New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-06-05

Clayfon moved TO substitute the report of the mi-
nOrty of the committee on tins subject I9r mat OF
the majority. At this point, on motion OF Senator
Bruce the Convention at 4:20 o'clock adjourned
until O'Clock after having been in session about
elk hours without accomplishing anything
THE FIGHT OVER CONTESTED SEATS.
THR GREAT STRUGGLE OF TIE DAY BEGINs At
THE RvENIEG sEssION-THE GRANT MEN DE-
EeArFp ON THE ALABAMA CASE-SPIRIrED DIS
CUSTOM.
tBr TELEGRAPH TO TIE TRIBUSF.I
CHICAGO, June 4.-The Convention came to order
at half-past this evening in mood to push for
ward the business with more expedition than has
marked its proceedings before. The irst motion
made was in the interest of the dispatch Of busi-
ness
General BENJAMIN Harrison moved that in order
that there might be some limit to the debate, the
diseussiou of the Alabama case be confined to half
an hour A delegate from California in secondlng
the notion said that he and his associates were get
ting impatient at the delays that have already taken
place; they disposed to suspect that there was
q purpose In 1t. Mr.. COnkling suggested that the
time allowed for debate on the Alabama case be
equally divided between the two sides. and finally,
it was agreed that twenty minutes be allowed for
the contestants to present their case, and twenty
minutes in which the sitting members might
answer. To make this arrangement even occupied
an hour, so that Ii was after o'clock before the
Alabama case was actually taken up.
The case of the contestants was presented by
Mr. Conger, the chairman of the committee. He
SAID that tho Convention would notice that Mr..
Rspier was regularly elected delegate, but that
subsequently the chairman of the Convention was
instructed to refuse to give certificate to him
less he would agree that be would vote for General
Grant In the other case Mr. Conger said the two
district delegates General Warnec aud ex-GoveT-
nor Smith. were regularly elected delegates from
their own DISTRICTS bat under instructions from the
State Convention certificates were refused to them
and were given to the sitting members, because
they refused TO surrender their independence and
agree to vote for General Grant. This, he said,
. is the case in a nutshell Mr.. Conger closed by
saying that the principles involved in both cases
were the same, and that was whether the districts
should choose the delegates IN accordance with the
presidents Of the party in that State not Upon
the decision Of this question" said he, Il believe
depends the future oil tho Republican party In this
country"
TIE GRANT CLAIM PRESENTED,
Ex-senator Clayton then took the floor, merely to
yield it TO MIR. Turner, the young chairman of the
Alabama delegation, who read the call issued for
the Convention in bis State. which met to select
delegates. He laid stress on two facts. The call
stated that the Convention was fOr the purpose Of
selecting delegates" and resolution adopted IN the
State Convention of Alabama permitted the dele
gates to retire by districts and report to the Con-
vention the names Of proper persons to be selected
as dnlegates0
The effect OF the argument was marred little by
james HILL brght-lOokinR mulatto in the Missis-
sippi delegation, who asked whether the date of
the call for the State Conven ton before after
the date of the call for the National Convention.
His point evidently that the call for the Ma
toDa Convention settled that the system of district
represen shonld be observed. and the call of
the state Convention. If made afterward was of no
effect 30 far as it cOnflicted with the other.
Mr. Turner was compelled to admit that the
Alabama call was the later of the two. General
Tracy, of Brooklyn, as. member of the
Committee on Credentials said the question
was simply whether State Convention had the
represent the State in the National Convention. In
further presenting the new theory Of State Rights
General Tracey said the Convention bad been de-
layed three days, and the time of the Committee on
Credentials had been consumed III revising, adjust
tng and nnseteEng grave questions that belong OK
c,aasvely 70 tbs States aud their conventions But
fhstweRty inmates Of the opponents If the major
~ had been consumed, and General Iraceys speech
General Bstemah OF Ohio as q member Of the
Committee on Credentials, said the case involved
precisely the same question as that presented in all
snsT seect,on ns' OIL M
jorty Of the delegates of his districts on the
COMMITTEES doubted il The same principle was
the Ohio Republicans proceed, referring back
20 the districts the selections made by the State
Convention. We now have the question presented,
he said, whether q State COnvenl ION cannot only
instruct delegate how 10 vote. but in case of
fnsal can even remove that delegate. "You might
rs well say" said he, that because the member
of Congress from Cairo don't suit the peO-
pie Of Northern Illinois they might remove him and
% the eef ssn by the SSess6 Of the STATE @
yeDti0n 10 Raper, embodying the pledge to vote for
Grant. "Now, Mr. President" he continued, "this
letter required response in twentyfOur hours and
Mr RaDier treated it with deserved contempt. Shall
vention 70 reverse the action Of the districtf l
trust not.'
MICHIGAN SUPPORTS FAIR PLAY.
Mr.. Fair of Michigan. desired to explain why the
delegates from his State favored the majority re-
port The people of Michigan. he said, when they
had an almost unanimous vote for General Grant
did believe 10 district representation end when on
one occasion district delegate refused to agree
with the majority Of the State Convention that
Convention SAID he should represent the State.
An Alabama delegate, Mr.. Parsons said he Ind
followed the flag of the party through good and
Bvii report Ho was one of the Republicans of Ala
bama who agreed to abide by the instructions TO
vote for Grant, and he still intended TO do It. but
when the State Convention attempted to unseat the
1elegates of the two districts he had resisted t il
macked too much of Democracy. He referred to |
he pfecedents in the case. and declared that the
statement that Willard Warner and Governor |
,mitb were not elected was untrue In |
heory and In fact At this point the |
ime allotted for debate expired. His entire /
peech was received with enthusiastic applause.
Mr.. Conger, Is . quick wey out Of che tangio, /