New-York tribune., 1880-06-23

standing four inches from the wall. ana as t'ghllS
Joined in all it's parts skill can make IT, lhls
splendid sounding board reuders the hall accoust-
ically perfect ard there promise to lie fewer states
men's throats split than at Chicago. The floor ls
broad and Deep merely the edges of it being covered
by the galleries. Both of these are narrow. The
first runs around two-thrds of the hall, and stops
on each side when it reaches the stage. The second
is above this, and is short gallery merely crossing
from wall to wall In the opposite end of the hail.
back of the stage, between two amphitheatres OF
seats set apart for the ladies, is the great organ
While the Convention was assembling Dudley Buck
sat at the keyboard and treated the crowd to many
familiar airs. all the way from the wedding
March" to the " Star Spangled Banner"
DECORATIONS or TIE HALL.
The decorations of the hall were not numerous,
but were in excellent taste. Tho place of each
State was marked by pretty blue slkcn banner
fringed with gold. From each capital OF tho grace
full and slender columns which rise along both
sides of the hall there sprang bright cluster OF
flags. A huge flag billowed downward over the
upper gallery. In the first gallery stand for the
brass band, which was to try to rattle around in
place of the great orcan was brightly dressed with
bunting and the chairman's desk stood i'll little
thicket of shrubs and flowers On the walls ut the
back Of t1e ball. and equally divided by the great
organ. were tasteful shields bearing such mottocsas
these: Victory" Commerce." Perseverance,"
Enterprisc,n Industry" Peace" Good
WILL" " Fidelity" These were evidently supposed
by the sef-cOmplacent Democrats present to be the
special Democratic virtues, and the shields were
contemplated with calm satisfaction.
Facing the stage, and mounted on two silver
spears in the middle aisle of the Convention seats
was n silken banner thus inscribed: Ohio grcets
the Nation" There was no party pOrtrait-gallcry
as at Chicago. One small and rather indlstinct
picture of Washington appeared at the very end OF
the hail. For reasons too numerous to MENTION
full portrait-gallely of Democratic statesmen
would be embarrassing there being many whom
the party would prefer to forget. 1t obviously
impossible to give jeff Davis and William NJ.
Tweed, for example, that prominence to which
their rank in the party would have entitled them.
The sqgaclous committee therefore wisely seized
upon Washington. who, whatever else he was ac-
cused of, was never charged with stealing anything,
and who is not now candidate for the Presidency.
1t must he said Of the late General Washington that
he knew when he was dead-One OF many respects
in which he was superior to number OF the Demo-
cratic statesmen of the present day. This portrait
awakened no unpleasant memories, and for the rea-
son Just mentioned aroused no jealonsics.
THE GATHERING CROWDS.
By noon the hall, which cOutains more than
1000 seats besides tho stage, which can accom-
modate ], 900 more was iull to the brini, and the
universal futtcring Of fans like the rustllng Of
the leaves in a forest. Then the chief decoration of
all stood ont in brilliant colors. The back of the
stage was an ampiteatre of seats reserved strictly
for ladies' Thus the bright faces and c0lOrs that
would otherwise have been merged in sea Of black
coats were gathered and concentrated in one spot,
and so disposed that they might fulfil their proper
function-that of being seen. OF this brilliant par
terre Of faces this great battery OF four hundred
woman power. this armory of bright eyes, what
mere man shall presume to speakf 1t suggested
Circassia-it prefgured Paradlse-it embodied Ohio
1T symbOIized America!
In all this it must be remembered that the rich,
dark wood Of the walls and ceiling was the back
ground for every picture aud color stood out
against il aud yet the impressyen"ss Of the mag
miliccnt distances NJ Chicago wanting. This
is not tic conclusion OF the bitter partisan, who will
not admit that Democratic curves can bc graceful,
but the general verdict Of lovers of the picturesque
decisive Democrat ut the Chicago Convention
called it Yelling Association There is 10 such
earnestness here as let itself loose in the Republican
Convention III rival cheers for Giant "r B!ane, and
In friendly cheers for everybody. The plGcccdimgs
themselves to-day showed that there is no such
pentup aud excited feeling here. There does not
seem to be enthusiasm even.
Just little after II O'Clock there is short, sharp
veil or rather series of yells There is Il stir and
movement in the body Of the hall. and soon a
man appears walking with difficulty
crutches He is tail, has bushy dark hair and full
arist0cratc looking whislsers. This is Wade llamp-
ton, of South Carolina. lie takes the applause
modesty enough and pushes through section Of
the seats to reach his place at the head of the
South Carolina delegation on the extreme right OF
el,n .i,oo Eo.,, ,,H'
like rccrackcrs until he reaches his place and sinks
down in his seat. No doubt there was real scntl-
ment in the cheers; there seemed TO be, and no
doubt nine-tcnths of those who chccTcd including
the men who sprang from their seats and swung
their hats supposed that this brave soldier had left
his leg upon the field Of battle, and were ignorant
that he lost il by the ignOmnOuS kick Of an inElO-
rous mule III piping times OF peace But even here
the breath of the Convention was very short.
A WEIL-BEIIAVED MOB.
No one will be ready TO infer that this was because
of Democratic delight in decOrum, There was n
lack Of men and things 10 cheer for. \ look over
the body confirmed the remark of thoughtful
Democrat this morning. that there are no master
spirits in the Convention. The contest at Chicago
was Il battle OF giants each firmly holding his fol-
lowers and moving confidently. coulagconsly. ag-
grcssively. Conkling controlled every movement
of Grants 300; Garfield represented the yet unor-
eanized majority, which nevertheless responded
every time he appealed to the moral sense of the
Convention. and rallied at last to the bugle call of
his name Logan was leader and bold one.
There were others. though these were the most
spcuous but hero there seem to he no master
minds.
The Convention is mob, well be ehayed thus far.
but still InOj and intelligent Democrats arc
watching in fear and trembling to what it will
do. Wade Hampton il not master spirit. or rather
cannot be one. without iniuring the cause he
espOuses more than he helps it. A Southern Demo-
crat said with some bitterness yesterday, in speak
ing IF the rishness with which General Hampton
was leading the South to demand Blyard's nomna-
tiOu that the General lost his head long before lie
lost lis leg The gentleman with the gray mus
o.l LIZ