Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1884-08-19
General Buffers Letter.

Gen. Buffers letter in regard to the Presi-
dency is published this morning. 1t is very
long. The General begins by giving an ac-
count of his experience in the national dem
ocratic convention at Chicago. lie found
the committee on resolutions of which he was
a member, divided on the tariff question
He says
From that hour any csndidature of mine
in that convention became TO be impossible
The defea: of any possible nominee of the
party upon free trade platform seemed to
me inevitable. even if not desirable. The
influences which caused the change of three
votes out of seven clearly fOreshadowed the
nominee.
At the next meeting of my delegation re-
quested that my name be not presented. and
suggested to them to favor the nomination of
a gentleman whose length of public service
and long acquaintance with public affairs.
and whose prior consideration in other demo-
cratic conventions showed that he had some
claims to be considered democratic states
man. All of the delegation who remained
faithful to their constituents and represented
the Massachusetts, democracy, so voted, and
with true consistency and propriety so stood
firmly to the end.
Then eusued in the committee struggle o.
many hours so to frame a tariff plank that
should appear to say what mine said and vet
not say it; like the Western hunter who
tied to shoot his rife at something he dimlv
saw stirring in bush, SO as to hit it if ii was
a deer and miss it if II was a calf
With this struggle of ingenuity and decep-
ton. as il for prize. of course | had moth
ing to do, but simply stood by my guns MY
resolutions were never voted upon in the
committee, nor was the tariff resolution in
the words in which il was presented
to the convention agreed upon in the sub
committee at all. but was amended after it
WAS presented to the general committee
OF the manner in which he was gagged in
the convention and of other matters, the let
ter says
Through the courtesy of the chairman of
the committee. and bv personal iutercession.
obtained the boon of thirty minutes to
present and discuss a charter of the peoples
rights at an hour crowding on midnight. but
before il could be printed and laid before the
convention. and with the refusal of the con-
vention TO adjourn to the morning before a
vote WAS taken upon them. So eager were
the members TO get at their work of predes-
tined nomination.
.And such a contention has been called
deiI5eratire body.
1t is true, that it spent days upon the unit
rule, which required mans vote to be cast
against his conscience and judgment, in spite
of his protest by others, and days in trying to
settle the internal dissensions of the m schine
politics of single State; but it could give
thirty minutes only to the discussion of prin-
ciples for the government of the nation. !
therefore could substantially present but one
plank, the most important of all the protec-
ton of the American lsborer and producer.
without which, in my judgment, there can be
no prosperity 10 this country.
And this was voted down in the convention
BY vote of 1924 TO 974
felt it but right to warn the convention.
however unimportant such warning might
seem, of the course of nv duty if such a vote
was passed against the workingmen and