New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-10-06
THE CONTESTED SEATS.


THE CONTESTED SEATS.
DELAY OF THE COMMITTEE IN GETTING TO woRx-
CONTESTS PREsENTED-cosKIINa NOT an
MITTED.
Much OF the interest in the Convention centred In
tne act on OF the Committee on Credentials, which
met In the Academy of Music in the afternoon. Its
session began about $3.50 o'clock and lasted
until after the Convention had assembled
in the evening" although everything that
seemed 10 be possible was done to encour-
age dispatch. Arguments were not listened
to- but only statements Of facts and in several in
stances, as in the XIIth District of Kings County,
the committee, with manifest evidences of disgust
at the shallowness of the attempt to defeat the
wishes of the people. summarily stopped the plead
ers and decided the contests without discussion.
There delay in getting to work. which was partly
the fault of failure to instruct the anitor of the
building that the meeting to be held and partly
because of the obstinacy of doorkeeper, who kept
not only the contestants aud sitting delegates but
even the committee itself out in the cold until after
3 o'clock After this obstacle had been overcome
and the I'M nittee had assembled an organization
was effected by the election of w. b. Woodin as
chairman and George Bliss as secretary.
The committeeman occupied chairs within the
orchestral rail with the contesting and sitting
members of the Convention occupying the parquet
until z o'clock, after which all concerned in the
contest moved into one of the other rooms in the
building. 1t was agreed at the outset that tho
counties within whose precincts contests had arisen
shos!d be called in alphabetical order, and this was
carried out in all cases, except those of NewYork,
which for the sake of convenience left till the
last. The case of the contest in the lid District CT
Albany County presented for the sitting dele
CATION by Mr.. Barnes and for the contesting le-
CATION by A. 5. Draper The familiar facts were
rehearsed, after which the committee decided to
dispose of the contests fast the statements
were concluded. motion to recognize the sitting
delegation was adopted by unanimous vote, tho
roll being called and each committeemans vote be-
ing recorded.
In the lid District of Kings County, ex-Sheriff
Daggett presented the for the contestants as
follows: There were two delegates from the Second
and four from the Fourth Wards but In the latter
there was contest. 1t was referred to the Id
District, which reported in favor of the sitting de
gates. The delegates from the Second Ward after
ward withdrew. The other side claimed that the
votes were taken illegally. The contestants wero
unanimously admitted.
Mr.. Daggett said that he appeared as a contestant
in the With District of Kings County. Il was
elected unanimously" he asserted there were no
contestants and l did not know that there was
any opposition to my seat until | found
that my name was not on the roll" 7. S. Sands
spoke for the sitting delegates and claimed that
Democrats voted at the primary. Mr.. Daggett was
admitted.
In the XIIth District of Kings County the con-
testants were admitted unanimously The counsel
for them stated that the case was one where foW
delegates beat twelve.
MR.. CONKLING RULED OUT.
The contest in the Ist District of Oneida at
| ..o1. 81.
Roscoe Conkling had been admitted by the state
Committee, aud ex-State Senator Lowery was
present rs one of the contestants J. b. Patten
presented the case for the contestants. He ex-
planned that these got nineteen votes in tho
convention, ten from Utica. and three each from
the towns of Brdgewater, Paris and New Hartford.
Six votes from Utica and three from New Hartford
repres nted Mr. Conklings strength in the local
convention. although the votes III the latter town
were contested. Mr.. Lowery's name was subsh-
tuted for the delegate from the Eleventh Ward Of
Utica and convention then stood ten TO nine
against Mr.. COnkling. The Stalwarts claimed
that Mr.. Lowery was not entitled TO a seat
because there CO. III the district which
he represented; but Patten declared that
no one announced III % Convention that SIR.
Lowery's seat contested. When motion for
anti-Stalw rt chairman was put to the convention
the Conking delegates Ild not vote, and afterward
withdrew. A Com lnittee on Credentials ap-
poi ted and the anti-Staw wart lie egates from New
Harifo were admitted, making total of thirteen
delegates. -
Mr Brandagee argued the case for the Conkling
delegates lie said that the custom at previous
conventions in Oneida has been to exclude ALI
tested delegates un II after tue INVENTION
yaniZed. the tull convention III the Ist D.srict
was compose, the beginning of tine proceedings,
OF ten Hal -breeds and nno Staiwarts. blr Bran
dagoe asserCed that he announced In the c)nycn-
tion that Mr.. Lowerys seat was contested. and
therefore he had rgnt to he present ut the organ
izatIon 4 he officers declined TO exclude .dr.
Lowery and protest was ntered every time that
he voted. He claimed that at the primary in the
Eleventh Ward of Utica nye Democrats voted ior
ueulee Che delegate Ior whom LOSery was subatI-
tutsd aud that h al an a.lldavlt of man VINO
d.claIed that ne put four votes folded t0gsGner IN
the bailol-Dox for hetllee. Ii was found the
ballots were counted that there were nlne III excess
of the numOer OF names on the roll. The St-lwarts
also claimed cOntesG III the Town OF BrldgeWater,
because among the voters were Prohibitionists and
Democrats. ,,
cantesting uelegatloh headed Dy 1ir. Lowefy was
made sir. Bliss SAID that he would ike 10 maze a
s1atelnent TO eXpIaIn his vote. can not saJisiy
nvself thai eCneT delegation ought tO be adlnitIe"
ue said The statement Is made mere tua. there was
a NEST IN the district which ar. Lowery repre,
sen ,e,i although 1t is denied b. thc oCher size.
think however, hat there were grounus Ior con-
Iest aud 1 don't think the contest ought TO have
been set aside by the convention. III Air. LOWsry
mad been excluded there would have been deie-
"a a ON eacu sl,le and there could have
m iorl,y on cith3 side. some o the delegates tDen
,e,J Inc Convention and the others continued The
session. not navnlg ni1Jo1 Y oA unc0htesteu dee
gates. | think 1t Is equally queer that the othcr
gentlemen snOud W lharaw and mold convention
without having majority "a Une elected dclogates
The oniy thiug whot,r they ought not TO lave re-
ln..neu IN Ile conyonLlol even IA tuey We're uv r
m,el. III the convention ruled Gna. Mr. L0wery
Nas entI IJeu seat tnouG nearing the contest,
1 Luink iG was Unfair IL illegal votes were cast III
th. an ,trct where Ie was elected, dont thlnk tnat
ma reureented the voters OF tuat district. shall
vote AGAINST he Ln0uoA not because "eileNo tuo
claims OF the sitting delegaes to be Just, bu1 Dc-
cause dout tnIuk CndJ eltndr Is onutied 10 repre-
sentatIon LII a ion 10 accept the credentials of
nm. otuer side Is mace will also vO.e against It,
All tne members oI tue commitle voted III Iasor
OF ad ItJing the Lowery deegaJion exSep0 aiessrs'
bliss, Camp, " endover anu Dueii Nheh the su-
nouuuement was made there Was loud applause
rom tine spectators. One man exclaimed;
-. n,la In ~