New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-09-29
DEMOCRATIC
MASSACHUSETTS
-. 9HVNr
THE

| MACHINE.
All accounts Of the Massachusetts, Democratic
| State Convention at Springfield on Wednesday
| agree in rep resenting it as the most successful
piece of political machinery that has been set
| in motion this many "a day. The Convention
was simply formality INDUCED in by the State
| Committee the State Committee was the organ
| through which its chairman, Colonel Jonas II.
| French, uttered his edcts and Colonel Jonas
IL. French, as everybody knows ls and long has
been the Adjutant- General who Issues the or
ders of COMMANDMENT Chief Benjamin +.
Butler There is an cid story current among
politicians to the effect that on one occasion
when the late Dean Richmond was chairman
of the New York Democratic State Committee
and the party Boss" on the eve of State Con-
ventiou after the Committee had as was sup
posed planned all the business, selected all the
candidates for the Convention, and adjourned,
it was discovered that some Office OF very small
Importance had been overlook ed. Nj. Rich
mond's attention being called to it, the old GEN
tleman in a burst of Hbcrallty said " Well,
&" that isn't of much account; we'll leave ID to
60 the Convention There was no such oversight
on the part of Colonel Jonas French at the
Butler Convention. For that body everything
was planned down to the last nomination and
the minutest detail, and the prog ANNE was
carried out to the very letter. No. was left
to the Convention. No amOun5 OF kicking or
bowling, no appeal to parliamentary law or
usage, remonstrance against the "rbitrary
ruling of the chair, no persuasiOnS or threats
could move Colonel Jonas French from the
determination to put the programme through
in its entirety.
The delegate who wa to move that Colonel
Jonas French be temporary chairman was Sc
lected by Colonel jonas French. He was rec
ognized by Colonel Jonas French, although two
or three delegates clearly had the precedenc e
of him in addressing the chair Colonel Jonas
French ignored all attempts to move an
amendment and Colonel Jonas French, over
riding all interference from the Convention, put
the question and declared Colonel Jonas French
elected temporary chairman. Then Colonel
Jonas French recognized the delegate whom he
had selected to move that Colonel Jonas
French appoint Committee on Credentials,
and that motion being put and carried, named
the committee he had selected. Colonel Jonas
French then recognized the delegate to whom
he had assigned the duty of moving that Colo
mel Jonas French appoint the Committee on
OTRdnZdllOU, anu nlOtlOu pro-
vailing, Colonel Jonas French named commit
tee which afUerward reported the permanent
officers decided upon the night before by Colo
mel Jonas French. The delegate selected by |
Colonel Jonas French to move that Colonel |
Jonas French appoint the Committee on Reso- |
lutions did his duty, and Colonel Jonas French |
appointed a committee which subsequently |
reported the resolutions agreed upon by Colo !
mel Jonas French. The delegate selected by |
Colonel Jonas French to move that Colonel |
Jonas French appoint committee to report |
what was called the balance of the ticket" |
was next recognized and upon the passage of |
the vote Colonel Jonas French announced the |
committee which after ward reported the names |
Of candidates chosen by Colonel Jonas French |
for " the balance of the ticket" When Colonel |
Jonas French recognized the delegate whom he |
had appointed to move that Colonel Jonas |
French name the committee to report State !
Committee already selected by Colonel Jonas |
French with Colonel Jonas French for chair |
man, there was a small row, but Colonel Jonas |
French serenely scared above it, put the mo- |