The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-09-27
THESARATOGA CONVENTIONS
the Fashionable Spectators and Their
Influence on the Orators.
The Nominations Victory for the Rural
Portion of the State--An Incident of
General Carr's Early Life.
Special to the Indianapolis journal.

SARATOGA, Sept 26-The season of fashion
has lasted here until to day for those who waited
to see the two State conventions, and the thou
sands of prolongers of their stay made body OF
spectators uncommon to political assemblage,
The wealthiest woman in the world sat conspic-
uous during every session. and not so much be-
cause she had remarkable appearance as that,
being pointed out as the widow of the late
Alexander T. Stewart, she was a subject OF
curious regard. Old and feeble, very richly
but plainly dressed, and showing in her eagerness
to see and hear all that was going on no self
consciousness of being herself an exhibit
she had of the audacity OF
great wealth. Mrs. Stewart owns large
amount of Saratoga real estate, including
the Grand Union Hotel famous for its exclusion
of Jews. This rule was broken during the week
for the first time since it was made six years ago.
The delegations were divided between the United
States, Congress Hall and the Grand Union; and
as there were Jews in both conventions, it was
hardly pra cticable for Mrs. Stewart to eliminate
them from the guests of her house Therefors
the clerks were relaxed from their usual duty Of
looking for Jewish characteristics in the names
and noses of the men who registered, and the
the parlors and garden no longer scrutinized peo-
pie with the same intent
The effect of ultra fashionable spectators was
curious on the orators. hardly any of whom dis
played entire freedom from constraint. There was
more circumspection of department on the part
Of old statesman, a somewhat comical straining
after impressiveness by fresh youngsters, and q
tempering of exuberance in the scenes of excite
ment The bellies wore fine toilets, as rule,
and made an altogether remarkable show. They
were nightly engrossed in young Roosevelt
among the Republicans and Hugh Grant of the
Democrats, because those two belonged to the
most socially pretentious society in New York.
Once they made the awful blunder of centering
their admiration on Ed CahilI, on account of his
beauty of person and clothes, and were CORE
spondingly shocked on learning that he was
barkeeper when at home.
Saratoga is nearly clear to-day of the last rem
nants Of the politicians. Several shouters are
still too drunk to quit, and two are kept in jail
for disorderly craftsmanship; but the only dele
gate here yet is Tammany man who was
joked into illness by some rollicking comrades
He was inclined to be abstemious. but they told
him that the water of Congress spring, drunk
copiously from it's source direct, would imme-
diately sober the holder of no matter how much
alcohol. This theory was in accord with his de-
sire to celebrate the work of the convention,
| then completed, and at daybreak he wabbled
down to Congress Park to get the panacea for in
ebrety The Columbian spring is in the same
Enclosure with the @ ongress and over it hangs
warning that single glass is as much as an
ordinary stomach can comfortable accommodate.
The water contains more iron than it would
seem possible to float without miracle. ana
serious illness Is pretty sure to follow over
dose. The victim maliciously stopped at
the Columb bans curb, and advised to swallow ALI
he could. He obeyed. The doctors say that
he is going to recover, but will not be able to
travel before Monday.
The dignity of the week has been ample. Such
men as Abram s. Hewitt, Ex-Governor Cornell
and other very gentemanly magnates in their
respective parties, held @tbemselves aloof from
the bar room level and probably half the dele
gates were in character and conduct vastly better
in department than the popular conception Of
political assemblages but the carousers have
been here, too, and inquiry proves that more in
toxicants have been sold in Saratoga in the week
ending tonight than in an equal period during
the height of the summer season. Some of tns
arriving was marked by rural carpet
bags, for trunks were very few, and the
to be suspended at the hotels; and
the departing was somewhat scandaous through
intoxication It has long been a custom of New
York city Democrats to send heavy marshaled
nOSCS 10 conventions. ms Tune the lammanY
four hundred We're commanded on parade by
Tom Brennan, q handsome giant, while the
County Democracy were led by the not less
welghty Jim Keso, ar ex-superintendent Of
police. The hurra man in excelss was Jimmy
Oliver, the representative of the Five Points
district in the State Assembly. He is an orator,
and the drunken he gets the faster and louder
his language flows He began speech on
Thursday. continued it wherever he went, with
small intermissions and departed last evening
al eli He hal ovcd hat hah ad
been nominated for Governor and his idea was
that he ought to ride alone in parlor car, out
of which he undertook to fling all intruders.
The Empire State has, through both it's par
ties failed to set an example of conducting con-
ventions without brass lands or oratorical nom
sense. There was blast of bugles and voices
from the opening of the Republican body to tho
closing of the Democratic Most of the
speeches ridiculous in their hyperbolean
praise of candidates that the hearers laughed
frequently That two tickets so strong in an
absence of personal unobjectionableness should
be evolved from SO much buncombe is astonish
ing. In the eulogies of General Carr. when he
was bling urged for the head of the ticket on
which he was finally put for the lieutenant
governorship the accounts of his career began
with his meritorious services in the The
cause OF this was something that no doubt will
figure rather comically during the campaign
Thirty years ago Carr was dancing master in
Troy many of whose present matrons recall his
lessons in the art of graceful skipping.
He was his own fiddler, too. and they remem-
Der him wildly as nimble figure.
iptoeing to his own music before his
classes He became the colonel of the local mill
tia regiment and thence went into a brigadier-
generalship in the war. His successor in COM
mand of the home regiment was George L.
Steenbergh, barber. who still holds the Office
Between Carr and Steenbergh a quarrel arose
The barber was twitted Of his trade. He is now
bent on revenge. carcature of Carr as q
dancing master. now posted in this village is at
tributed to Steenbergh. and the opposition will
hardly fail to take the hint
The upshot of the week is a distinct triumph
of the rural portion of New York State over
New York city in the nomination of men from
the interior in preference to the much more
noted choices of the metropolis The booms OF
Cooper, Flower, Drexel and Morgan, character