The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1878-06-26
THE GREENBACKERS.
The York County Convention,
Resolutions and Nominations,
Especial to the Press. I

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and there were many sympathizers present
who did not have seats in the convention. The
assemblage was: much like the ordinary politi-
cal convention, except that the delegates had
even less to do than usual with its action. The
nominations were fixed upon days before, and
all the delegates had to do was to ratifv them.
The political strikers had control from the
stait. Most OF the people came together with
the conviction that great fight was to be
made against those terrible tyrants who have
SO long oppressed the country, the Rothschilds,
The leaders, however, were fighting for profit
and place. The convention was ran by Mr..
William Emery of Alfred, who made most of
the motions, drafted and reported the platform
and dictated the nominations. He was snp-
ported by knot of disappointed politicians,
Democratic and Republican. Those who were
most prominent were Gorham N. Weymouth,
who has long desired the Democratic nominal
ton for county attorney; Chas O. Mute, for the
the last fifteen years candidate before Repub.
lican conventions for county treasurer; E. G.
Moody, who has been in every party that has
existed since he attained his majority, being
Republican one year and Democratic the next
ehAo 10 ho AeCpuoliOau yCdI, uuv uo las STOWu
tired of see-sawing; E. H. Cove, disappointed
Republican aspirant for the Bidaeford city
clerkship; R. M. Stevens, who has long wanted
to be sheriff Moses M. Hartman sometimeIsince
dismissed from the Kittery navy yard; George
Hobbs, long hanger-on at that yard; Edmund
Warren, who has twice been sheriff, and is
wroth because he was not nominated for a
third term; Frank Dearborn, of whom the
Democrats of Parsonsfeld are firing, and A. G..
Andrews, of whom the Republicans of Cornish
have long since tired.-Mr. Emery. thn-sssnza
ing spirit of the convention, is member of the
old York county Democratic ring which has
controlled Democratic conventions there for
twenty years past. He is now opposed to poll
ticians. That has been since the Democrats
refused to nominate him for county attorney.
He is wealthy, and made much of his money
out of paper credits. In that transaction his
name couspicuously figures. He has always
lent money to the honest farmer at the highest
rate of interest he could obtain, taken mort
cages and foreclosed as soon as possible He is
now friend of the laboring man. His
enthusiasm for the workingman is
something portsntous and appalling. He is
anxious to sell the farms which he has fore
closed to invest the money in securities upon
which the interest is regularly paid twice aIyear
and he wants the laboring men to get little
currency to buy these farms
These men made up their states the night be-
| fore. and sprung their nominations upon the
convention today. The delegates were so busy
| fearing the Rothschilds they had no time to
protect themselves against the politicians, and
were easily corralled. The politicians promised
a Democratic stampede if their programme
was accepted, and the convention fell into the
| trap and allowed itself to be converted into a
Democratic side-show.
The convention was called to order at IL
o'clock by j. A. Strout, chairman of the coun-
| ty committee. He called John 81. Hammond
of North Berwick to the chair. Mr.. Hammond,
who was described by an enthusiastic delegate
| as the "boss granger of the universe" &C.
knowledged the honor in brief and fitting
| language. D. W. Perkins of Kennebunkport,
and Carleton Cheever of Sanford were chosen
Secretaries. Then prayer was made by Rev.
Mr.. Hanscom, lately of Springvale, and said to
be of Pars0nsfeld. On motion the county
committee were made committee on creden-
tials. While the committee were out Mr.. John
NJ. Todd of Portland, was called upon to adj
dress the convention, and of course accepted.
aa1.- Todd. who ia not producer but earns his
bread by ministering to the caprice and vanity
of men, complained with much heat and yer.
bosity of the oppression practiced upon the
busy bees by the drones, conveying or attempt
ing to convey the impression that he is one of
the bees. he can certainly buzz enough for
- 4 -
tify Mr.. Todd did not stoop to argument.
| He told an obscene story,-he is nothing if not
obscene-callsd upon all rich men to throw
their property overheard as Jonah was thrown.
(Mr. Todd for this occasion only is willing to
act the part of whale, but will not, if he
knows himself, restore the plumber in any
| three days) and wound up with a grand burst
of blasphemy which appalled, the convention,
announcing that Christ's second coming has
already taken place, and that He is heading
| the greenback movement with legions of angels
come to take vengeance on the oppression of
the people. He then sat down but on second
thought got up and announced that Cumber-
land yielded to York the congressional nomna.
ton. For that position he named E. H. Cove
of Biddeford. Mr.. Cove, he said, may not be
so bright as some men, but will make good
Congressman.
The Committee on Credentials then reported
156 delegates present. The temporary organ
ization was made permanent with the addition
of one vice. president from each town.
A Committee on Resolutions was appointed
consisting of William Emery of Alfred, Ira
Libby of Limerick, Sylvester G. Hooper of
Berwick. Gorham H. Weymouth of Biddeford,
and N P. Allen of Saco
Then the convention, on the motion of MI,
William Emery of Alfred, after the old time
York custom, broke up into sections to NOM
mate candidates for Senator. Mr.. Emery fol.
lowed his motion by violent greenback speech,
prefacipg his remarks by saying that he was
willing to work in the ranks or in any other
place ESPECIALLY in any other placeI and con-
Guiding with an onslaught on the Money
Power, which Mr.. Emery heartily despses.
He told the delegates that year after year they
had come up to tine conventions merely to
ratify the nominations made by ring At
the end of the speech the convention adjourned
to dinner.
The convention came together in the after
noon at two O'Clock, and the Committee on
Resolutions at once reported as follows:
Whereas the official managers of the public affairs
have for many years past carried the elections by the
use of money for their own pleasure and profit and
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.
Resolued That the National Greenback party in
the county of York will make no of money to
carry the election in this county, and will prose-
cute to the extent of the law any person persons
who may use any money to buy voters
Resolved, That we adopt the platform and resou-
lions of the National Greenback party held at LIE Wis
ton, June 5th 1875 our platform and resolutions
The resolutions were adopted and the conven-
proceeded to vote for candidates, nominating
for Senators, E. G. Moody of York, Luther
Aver of Newfeld. N. P. Allen of Saco; for
Sheriff, R. NJ Stevens of Biddeford for County
Attorney, William Emery of Alfred for
Treasurer, Charles o. Mute; for County Com
missioner, Edward Goodwin of Shapleigh.
There was surprising discrepancy between the
number of delegates and the number of votes.
The theory of paper inf alton was carried into
practice. The number of delegates was 156,
the number OF votes cast for county attorney
III. But the convention was SO intent upon
achieving honesty and reform that it overlooked