The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1880-06-12
The CHICAGO CONVENTION.
First DHV.

convention to order. Rev. A. f. kittredge of
the Third Presbyterian church Of Chicago IN
voked Divine blessing upon the laborS OF the
convention, returning thanks III an eloquent
prayer for the prosperity and unity Of this ma
ton.
The chairman then called on the secretary to
read the call and Secretary Keogh proceeded III
a clear voice tOread the document
Mr. Cameron then spoke as follows.
GENTLEMEN OF THE CONVENTION: Before the
convention enters upon the important duties that
have called together ask your attention for sin
gle moment During the canvass just ended there
has been manifested in many sections OF the country
considerable bitterness which trust viii entirely
disappear before entering upon the grave duties de-
yolving upon us. Let there be but one motive gov
ernlng our action and let that be determination to
place in nomination the strongest possible candidates
men strong in themselves, strong in the confidence
and affection OF the people and men VINO VIII COM
mand the respect Of the civilized world. Our
try, of which justly proud, has grown 80 rap
idly population, wealth and influence during the
existence of the Republican party that we have at
tanned position one of the leading powers OF the
world.
We can no longer be satisfied with our isolation.
Recognizing the changed condition we must place IN
position whose familiarity with other nations
Will enable them TO direct our affairs so that we viii
take the lead in commerce we have III agriculture
and manufactures. Do not for 4 moment doubt the
strength Of institutions. They have been tried in
blood and came from the contest better, stronger,
purer than the most ardent patriot dared to hope for
No combination Of circumstances, coterie Of indi-
yiduals, no personal ambition prevail against
the intelligence and Unborn love of liberty which
implanted in the hearts of Americans. When the
nominations made, and the convention has COM
pleted its work, let there be but sentiment
aninating all earnest sincere and unselfish Eepubi-
cans and let that be that each shall vie with the other
in carrying our grand old party through the coming
contest to victory
have been requested by the national committee to
designate Hon George L. Hoar, OF Massachusetts,,
temporary chairman
The char appointed Governor Davis, of
Texas, Mr.. Frye, of Maine, and Gen. Raunl, of
Illinois. a committee to wait on Mr.. Ioar and
conduct INN to the chair. As the committee
appeared with Mn. IIOar the audience broke
forth in loud applause.
Upon taking the char, Mr.. Hoar spoke as
follows:
GENTLEMEN OF THE CONVENTION: thank You for
this distinguished mark of your confidence. The
trainers Of the constitution expected that the presi-
dent would be chosen by electors who assembled
in their respective states and consultation with
each other give their ballots for chief magistrate.
In Of failure by the electors, the house of rep
rescntatiyes acting by states were to make choice
from the four who had the highest number OF votes
in the colleges. So far from direct popular action
did the constitution remove the choice of the
tive but the people by the customs they have e-tab-
shed, have batied the expectations of the trainers of
the constitution. The cecor to-day is bat scribe.
The conventions OF the great political parties desig
nat, each for whom the people vote directly through
their agents, the electors, and TO choice between
whom they practically restricted. The functions
OF this convention, therefore, is to name of the
two men from whom the people of the United States
to select their president. II it performs its
duties wisely, fearlessly freely, it is to name the
whom the people will make their president Your
term of office is brief, but scarcely any duty is in
trusted to the most hOnOrcd citizen OF the Republic
which in dignity in authority, far-reaching public
importance equals yours. 1t is twenty years since
the Republican convention met in this city, which,
attCr stormy but friendly contest put i'll nomination
Abraham Lincoln and Hannibal Hamlin. Lincoln
has gone to his rest. His companion upon that
ticket in fresh and vigorous age, is present with
us to-day to give us counsel from the stores of
an experience gathered from a life OF honorable pub
lie service. Lincoln has gone to his rest. have
Douglas and Breckenridge, his two competitors for
the great office Of president, but the parties which
confronted each other then confront each other
unchanged in purpose, in temper and in character.
