Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1880-03-04
NEW YORK CONVENTION.
Another Score for Grant.
special Cincinnati Gazette.

Special Cincinnati Gazette.
UTICA, n Y, Feb. 25-New York viii
probably cast all her seventy votes in
the Chicago Convention for Gen. Grant.
That is the outcome of to-day's Conven-
tiOn. Senator Conkling has accomplish
ed this without the adoption of the unit
rule, and without the adoption of the
Cameron plan in Pennsylvania. 1t was
feared by the minority that the Penn
sylvania plan would be adopted. 1t is
by no means certain that the Conkling
people did not contemplate it at one
time. 1t was stated this morning that
it had been agreed that the Grant mi
nority in all the Blaine districts should
protest to the Convention and submit
two Grant names, which the Convention
should thereupon adopt. Therefore,
when the Convention came together, and
Gen. Arthur, Chairman Of the State
Committee, offered resolution calling
upon the district delegations to submit
for the action of the Convention the
names of delegates to Chicago, the mi
nOrity took the alarm at once, This
resolution Is always adopted, but the
approval of the Convention has never
been heretofore anything more than a
form. The districts have been left en-
tirely free The Blaine men feared that
the Convention would now exercise un-
fairly the power it had always had. but
never exercised. Gen. Arthur, howev-
er, gave the impression that no attempt
would be made to revise the action of
the districts and the opposition was
withdrawn.
The resolution offered presenting
Gen. Grants name were opposed in rath-
er bungling manner. State Senator
Foster first moved to substitute the
name of Blaine for Giant, then finally
withdrew Blaine's name, and made the
resolution pledge the vote of New York
to any candidate nominated at Chicago.
On this there was short and sharp de-
bate, COnkling making the closing speech.
He took the bold gronnd that the Con-
vention had the power to require every
delegate to obey its voice, without re-
gard to the Congressional districts, and
that the imperial opportunity of New
York must not be frittered away by dis
sensions by the minority. Fosters
amendment was defeated by 217 to $780,
This was much narrower majority
than the Grant men would have expect
ed on test vote. 1t was hardly a fair
test A number of Grant men whose
districts had instructed them against a
pledged delegation, were compelled to
vote against the Grant side. 1t is claim
ed that there were fifty or sixty of these,
and there eertaidly was gOodly num-
ber
Minority reports were made from a
number of districts upon delegates to
Chicago, but nune of them were adopted.
The anti-Grant men claim that the MAJ
ter was not pressed because the Grant
men were frightened at their small ma
jority on the yea and nay vote. But the
purpose of the Grant men was just as
well accomplished in another way, which
caused no resentment. When a contest
in Blaine district was before the Con-
vention, the policy COnkliug had decla-
red was pressed. The Blaine men were
asked whether they would not feel in
honor bound by the instructions of the
Convention. The pressure was strong,
and number of them said they would.
Still, others made the pledge vOluntari-
ly. The delegation will probably be
solid.
There was much more cheering for
Blaine than for Grant. 1t was chiefly,
however, among the spectators. The
most dramatic and significant demon
stration was when E. w. StoughtOn was
reading the resolutions. He paused to
make out an illegible word, when a
voice in the gallery uttered the magic
word Blaine" 1t was like spark fly
ing to powder. The galleries burst out
into fame of cheering, heartier and
warmer than any greeting Grants name
received during the day. Indeed all the
applause given to Grant was machine
made, and without heart. There seems
to be little real warmth of Grant feeling
among the Grant men. The anti-Grant
men estimate that there are twenty del
egates out of the seventy whose first
choice is in reality Blaine, but there is
little reason to expect any of their votes
for him. tll