St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-05-29
to Mr.. pettit's motion that the delegation headed

to Mr.. Pettits motion that the delegation headed
by Geo. F. Sabin be admitted to the convention.
j. n. Stacy moved that the convention allow
the two factions thirty minutes each to argue
their cases.
| c. II. Petit raised the point of order that a
question was already before the body.
| Mr. Stacy then put his motion in the form of a
substitute for the original question and the chair
decided to entertain it, despite the renewed pro-
| tests against it by Mr.. Petit
| The motion then being put prevailed without a
dissenting voice, consequently the next hour
| was devoted to elaborate oratory.
Mr.. Marsh opened for the Fletcher crowd, but
every point he made was more than covered by
his long speech at Saltwater, which has already
appeared in the GLOBE
| Geo. F. Sabin followed for the Scheffer con-
| testants. He devoted himself to proving the re-
gularity Of the Saltwater convention and said the
others were discussing the primaries which was
not to the point. He explained the authority
under which he called the convention at Stillwa-
ter to order, saying that he was authorized by
Mr.. Hospes to act as chairman for him and at a
meeting of the comfy committee three members
also asked him to act as proxy for Mr.. Hospes.
The Scheffer men had twenty two uncontested
delegates in that county convention which was
large majority of the uncontested vote. He gave
the details of the Saltwater convention proceed
ings of which appeared in the GLOBE report last
| Sunday. Mr.. Danforth who called the Fletcher
| convention to order usurper.
! Mr.. Searles was the next speaker in the inter
est of Mr. Fletcher. He had intended to attend
| his ward caucus quietly and deposit his vote as
an invalid, but he discovered there large num-
Der of Democrats employed by Mr.. Wolf There
were not less than seventy-fve Democrats pres
ent, who were desirous of placing their ballots
IN the box Had it not been for the committee
who threw out the Democratic votes, it would
! have been overwhelming. His was the Second
ward of Saltwater Late in the evening it was
! understood that two votes for one had gone in
for Mr.. Fletcher. About 200 men were then
rushed in from the boom and reduced the ma
| jority to twenty-one.
He also alleged that he had the sworn affidavit
Of d. H. Henry that some one laid money on the
! table to secure white ballots
| E. A. O'Brien-stProducei it; produce it."
Mr. Searles-''I have it and will read it,
Mr.. Marsh-"Don't allow him to take up your
time. Let the clerk read it after you have finish
| ed.''
This was followed by considerable confusion
and buzzing of hundred voices and delegate
shouted Justify ''Order, order!''
| In the Second ward Mr.. Scheffer had tinted
ballots, and it was alleged that they were used
for the purpose of bulldozing voters But the
speaker denied the allegation, claiming that the
facts would show that nothiug like intimidation
had been adopted in the ward.
A. +. Nordin, from Ramsey county, closed
the argument. He spoke as an eye witness.
| he had seen the iron feet of the oppressors
standing upon the necks of the laboring men, es-
peclally of his nationality, and he spoke in the
interest of justice. Applause The question
OF proxy is very important question. 1t should
! not be weighed hastily, but with care sSpeak-
| ing of proxy, how are we called to-
gether?" The speaker continued, .sIs it not by
call signed by J. H. Wolverton. chairman of
the Forth congressional district, per C. II.
Pettit proxy?' [Cheers.
| 81 can only say that the omnipotent God
frowned and wept at the proceedings at the eau
cuses in Saltwater. The bosses and rngleaders 8
stood around watching the laborng men lest
| they should vote as they pleased. Each man in
the works was given tinted ballot, and he was
given to understand that his bread and butter de-
pended upon whether he voted the tinted ballot
or not. This was the ticket used in the First
ward. A man went to the polls with white
| ticket and was challenged by Mr.
Marsh. He then went back got tinted ballot,
and interlined Schaffer delegates, and his ballot
was taken without the interposition of chal-
lenge by Mr.. Marsh. Prolonged cheers.
Mr.. Marsh-That is not true.
The speaker here read an affidavit signed by
three Republican voters whose votes were chal-
flenged successfully by Fayette Marsh.
| The use of tinted tickets was denounced as an
| insult upon the ranks Of citizenship. The con-
vention was asked to weigh every fact carefully.
| and be governed by good sense.
| In evident embarrassment Mr.. Petit took the
| floor to explain how he come to sign the call as
| proxy. The convention was called earlier than
he expected while he was in California and he
| telegraphed his proxy.
| series of cross firing here followed stfast and
furious" Seemingly every delegate in the body
was vieing with each other in trying to saw sharp
| things.
| Col. Benton asked if the county convention of
Washington consisted of forty-seven delegates.
Being informed by delegate that it did, he con-
tinued: Was there q regular call printed? He
| then read a call and inquisad of Mr. OBrien if it
was the call which had been published in the Sun.
Mr.. OBrien replied that it had been published in
the Saltwater Sun.
Col. Benton continued at some length, and asked
IL Iue CduCuSeS were u6lQ III accordance with the
calls. He then asked the number of people at
tending the caucuses and attending the contest
ing caucuse, He was told by adeIegate that the
number attending the contesting caucus was
twenty-six, and by another that it had been
published as 1856.
Col. Benton-156 as against over 4OO
Without stopping to inquire or discuss the
rights of Mr.. Sabin to call the convention to Or
der, he alleged that this did not constitute reg
ular convention. 1t had been decided by the
supreme court of Maine, during the Gov. Garce-
Ion contest, that it was not in the power of a
committee to change the time nor place of eau
GUS The question is what constituted a quorum
of regularly elected delegates. In order to get a
quorum the Scheffer called in delegates
from caucuses not regularly held. In the speak
er's Judgment only the delegates regularly elected
should be heard in the convention.
Mr.. Castle made reply at some length, and
went over practically the same ground covered
by the speakers who had preceded him in the in
terests of the Sabin convention. He stated that
the best possible ground for contest had been
| afforded. In the First ward there were a large
number of voters who were refused the right of
ballot, and that these voters had made affidavit
that they were Republicans, and had undoubted
right to vote at the caucuses. They went to the
convention to make contest there, but not as
delegates from caucuses held the next day. But
they were ignored. and defrauded of their rights.
Mr.. Lightner, of Ramsey county, reviewed the
legal aspect of the contest. Laws had been
passed. not only in the south, to prevent bull
dozing but in the state of Minnesota, to insure
the protection of the ballot, that the ballot
should be printed or written on white paper If
all those tinted and colored ballots were thrown
out, the Scheffer delegates were overwhelmingly
elected.
Col. Hicks wished to undeceive the delegates