The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-06-19
Postmaster General Gresham's Friends Meet
and Determine to Make Him a For
NAL Candidate
Members of the Various Committees
Chosen by Congressional Districts.
The Friends of Calkins and Dudley Equally
Sanguine Of SuccesS-What the Tenn
peranCe People Ask For.
AMONG THE DELEGATES.

'The last day before the convention"-the
rounding-up time for the candidates-was one of
great hustle. The hotels were all crowded, but
the Grand was the nucleus of the gathering, and
from an early hour in the morning an undimin-
ishing throng pressed through its corridors, NOV
ing from the room of one candidate to another,
and the whole building was in buzz of politics.
Colonel Dudley who did not arrive until late the
previous night, began work early and earnestly.
His presence rallied his friends and strength
ened his support He made his headquarters in
the reading room of the hotel, and he had
crowd around him throughout the day. He made
many new friends, but there were many advant-
ages which he had lost the opportunity of gain
ing by not coming sooner. His cordial manner and
confident bearing among the delegates were,
however, an inspiration of hope to his friends,
and they worked with energy. 1t was great day
for both Dudley and Calkns There was no unkind
feeling between their friends and supporters,
and no attempt was made on either side to take
any advantage that was not perfectly fair and
honorable. In speaking of his prospects of OBJ
tanning the nomination Col. Dudley expressed
himself as hopeful. He felt assured by the in
formation which he had before coming here that
his chances were good. If there had been any
changes in the situation in the last two
weeks that were not in his favor he
knew nothing of them He still thought his
prospects bright and assuring but he was now
judging from the position of a man surrounded
by his friends and supporters, which is likely to
be fallacious and misleading. He felt encour-
aged The so-called Gresham boom" he re
garded a movement of the friends of the
Postmaster general, and while General Gresham
was not an avowed candidate he interpreted the
letters and dispatches which had been received
from him as meaning that he would not hest
tate to accept the nomination. He thought the
movement a mistake However, it was none of
his funeral
Early in the afternoon the Wayne county
delegation held meeting. and it was decided
to cast the full vote of the county for
Dudley, provided its solid support should also be
given Noble for Auditor All of the delegates
except three were present. The proposition was
satisfactory adjustment of the DIVISION and
was accepted by both factions of the delegation.
The winning cordiality of Major Calkins
drew many friends to him, and he made
himself popular even with those with
whom he was not favorite His friends are
confident that he will be nominated. and some
of the more enthusiastic believed that his nom
ination would be by reclamation. 1t is claimed
that he will have eight hundred votes on the first
ballot, but this estimate is doubtless extrava-
CANT.
WHAT GREsHAMs LIEUTENANT THINKS
A journal reporter met Mr.. Morris Mcdonald
in the Denison lobby. and talked with him about
the Gresham movement He stated that as the
result of conference on the part of the friends
of the Postmaster general in attendance
upon the convention it had been determined to
present him as candidate for the gubernatorial
nomination tomorrow.
''Have you any assurance that he will accept"
''Well, you know. not many men would decline
it, responded Mr. Mcdonald THAT is the in
ference we make from his telegram to Major
Calkins, published this morning, and from sew
eral letters that have been received here"
THAT is the basis, then, upon which you are
proceedings was asked.
SIT is" Mr. Mcdonald went on to say that he
was satisfied nine-tenths of the delegates to the
convention wanted a strong man to head the
ticket and that General Gresham was the strong
man they desired, but owing to previous entangle-
ments and local influences they were not able to
express that preference 'If four candidates
are named to morrow, said Mr.. Mcdonald mo
one of them will be nominated on the first two
or three ballots Then the delegates, finding
that they cannot nominate their man, will rally
That is my belief and the belief of his friends
But the delegates may not do this"
THE MOVEMENT FOR GRESHAM.
The Denison was the rallying point of the
supporters of Gresham, but the talk about his
candidacy did not develop into anything like a
boom. The movement of his friends in bring
ing him into the field was regarded as a mis-
take and the attitude in which Gresham him
aJf
which was brought to the convention for the
rallying Of his friends and the telegram which
he sent to Major Calkins on Tuesday night were
commented upon by the friends of both Dudley
and Calkins with some asperity. The tele-
gram was generally interpreted as meaning
that although he is not an avowed candidate he
would like to have the nomination, The fact
that his friends continued to urge his candidacy
was accepted as a proof of this Interpretation.
One of his friends, when asked how he under
stood the telegram, said that it meant that
General Gresham is not a candidate
before the convention, but that he will
be candidate after the convention meets
The friends of the other candidates regard his
equivocal attitude as in bad faith, in view of
his having given them the assurance that he
would not be a candidate would not permit the
use of his name, and would not accept the nom
ination if rendered him.
During the afternoon meeting of the
Gresham supporters was held in the reading
TWIN UiiO D0HloOuj W uOOiuO upOA w udJ
course they would pursue. Speeches were made
in favor of presenting his name to the conven-
ton by several of his friends, while others
questioned the policy of such a proceeding
Among those who spoke were Colonel
Robertson, DR.. Voyles Judge Denny, Colonel
Bridgeland Morris Mcdonald, General Streight,
Robert Stratton. Henry Hanna Ex-Governor
Baker and Major Jonathan w. Gordon The
speeches generally were in favor of urging his
candidacy but Major Gordon strongly opposed
it, The meeting lasted for over two hours, and
resulted in his friends resolving to present his
name to the convention.
A committee was appointed to take charge of
was appointed chairman. The committee will
doubtless confer with him before presenting his
name, and will select man to place him in nom
ination.
Last night another dispatch was received from