The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-07-09

Unit Rule-The Probable Outcome.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
CHICAGO, July Sit was nearly o'clock this
afternoon when the ruddy-visaged Sc ven-mule
Barnum appeared at the rostrum of the national
Democratic convention and commanded order.
The delegates were early in their places, but
the galleries and spectators seats at either end
of the great hail were by no means filled. There
were certainly quite three thousand vacant
chairs and throughout the entire proceedings of
the first session there was manifested a notable
lack Of enthusiasm, although there was deep
and anxious interest, apparently. Mr. Barnum
was brief and business-like. he deals more in Oc-
tober and November options than in speech, and
SO he did little more than to put the motion for
the election of Governor Hubbard, of Texas, as
temporary president Hubbard is called the
Lone-star Infant He is a good man, personally,
and weighs something less than four hundred
pounds. He looks like mixture Of the late
Secretary of State Hawn and Ira Williamson,
with possible flavor of Superintendent Charl-
ton. He has a fair speaking voice and shakes
his head and his protuberant abdomen with
great Yigor, and with much assumed gravity.
His speech was a tame affair, with noticeable
commission fearfully, which was unkind com,
siderng that Abram S. Hewitt, the author of the
bill in the House, was of the committee to es-.
cort him to the chair and that in his audience
was Allen Ct. Thurman, of Ohio, and Jonas G..
Abbott, sof ~ Massachusetts, and Francis S.
Kernan of New York, who were members of
that Democratic extralegal extra-constitutional
institution, which, like gun aimed at duck or
plover, kicked in the breech and knocked the
owner over. The most notable thing he said
was that the nomination of Gem
eral Johl A. Logan as can
didate for Vicepresident Of the United
States by the Republican party was a Haunting
of the bloody shirt in the faces of the Southern
Democrats. He said good men of all parties
and of all beliefs had united to forget the mem
ories of war days. According to Governor Hub
bard, the tender susceptibilities of the South
must not be outraged by the nomination of
Union soldier, but all reference to the war, di-
rectly or indirectly, be omitted out of Difference
to our Southern brethren We are getting along
rapidly. The journal has frequently called at
tention to the rapid development of the sentiment
that relegates service in the federal armies
a political disability than an honor.
But this speech of Governor Hubbard goes
little further than anything yet seen It is
worth the attention Of loyal people and the
surviving soldiery of the nation. that, in twenty
years after the dispersion Of the armies of the
government, q Denperatic State convention in
Indiana fails to specify the character of soldiers
they would compliment with their gratitude, and
the temporary chairman of a national Democrat
ic convention announces that it is Haunting the
bloody shirt for a Republican convention
to nominate a Union soldier for office
This point is worth emphasizing. 1t was in this
city of Chicago, twenty years ago, that nation
al Democratic convention declared the war
failure; and now, at their next meeting here the
same body declares that to honor the most
Union is Haunting the bloody shirt, and should
be rebuked
THE UNIT RULE.
Mr. Hubbard spoke about half an hour, and
then, upon the very first item Of business pre-
sented, the battle over the unit rule began. 1t
was opened by motion of State Senator Grady,
Tammanyite, to the effect that if the vote of any
State should be challenged, the individual roll
of delegates should be called. The debate was
not great one, but it was full of interest and
was participated in by Grady, Colonel Fellows
t1Ir. Kellys anti -Tammanyite colleaguel, John
Kelly, ex Senator Doolittle, Carter Harrison,
Major Burke, of New Orleans, and John @.
Jacobs of Brooklyn. Fellows, Doolittle Jacobs
and Burke spe Ike for the right Of the State as a
State4 a distinct Democratic doctrine-while
Kelly, Carter Harrison and Grady defended the
rights Of individual delegates.
Kelly received great ovation but did not at
tempt anything much He spoke briefly
and plainly and with much force,
He IS getting quite gray. The lines
Of the prize fighter are being somewhat softened