The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1881-04-01
DECATUR CONVENTION.

DECATUR CONVENTION.
The convention was called to order by Z. o.
Briggs, and was organized by electing l.. N.
Burke, OF Kalamazoo, temporary chairman and
Z. A. Blackman, secretary. A committee OF two
from each county was appointed on credentials,
and also committee composed OF the same
number on permanent org anizstion. Mr.. How
ard OF Kalamazoo, WAS chairman OF the for
mer, and Mr.. Arnold OF Van Buren,, of the lat
ter.
The committee on credentials reported that
Kalamazoo had but eight delegates present.
and Van Buren, twelve also that the delegates
from Kalamazoo were empowered to cast the
full vote OF the delegation. Mr.. Briggs called
for division OF the report, for the purpose
evidently, OF having that part of the report
which referred to the equal representation
voted upon separately. A discussion OF the
question, however, disclosed the fact that
majority OF the convention was in favor OF the
report which was adopted.
The committee on permanent organization
reported the temporary, for permanent officers
OF the convention. Mr.. Howard moved to pro-
coed to an informal ballot, when the Courier
man proposed the following as substitute:
WHEREAS, The Office Of circuit Judge should
be removed as far as possible from partisan in
huence, ana
WHEREAS, There are two candidates ALREADY
nominated, one by the republican party con-
vention, packed for the purpose, and the other
by peoples convention, largely attended and
composed or members OF all parties,
WHEREAS, BY making partisan nomination
to-day, we shall surely aid in the election OF
candidate nominated as partisan republican
and shall surely defeat the peoples nomination,
Resotued, That we deem it impoltic to make
any partisan nomination here to day.
This was like igniting the fires to large
magazine OF powder, and a spirited discussion
ensued, Mr.. Howard objected to the adoption
Of the resolution on behalf OF the entire dele
CATION OF Kalamazoo, and the four thousand
democrats Of that county. They had come
there, he said, to nominate democratic judge,
and it mattered not to them how many quar-
rels there were in the republican party, (Which
ne was always willing to see,) it was their duty
as democrats to put in nomination a straight,
out and out democrat, and try to elect him.
Blackman, who had been taking notes, got up
and said he did not suppose his resolution
|
ship in nominating judge, and then sought to
squelch the argument OF Mr.. Howard by trade
OF personal abuse on those delegates who op-
posed his resolution. He accused them Of be-
ing there In the interest OF Mr.. Mills: that
Mr.. Howards Office in Kalamazoo was the
headquarters OF Mills, when in that village !;
that Mr.. Howard's law partner was a republi-
| nd nf
that 1t was the purpose OF those gentlemen to
aid Mr.. Mills, by nominating straight out
democrat
Captain Hendryx spoke in favor OF Mr..
Blackman's resolution, and said he conceded to
no man the honor OF being better democrat
than himself, and that we had to thank the
democratic party for all that we now enjoyed
Mr. Howard, who is a good lawyer and fine
talker, in cool, deliberate manner, defended
the position he had taken on the resolution,
and with few scathing remarks cut up the ed
itor OF the Courier in such fine pieces, that we
doubt whether he gets collected sufficiently be-
fore election to know whether no votes for Ed
wards or Mason. Mr.. Howard said that he had
always been a democrat. He was born one,
and that ii was contemplate in man like
Blackman to question his fidelity to the demo-
cratic party, who had but recently left the re-
publican party, as he said, because Of the cor
ruption existing in it, and who to-day was in a
regularly called democratic convention, seeking
the nomination OF republican who had been
just rejected by bis own party; for lbs part, il
he bad to vote for republican, he would pre-
fer one who was not so Objectionable to all par
ties as the nominee OF the Lawton convention.
Mr.. Howard was followed by Ransom Nut
ting, who said he had never been placed in such
peculiar circumstances in convention before
in his lite. He had never seen such personal
tiles logged into convention before, and he
had been in great many, both in this State
and Massachusetts,. Mr.. Tucker spoke point
eddy on the same subject.
The substitute was rejected by vote OF Is
toS. -
motion was then made to proceed to an in
formal ballot. Mr.. Blackman then put in NOM
ination, Z. X. Annabe, of Paw Paw. That
gentleman being present, respectfully declined
to run. He said he had never held an Office
and did not want one.
g. II. Mason was then nominated. as ia
shown by the following vote: G.. II. Mason Is.
Z. r. Annable 2, j. NJ. Edwards 1.
The Courier editor must have gone home
from the convention fully convinced that he.
as political manipulation was failure. Will
the editor of the Courier explain how il was
that Tobias johnson, who was delegate to the
convention aud was there, was left of and the
delegation filled by putting men who we're not
delegates upon 1t There was no chicanery
no attempt to pack that convention. Oh no
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