The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-06-26
YESTERDAYS CONVENTION.


character of the Democratic assemblage. 1t
| was creditable convention-for the Demo
cratic party. 1t did its work quickly and
with apparent good feeling, was well pre-
sided over by its popular United States Sena-
| tor and, under the circumstances, acquitted
| itself as well as was probably possible. We
do not think it will be seriously questioned
that the convention was without faith in sue
cess. The proceedings were all pitched on
the key of doubt; the speeches were all with
big eff" and each of the candidates apollo
geticallY provided for the probabilities of de-
feat. The support of Colonel Gray was
cold and perfunctory. He is not a
man to enthuse any party, particularly not the
Democratic party. He has only been Dem
ocrat since 1872, and then became one simply
because his self-appreciation was larger than
that entertained for his abilities by his old
associates, Yet in the twelve years of his
Democratic life he has managed to be Lieu
| tenant governor and Governor, and to have
stolen from Mr.. Mcdonald, time honored
Democrat, the compliment of nomination
for United States Senator. And he is now
the candidate for Governor. No wonder old
Democrats look askance at this ambitious
and scheming man, and no wonder he has
developed feeling among large class of his
present associates that renders him very far
from a popular candidate While man of
fair abilities and courteous department in all
the social relations of life, Colonel Gray is by
no means man of any breadth. He
is narrow in conceptions of public questions,
bigoted and selfish, and has always failed
and will continue always to fail, in arousing
any warmth of feeling among his supporters
in the party to which he may temporarily
attach himself The nomination of General
Manson for Lieutenant-governor was what the
French might call nomination de CONVEYANCE.
The opinion entertained of General Manson by
the convention was expressed in the meager
The General expressed very bluntly his feel
| ing over the treatment accorded him. That
they turned to him to take the second place
| on the ticket with ELUSIVE noise, was not
enthusiasm; it was the expression of ''Help
me, Cassius, or I sink" feeling That General
Manson so interpreted it, and that the Demo
Gratis so understood it, is evident from the
remark made to him by promi-
nent Democrat: ri hope you will
pull the off-horse [Gray] through" To
which the General responded, ''That's what
they put me on for" That sort of conf
dence game with General Manson will not win
any votes, while it will cool the ardor of a
number of young and energetic Democrats,
who had made the preliminary canvass for the
place, and were entitled to recognition. The
other nominations were practically foregone
Mr.. Kern, of Kokomo, is the fog-horn of
Democracy, and while good enough sort of
man, may be fifty described in the old Latin
| phrase, 'Vox ct preterea nihil" Mr.. Mitchell
the nominee for judge, is lawyer of ability
and a gentleman of high character. This
nomination is in every way creditable. The
incumbent State officers were renominated
including Captain Myers the author of the
disgraceful letter to the National Prison Re-
form Association, which drew upon him the
contempt of the country, not single respect
able Democratic newspaper daring to come to
the Secretary's defense.
The platform is not worth discussion. 1t is
the longest and least pungent political
document ever given to the public by any
party not excepting the Greenback party in
the days of its most extraordinary imitation
Life is too short to read it. The tariff plank
is mixture of the Ohio idea and Mr. Nc
Donald's free trade. The platform is fairly
saturated with whisky. 1t revels, riots and
wallows in 'sumptuary' idiocy, the phrases
being exhumed from the trunpery closet of
the oldest bunker Democracy that ever ex-
listed, even in this State of moss-back and
mast-fed Bourbons. This plank is the special
and particularpet of Mr. English, the architect
of the Democratic campaign of 1882, who it will
be remembered, in his opening speech, in call
ing the State convention of that year to order,
placed the Savior of mankind at the head
of liquor makers and dealers. There is a re-
freshing breeziness in the plank denouncing
the Governor for attempting to par
tisanize the benevolent institutions.
AL
platform, presupposes the dense ignorance and
gullibility of the people, which is q" intense
| ly and peculiarly Democratic idea. There are
some good things in the platform, but these
are stolen from the Republican party. There
are some bad things and these are essentially