Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-06-20
AT CHICAGO.
The Convention Finally
at Work.
ESteG Selected for Permanent
Chairman,
General Fremont Receives a Grand
Ovation.
Speeches of Committeeman Jones and
Temporary Chairman Thurston
"A Brilliant Scene.
CHIEF POINTS IN THE PLATFORM.
Fred Douglas Rattling Speech
Malone and Wise in q Wran-
gle-Stanford to Have
Vote.
Speeches of Committeeman Jones and
Temporary Chairman Thurston
"A Brilliant Scene.
CHIEF POINTS IN THE PLATFORM.

Copyright 1888, blythe California Associated Press
CHICAGO. June 19th.-The Republican Ma
tional Convention met to-day The auditorium
on Michigan avenue in which the Convention
is held is not an extraordinarily large building
in comparison with the old Exposition Hall, in
which the Republicans assembled four years
ago. Its seating capacity is about 5000, and the
ingenuity of man could not find in the build.
ing place to put another chair. Looking from
the platform toward the rear of the hall huge
banks of seats rise from the floor to the roof
and in the upper gallery it seems almost as
though the heads of the people touched the
ceiling. Three rows of galleries extend around
the side of the hall, and three rows of boxes
flank the stage On either hand back of the
stage on which are the Chairman and clerks
stands two tiers of seats reserved for officers
Of the Convention and invited guests Such
are the general seating features of the hall fol
the public.
The delegates were compaclly punched in a
semi-circular space on the floor fronting the
stage. Behind them, in a reserved space, raised
from the tioor the alternates are seated
The decorations of the hall are handsomer
than were ever seen at National Convention
before. The hall is simply axe of red, white
and blue bunting; national banners and electric
lights are placed at equal intervals: along the
front of the first two tiers of gal lerieS are oval
li'e-sized oil paintings of great military and
civil heroes of the Republic. Each portrait is
entwined with United States flags. The third
gallery Is similarly trimmed, except that coat
ofarms of the different States occupy the places
filed by the portraits below. The sides and the
ceiling of the building are hidden from view by
enormous banners and strips of parti colored
bunting. The interior is ablaze with electric
lights They sparkle from the iron girders
which support the roof; they CLEAN from among
the folds of the flags that face the galleries and
in the forms of stars flash from spaces in the
ceiling and the wall.
The crowning decoration of the hall is two
life-siZed bust paintings-one of Lincoln, the
other of Grant, which face each other from
points high up upon the opposite sides of the
hall They are framed in the national cOlors
tas efully arranged and surrounded by thirteen
stars. composed ofelectric lights, each star com
posed Of ten lights.
The delegates were slow in arriving in the
nall and the galleries were not more than three
fourths filed when B, F. Jones of Pittsburg g
pompous old gentleman who will retire from
the Guardianship of the National Convention,
called the Convention to order
The little stuffy box in which the presiding
officer and his Secretaries were was packed to
its utmost eapa ity.
Fred Douglass and John c. Fremont in pass.
ing from the floor to seats in the rear of the
platform were recognized and given hearty
cheer.
The band played a lively air which put every
body but the newspaper correspondents in good
humOr.
Patterson, of the Chicago Tribune, who had
the assignment of the press seats, has achieved
a reputation for imbecility that is unexcelled OF
late years. The important newsp and
press associations, with one conspicuous excep.
ton, have been given but one, or at most two
seats. while journals published at Oil City
Waukeshaw, Oshkosh and other hamlets of like
importance have been given the choicest seats
1t was 1870 o'clock before the Chairman'S
gravel raped, and a seriOus-looking young man
Offered feryent Republican prayer, which was
heartily applauded by the audience.
The first cheer came when the call for the
Convention was being read and a protective
tariff was mentioned. The reading of the call
was punctuated with cheers as the cardinal
principles of the party were uttered.