary, and directed call of the States
on the nomination. Every State voted solid
for Hendricks except Ohio and Indiana, the
latter being passed on request, and the
former casting eight blanks.
The call concluded, Col. Williams said
Indiana had no right to say that Hendrick.
would accept, but would vote for him. The
result was announced as 730 for Hendrick,
and 8 blank and Hendricks was declared the
nominee. Then the hall began to empty
for nobody seemed interested in the appoint
ment of the National Committee, with which
the Convention closed. There was little
breeze made by a resolution recommending t
future National Democratic Conventions tC
abolish the two-thirds rule as unwise anC
unnecessary, and that the States be requested
to instruct their future delegates on thi
question. A motion to table this failed, 35.
to 379 and it was then adopted.
The National Committee of one from eacl
State, B. b. Smalley being the Vernon
member, was announced. On motion of Mr.
: SmalleY it was voted that the place of hold
ing the next National Convention be left Il
the National Committee, and that the basi
of representation be the same as now Th
Convention then adjourned. sine die.
Two episodes of the brief session ar
worthy of notice. After having for fou
days declared that Tilden would not be sup
: ported by the Democracy of New York .Johi
Kelly took occasion to 20 upon the platform
and, in long speech, to pledge Tammany t
an active, earnest support of the whole tick
et Happily for the country. and as fur
ther proof OF the good luck of Gov. HAYES
6 Tammany Is to give Tilden Jealous suppor
and thus insure his defeat. With thi
, weight upon them, in addition to all the
, had before, the Democrats hurried from tn
hall, and the Convention of 1876 was label
! led, like those OF the last twenty years
"another of our failures
; The other incident followed the adjourn
ment. McClernand, the incompetent an
thick-headed presideDt,w ordered the Sci
/ geant-at-Arms to arrest and remove Hon.
/ 5. Cox, for the reason-as well as disintel
y ested spectator could judge-that he was nc
= friendly to Tiiden, met Mr.. Cox in the Lii
dell House, when Cox. referring to his n,
a ton, denounced him as sneak and Gov
A ard. This was too much for the great wa
. rior of Vicksburg, and he was about ,
! prove the truth of the assertion by strikir
# his spirited little opponent, when friends il
terfered and preyented a penet a. rou The,