Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1880-06-09
The Convention.

week before last aud the two or three days
before the convention met were used in
marshalling the different forces. Both the
Grant and anti Grant people had immense
meetings on Monday evening, May 3lst
at which it was evident that the local
feeling against Grant was greater than
that in his favor.
In the national committee Don Cameron
and the anti-Grant men had trouble and
there was talk mt one time of deposing
Cameron from the chairmauship ant
putting VIM. L. Chandler in his place
There was some feeling against Mr.
Colburn, the Vermont member of the
committee. among the anti-Grant mer
because he opposed this course. In the
end wiser counsels prevailed and Mr.
Cameron yielded some points and the
rupture was avoided. The committee was
plainly against Grant and the control O.
matters us to the convention hall was
taken from the Grant people.
1t was agreed that Senator lloar shoulf
be temporary chairman and when thu
convention met Wednesday he was unani
mously elected. The states then named
their members of committees, the anti
Grant element having majority on eael
committee. The Vermont members were
on permanent organization, II. G. Belden
on rules, j. b. Mead; on credentials. j
w. Stewart; on resolutions, e. q. Bene
dict. Ex-Governor Smith was made
chairman and l.. Bart Cross secretary o
the Vermont delegation. Col. Geo. w
Hooker is the new member from this stat
of the national committee.
An early adjournment was had and thu
committees went about their work; thu
most important being that before thu
committee on credentials. Thursday ,
permanent organization was effected
Senator Hoar being permanent chairman
J. G. Mccullough was appointed rs thu
vice president of the convention for Yer
mont. A breeze came up in the Afternoon
between Conklng and Hale and Frye
about the order of business but nothing
was really done as the committee on ere
dentals was not ready to report. A vot'
taken late in the afternoon however on ~
unimportant matter was taken to b'
somewhat of test of the Grant and anti
Grant strength. 1t was on an attempt by
Gen. Sharpe of New York to have thu
committee on credentials report such O.
their work rs had been completed-tht
vote was 31S for and 406 against Sharpe:
motion and was very satisfactory to TIT
anti-Grant men.
Friday the committees reported and i
was determined that each delegate SHOULD
have his vote recorded as he demanded
the unit rule thus going by the board ant
the control of their full delegations thu
being lost to Conkling and Cameron
Conkling with his usual audacity, wher
the Blaine men were confident of coming
victory moved that all members of the
convention should be bound to support its
nominee. This was adopted with bu
three votes in the negative. Conkling
moved that the three delegates voting nc
0hey were from West Virgina) should be
considered as having forfeited their right
to sit in the convention but after some
discussion withdrew his motion but moi
before one of the West Virginia men got
a good hit at the New York senator for his
lukewarmness in the camgaign of 1876.
The majority report of the committee or
credentials fully sustained the right o.
district representation rs opposed to state
representation and the convention got tC
work on the report Friday afternoon. The
committee reported in favor Of two anti.
Grant delegates from Alabama who were
elected by the district delegates but rejected
by II G state convention, and an amend
ment to adopt the minority report wa'
defeated 3O6 to AID and the anti-Gran
delegates were then seated. 1t was also
decided that Mr.. Rapier Of the same stat
should have his seat although he had beef
removed by the delegation under instruc
tons of the state convention because h
would not support Grant. The Illnoi
contest was taken up in the evening an
was the most exciting of all. The majorit
report was in favor of seating the con
cstants in nine districts 90 Blaine and
Washburne men) in place of IS of tn
solid Grant delegation of AZ. The flu
Logan delegation up to this time had acte
as members Of the convention. TIL
report was acted on by districts and th
debate was earnest. A little after mic
! night Emory Storrs of Chicago who wa
, speaking for the sitting Grant member
9 made IN allusion to Blaine which Gale
+ out cheers. When they ceased Mr.. Storl
. finished his sentence with an eloquer
, passage about the great old silent soldier
which brought the Grant delegates an
half the audience to their feet in wi
, che ring that lasted some minutes. Befol
it was done some one proposed cheers fC
Blaine and the rest of the delegates (e2
cept the Massachusetts and Vernon
delegations) and the rest of the audient
. went at it; all factions cheering at Il
same time for their favortcs
n According to all accounts about ever.
: body seemed to have gone crazy. Con
y, ling waved the New York banner-whos
y ordinary and legitimate use was to sho
. where the New York delegation wa
6 located in the hall. Logan standing on
y chair howled and swung his arms. Be
/. Ingersoll on the platform waved Il woman
shawl and woman on the platform in Il
company of Marshall Jewell of Connect
:, cut waved her umhrella,a flag and herse
q screaming hurrah for Jim Blaine
! Umbrellas, hats, canes and everythir
. movable, were in the air. Senator lIo
could not Quell the racket and gave I'D d