The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1880-06-10
THE REPUBLICAN ROW.
Extraordinary Transactions at the
Chicago Convention.

one hundred thousand strangers were a
scmbled from every quarter of the land. to
witness the selection of a sixth, and last.
Republican candidate for the Presidency.
Seven days have elapsed,-a week without
a parallel in political conventions and the
end is not yet. The occasion has drawn to
gether perhaps a majority Of the historic
names in the dominant party of the Nation.
More members OF Congress are in Chicago
been attracted, and Prince Leopold, with
his Sister Princess Louise, the children of
Queen Victoria now in Canada) are among
the spectators ia the galleries. The conven-
ton meets in the old Exposition Hall ca
pable Of seating ten thousand persons. The
80 delegates occupy seats In the centre of
the vast area ; therefore are surrounded
| above and below By a bowling mob.
The row between the opposing factions
BEGAN in a secret meeting OF the National
Executive Committee. Don Cameron, "a
| the Grant chief. sought to enforce the unit
rule, so that a bare majority should control
the entire 50 votes Of Pennsylvania. the 20
| Of New York, and SO on. But James Nc
Names, an hard headed anti Grant delegate
from Philadelphia, met Cameron with force
and courage, compelling him to back down
or be elected from the craftsmanship Of the
committee. McManes got % of the Penn
sylvania delegates to sign a paper declaring
they would fight against Grant until the
| COWS came home, or words to that effect.
| Accordingly McManes became a very fine
large whale, and his tail has been stirring a
mighty Topping in the political pool all the
week.
TIL ILLINOI
At length a compromise was effected,
with Hoar for permanent chairman. He
onnnIntad a nrprpIttan on orndonfIalS -
majority of whom were anti Grant. Then
another fight began. Prior to the State
convention in Illinois, twenty Blaine dele.
gates were elected in the Congressional Dis
%tricts; and these men refused to be bound
by the action of the State convention in
structing' for Grant. Logan, Conkling,
and the Grant men fought bitterly to ex-
clude these delegates, as well as certain
others from Alabama, Kansas and Louis
lana. But in most cases they were whip
ped and the anti-Grant men seated. Then
the speeches began. Here it nay be well
to quote a pen picture Of some Of the more
exciting episodes
WILD AND THRILLING SCENES.
1T was so prolonged and excited that the
coolest men were dazed and stood terror
went into Mysteries, and rushed around and
shouted like maniacs. People who heard
the rush and roar five blocks away crowded
into the convention without tickets, as the
police seemed too much startled to detaln
any one.
TIE a1herents of both the renowned candi
dates We'd with each other in roaring like
wild bulls, or like an immense band of wild
Indians, sounding their feroclous war
whoops at a gigantic dance
The delegates seized their banners and
- LIZ -llo rnr,hoIu ~
the floor and in the galleries waved hand
kerchiefs. or hats, or umbrellas, or sticks,
or whatever they could lay hands on.
( "Consplcuous among the leaders OF the
scene was Roscoe Conkling, Long John
Wentworth and John Logan on the floor,
and Bob Ingersoll and Mr. Conger on the
platform. The flashing eyes and scarlet
faces of the excited multitude showed to
what a pitch of passion the once cool and
digniied Republican party had COME.
Even womanhood tor a time lost Its
delieacy and dignity, and showed as much
insanity standing on chairs and hourishing
symbols. as the men themselves. They
we're few, Of course. in proportion to the
number of women who sat there awed ano
amazed by the Titanic uproar.
Ten thousand people were on then
feet, standing upon tables and chairs and
the backs of the benches, waving handker
chief. canes, hats, umbrellas, overcoats
shawls, papers, in fact, everything tha1
conld be seen or used to add to the confu
sion and excitement. The flags. with which
1.-the building is decorated. were torn dowl
and waved aloft. Crazy women tore OF
their bonnets, and swung them by thei
strings, and crazy men pulled their coat:
from their shoulders and waved them in thu
air. The noise was absolutely deafening,
and no one knows, till be hears it. how
much noise 1900 people can make, shout
ing at the tops of their lungs pounding tn
nant pine benches with boards torn from
the backs and arms. 1t was bedlam, AM
beyond bedlam. 1t was like nothing tina
was ever seen or described, and any attemp
to describe it would be a failure.
One woman on the stage, a Mrs. Deane
of New Jersey. crazed with the excitement
tore down flags and shook them in the air
SLo G,,llc oI;,nbo6 tO the npdpStal Of tn