New-York tribune., 1880-02-05
THE GENERAL PROCEEDINGS.

movement
THE GENERAL PROCEEDINGS.
AN ANIMATED CONTEST THROUGHOUT BETWEEN
THE SUPPORTERS OF GRANT AND BLAINE-A
TEMPERATE SPEECH BY THE TEMPORARY CHAIR
MANA POPULAR PLATFORM ADOPTED.
IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE.l
U.RRIsBuRG, Penn, Feb 4.-The Republican
State Convention met in the Opera House at noon
to-day Nearly all the prominent Republican poll
ticians in the State were present among the dele
gates and the body had a solid and respectable
lock, except the benches occupied by the Philadel-
mia delegation, where there the usual prepon-
derapce of Young and rowdysh fellows whose
faces were suggestive of bilard-room and beer
saloon associations rather than of any talent for
pnblic life The struggle between the Blaine men
and the Grant men began at the very first motion
offered to the convention. Congressman Errett,
Editor Of The.Pitts6arg Commercial was nominated
as the Cameron selection for temporary chairman,
and was antagonized By the Blaine men with EX-
Congressman G. V. Lawrence, of Washington
County, the nominee of their cancus. roll-call
was demanded and resulted: Errett, 159; Law
renee, 90.
By watching the call and comparing it with their
list of delegates present at their caucus the Blaine
leaders saw that they had gained about a dozen
votes. but had lost nearly thirty by the operations
of their antagonists during the night and early
morning AS soon as the result was announced the
Courtly ex-ConGressman from Blaine's native
county escorted the Pittsburg editor to the chair
amid the applause of both factions.
MR.. ERRETr's SPEECH.
Mr. Erretts speech was brief and in good TASTE
1t counselled harmony, and wound up by an admir-
ably terse summary of the Republican creed on
National issues He spoke as follows:
GENTLEMEN OF THE CoNvENTIoN thank you most
heartily this mark Of your eentdencc The place to
which have Az SGsnee sSHa @e OF y O YOUR De and
fncs sppeests TS ss sn ss0S is fay This convention the
%e VpsnDns pas its threshold and enter upon other active
struggles for the right In taking ner place at the hesd
usual furry and excitement that attend definite ex
s feel sure that when that furry We shall all
be firm and unbroken line for the success OF tne cand
date who may be chosen at ChicagO, whoever ne may
We have our individual preferences now and & we ar,
final decision the Republican National Convention Is
uttered all differences VIII % VanS a ana an everp Pyee
tiai election since 1860 upon the soc OF SSIGha,
over state saPTs%acy OF honest money Of
protective tariff of pure and honest as Wen M as Iree &C
elections and of the equal rights OF all nner e law 10
life. liberty ano property. without disHheuon as 70
race, color nativity. ,,
and of charity others differences, which suffer
eth long and is kind and thanking you again Tor your
con6dence await the further pleasure OF the cOhFcn
ton.
A recess followed the appointment of the usual
routine committees. After dinner the Hon. John
Cessna of Bedford threw in the first bone OF con-
tention in the form of a resolution for a committee
of nine to be appointed by the chair to report
of delegates 10 Chicago and Presidential electors.
There was little "taffy" for the anti-machne peo-
ME ACCOMPANYING this ia the form of
nbrase directing consultation with the delegates
from the several Congressional districts. John
Stewart, of Franklin offered the opposition propo-
sitop for a committee created by the convention, to
nominate delegates and electors at large and for
the selection of district delegates and electors by
the delegates in the convention from The several
Congressional districts In short, clear, and tenn
pered argument Mr.. Stewart supported his amend
ment. No reply was made by the Grant people, and
a vote was taken forthwith, resulting in the defeat
of the amendment by $50 nays against 100 yeas.
Then the committee of nine voted without
division.
CALLING FOR GRANT.
Mn Herr of Dauphin offered a resolution in
structiug the delegates to Chicago TO vote for
Ulysses S. Grant for President The resolution con-
tsiped not word of enlOgium, and expressed its
purpose IN the briefest terms possible. Feeble ap-
plause followed its reading. succeeded Immediately
by cries of No. no bisses. and cheers for Blaine,
the latter given by persons not delegates
in the galleries and in the rear OF the
bencbes Mr. Stone of Crawford, offered as
snbstitutc a resolution to the effect that the
conyention had no reason for abandoning the posi-
tion taken by the Republicans OF this and other
States against third term in 1876, and that 10 re-
affirmed the resolution on this subject OF the Tehn-
yylyania Convention of 1879.
PLEA FOR GRANT.
Mr. Herr supported the Grant resolution in
first rate alarmist speech. He rehearsed the
history of 1860 and 1861, spoke of the
soldiers graves billowng the land. drew
a dark picture of the thunder cloud OF
treason now hanging over the Union said the South
had not changed in sentiment and still threatened
the country. If not with powder, with punder, anq
II not with fight. with fraud Then having reacned
climax of patriotic apprehension of troubled
times in the near future, he brought forward the
strong man. the great soldier. the leader OF great
renown and military fame, who alone could save
the country. Grants bonors abroad were
described: his triumphal return to his country
through the Golden Gate apostro-
phizsd, aud ~his tour from San Francisco
to Florida made the theme Of glowing sentence.
Finally the orator declared that Grant was the
choice OF the masses of the people for President-a
statement that was greeted with some applause and
good deal of dcrisve laughter
TIE speech was fine. powerful effort, but it did
bot stir The convention and the reason that
four-6fths of the delegates were at heart for
Blame. no matter how they felt forced to vote.
GENERAL ALBRIGHT REPLIES.
General Albright, of Carbon, replied. He had
nothing to say against Grant. He was not opposed
to eecting man President three times il the peo-
pie desired it. He did not believe there would be
any danger to republican institutions in again
Meeting Grant. but he was assured that the people