Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1880-08-12
THE STATE CONVENTION.
An EpitOme Of the Proceedings
Its Spirit and Import.

The state democratic convention of
August 10, 1880, at Nashville, will be
long remembered in the annals of the
party. 1t met under peculiar circum-
stances, upon the eve of a great presi-
Dental campaign, upon which depend
grave and momentous results.
The convention was called for the
single purpose of nominating a candi
date for governor. This incidentally
and necessarily involved the construc-
tion of state platform, and the vexa-
|tious and never-ending state debt
question. Public attention has been
concentrated upon this gathering of
the representative democracy for
weeks and months. There we're no
side issues to be considered; it was to
be a square test Of strength and
management between the high and
low state credit elements Of the party
The man standing between the two
extremes, or willing to pretermit the
question to some future convention or
legislature, was doomed to find him
self between the upper and neither
millstones.
The attendance was the largest that
we remember to have seen at any state
convention. Eighty-three counties
out of ninety-four in the state
we're represented by delegates on
the floor Shelby county entitled to
sc votes had seventy-fye or seventy
six delegates on the floor, some Of
them seated, but great man. stand
ing, for want of room and chairs The
First congressional district was rep
resented by ffty-two delegates; the
Second by ninety-seven; the Third by
seventy-one; the Fourth by one hun
dred and twenty-seven; the Fifth by
two hundred and seventy-six; the
Sixth by one hundred and eighty-four;
tie Seventh, one hundred and eight;
the Eighth, eighty; the Ninth, seventy
Eve; The Tenth, ninety; making grand
total of1162 delegates present. This
is approximately correct, and cannot
be very wide Of the mark. When it is
remembered that the hall Of the house
of representatives is moderately
filed when seventy-fve members OF
the legislature are in their seats, and
as many more visitors are present,
some idea Of the terrible jam may be
formed. 1t is true that the galleries
will seat several hundred people, but
the first day the spectators and lobby
members of the convention manifested
a decided preference for the floor
and made themselves quite at
home. Several hundred delegates
including large majority Of the
modest Shelby delegation had to stand
M, and as to getting together or retiring
for consultation, that was altogether
out Of che question. 1t would take an
able bodied man from five to ten min
utes to work himself out of the
crowd. Thediscomfort Of that mostun
wieldy convention will not soon be for
gotten by those who foughtit through
The second day none were admitted
to the floor except delegates wearing
badges, and two delegations took theil
seats in the galleries, still good
many had to stand up, double up il
chairs. or sit on the floor. just here
we WOULD suggest that the basis o
representation should be changed Sc
that the convention should not consis
gilmore than three hundred delegates
These could represent the people bet
ter than twelve hundred.
1t was evident from the start tha
the state credit men had the decidet
oo'vantage in numbers, workers, ant
even in speakers, This had the eifec
4.l.oor the low credit men very quiet
They we've certainly not very noisl
or obtrusive IN the early proceedings
Col. John II. Savage was not
delegate and appeared to hol'
himself aloof. The second day h
issued a little circular expressing hi
views. and was seen watching tn
effect from his lofty perch in the gal
leries. Caucusses were held by bot
wings Of the party, the low credit me
sitting upon one occasion with close
doors There appeared TO be som