The Democratic party ruled then now, by
the south. The single purpose OF its being to
give supremacy to the oligarche7 of the south and
office, without influence, to their subservient north
ern allies In the pursuit of that end every great
public interest was sacrificed or disregarded EX-
pending little for public improvements either in the
west in inland river lake, in 1860 the credit of
the nation was poor, the treasury empty its six per
cent. bonds below par. Our unprotected manufac-
lures cOnended at fearful disadvantage with the pau
per labor of Europe, whose workshops we de-
pended for large portion Of the neCcssaries and
comforts Of life. our little navy scattered
the four quarters of the globe. Four million
tryluen in hopeless bondage. To them every
state it took its place in the great family but
added a new dungeon to their gloomy prisOu-hOusc
At last, as the Democratic party let 60 its hold on
power. the national flag itself seemed about to be
folded and laid aside to be regarded thenceforth
miserable symbol of the futiy and folly Of the last
great experiment Of sef-governmeut. The Demo-
cratic party confronts to-day, said, unchanged
in purpose, in temper and character. United in
nothing else, proposing other measure of policy,
it urges its.warefare upon the safeguards which the
nation has thrown around the purity of its elections.
1t other evil except that freeman should
cast free vote under the protection of the national
authority. In Louisiana and Mississippi it is the
accomplice Of the White League and the
hu-hllX. In South Carolina 1t takes the
honest ballot from the box and sus the tissue ballot
into its place. In New York it issues fraudulent
naturalization papers three score thousand in num-
r. milf
whole state government at In Delaware itlooks
with complacency on the whipping post. As in
1t found in the constitution nothing which could pro-
tec the national life, SO peace it finds nothing there
which can protect the national honor. Can you ind
in the history of the Democratic party for the past
sixteen years anything that the Democratic party has
done or tried to do except break down the legal
safeguards u to make these things possible? The
Republican party has no such miserable history:
The rebellion sUbdued, slaves freed, great public
ways constructed. homestead laws. naturalization
treaty. public credit re-established debt diminished,
sound currency restored, flag respected above all.
But not Tor these things alone, or chiefly does the Re
publican party live. The Republic lives, the Repub-
lcan party lives that every man within our borders
may dwell secure in happy home may cast and
have counted his equal vote, may send his child at
the public charge to free school. Until these things
to pass from the Atlantic TO the Pacific, from
Canada 10 the Gulf, the mission Of our party is not
accomplished nor Its warfare with its ancient adEer-
sary ended.
The chair proposed Oh behalf of the national
committee the fOllOWlng-named gentlemen to
ll}ltlt tlC OlHdlilLalOu. temporary Ncclt-
taIleS-Juhn. II. Roberts. of Illinois; &. l..
Magce, of PENNSYLVANIA; Chas. w. Clsbee. of
Michgan: Jas. {. BroadWcll, of Missouri, a,
reading clerk, and Eugene Davis of New York,
as stenographcr.
Hale of Maine, ofre'ed a resolution that the
rob of states be called, and that members be
named by the chairman Of each state for mem
bers of committees on permanent organizations
rules credentials. and of resolutions.
Mr.. Frye, of Maine. called attention to the
omission of Utah III the call, and asked that it
be called. The chair SAID he would direct the
secretary to call the territory, unless there was
objection.
Mr.. Conking of New York-There is Objec-
ton, Mr.. Chairman.
And then he proceeded to say that the ma
tional committee prepared a roll III which Louis
lana was omitted, and the territory Of Utah was
also omitted. The resolution under which the
call was made WAS based on that roll, and he
submitted that it was not competent to it. The
chair said he was Of the opinion that the COM
miCtee was the proper roll, and he could not
hold that it was out Of order to move that Utah
be called. ConklIng asked if it was in order for
him to move to add the state of Louisiana. He
did not make that motion, but he understood
that the convention was to abide by that roll.
Mr.. Frye declared it was agreed that Utah be
put on the roll that the secretary of the ma
tiOnal committee, standing by him, said he left
Utah ont by mistake.
Mr.. Conkhng regretted that such misleading
motion had been made. He would have made
no objection if he had understood what Mr..
Frye stated was correct. On the simple state
ment of Frve he would say there would be
unanimous consent so far as he could control
the matter. Frye explained that he just learned
I IL