The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1888-05-23
GRESHAM'S FRIENDS AWAKE
THEY cHEcKMATE HusToNs SCHEME
Sixteen OF the Harrison Delegates Respond
to the Chairman's Call, But Fail
TO Discover What They Are
Here For-Two Meetings
fFridnv,a only sentinel.1

ton, and forthwith resolved to hold caucus
themselves at the same time and place, to-wit,
the Denison hotel. And so, when the sixteen
delegates who fit 10 respond to Mr.. Hus-
tons CALL reached the city they encountered a
lively crowd Of stalwart Gresham men.
The delegates who presented themselves were
Mr.. Huston himself, Editor Halford, of the
Journal; J. D. Early Terre Haute; Il. III. Nix
on, Newport; NJ. ID. Tackett, Greensburg; w.
II. Clark, Rising Sun; John 0vermeyer, North
Oernon; A. X. ILLS, Monticello; T. J. Kane
Eoblesville; J. w. Throckmorton, Lafayette;
A. c. Bearss, Peru; Hezckiah Caldwell, Wa.
bash; j. w. Drake, La Grange; w. l. Knise-
ley, Columbia City; II. Il. Black,
Greenfield; John j. Hadley, Danyille;
Ex-Gov. Porter also dropped in at the hotel
during the afternoon. OF the remaining
thirteen delegates none gave heed to the call
except Mr.. Crumpacker, who very generously
sent his proxy to Maj. Calkins. The latter,
equally considerate, absented himself in the
interest of harmony.
Unlike Mr.. Flanagan, of Texas, tho sixteen
delegates, after encountering the Gresham
crowd, were unable to solve the conundrum,
"What are we here for?" They looked dis
mayed Mr.. Huston himself was the most dis
concerted. he had been checkmated. But
having called the meeting, something
had TO be done, and so he
summoned the delegates TO a parlor of the
Denison, where, after pledging them all to
secrecy, he carefully unfolded to them deep
laid scheme to send a committee TO Chicago in
advance OF the delegation TO see that the rooms
already engaged were placed in order. The
committee was made TO consist of himself as
chairman, Mr.. Halford, MIR. Gardner and Mr..
Early, and they were solcmnly instructed TO
go TO Chicago one week before the convention
that ample time might be had for placing
the rooms in readiness Then the dele
gates were asked TO meet the COM
mittee in Chicago the Monday follow
ing. That all, save a few speeches
relative TO the Importance OF thorough organ
ization OF this sort. Ii was given out that
afterward that Mr.. Huston had been made
chairman of the delegation, but one of the
delegates who felt little put out at being
called here such a mission asserted posi-
lively that Mr.. Illusions craftsmanship did not
take in anything but the room committee, and
that the other craftsmanship was not even men
toned.
The real object of assembling the delegates
was, il is stated authoritatiyely TO have them
pledge themselves anew 10 vote as a unit for
Gen. Harrison, rather 10 elect a chairman
and authorize him to cast the vote of Indiana
for Harrison SO long as his name was before the
convention, and then, in the event of his with
drawal, to give the majority of the delegation
power 10 cast the state vote as unit Tor their
second choice. But the activity of the Gresham
men and the danger of creating still further
discussions IN the party dissuaded Mr.. Huston
from this scheme. Nothing was done relative
to choosing a man 70 present Gen. Harrison's
name but il is the understanding that Col.
Dick Thompson is looked upon as the man who
can, with the greatest assurance of safety, be
intrustcd with that honor Two reasons are
assigned for ex-Gov Porters not doing the
specch-making-frs that it might have
/ n tam 10 hfar aF,I Fl,uf
he does not banker for the honor, he is not
so closely attached to Harrison rs some other
folks
II is said that all the full-hedged Harrison
| delegates were instructed recently by Chairman
| Huston to write personal letters to delegates
from other states, saying that unless Harrison
was nominated Indiana would give 10000 dem
/ ocratic majority.
One of the Gresham men was asked by
| SENTINEL representative how the Gresham
| boom was getting along and he replied, with
| beaming countenance, that il was altogether
/ lovely. 81 tell you" said he ''the Gresham
/ feeling is growing everywhere. Just look at
Illinois; there are iOrty-two votes solid and in
! structed for him. In Minnesota all the dele
j gates selected are solid for Gresham,
| and in New York the Depew men
/ favor Gresham as second choice. Tom Plat,
/ who is Blane's lieutenant is heartily for
| Gresham and Platt is delegate and will have
/ great force in a convention. Warner Miller an
other delegate, is on record by letter. that he
! wants Gresham TO be nominated and Chauncey
| Dcpew himself says that Gresham is one of the
| best equipped men in the country TO make
successful race. So the talk is everywhere for
| Gresham. Down in Alabama which is the
| first state called on the ROLL Gresham viii have
the bulk of the delegates from the start, and all
| on the second ballot. Louisiana, Mississippi,
| Kansas, and the Pacific coast states viii be
| practically solid for him at the first call Don't
| you see that the Gresham feeling is in the air
j 1 tclbyou he will be nominated"
How about the Indiana delegation?"
"Thc Gresham men are willing that il shall
/ 60 10 Harrison and stay with him as long rs he
| has show. They believe this is fair. But if
| Harrison has no chance for the nomination
they believe the Indiana delegates ought 10 fall
| In line Tor Gresham. They believe that is fair
| Ali we ask is that the Hoosier men be as fair
with us as we will be with them. Gen. Harri-
son deserves fair treatment and so does Judge
| Gresham. Both are distinguished and honor
| able men and no republican in Indiana can
afford TO be unfair with either, nor can the
party afford that either be treated unfairly.
| Nor will they be. Indiana republicans are
proud OF Harrison and Gresham, and if either
has chance for the presidential nomination
| and the other has not the likely To be
| nominated will have the unanimous support of
| the delegation. Don't tell me that any delegate
! will refuse to 90 to Gresham If he has the call
in the convention, 4 man like him
who carries rebel lead in his body will
| not be deserted by an Indiana republican.
In all his career Gen. Gresham has been hon.
| orable and a fearless republican. An original
abOlitiOnist, he fought the democrats when he
was not yet voter He supported Fremont
and every republican candidate for president.
| In 1884 he was the only cabinet minister that
spoke for Blaine, and the Pumed Knight
wrote him letter in acknowledgment of his
efforts and want 10 tell you right here that If
Blaine had been elected he would have con-
tinued Judge Gresham as secretary of the
| treasury"
Glow arc the Blaine men on Gresham"
"Well, the leading Gresham men are Blaine
leaders and Arthur leaders, and that shows he
is the man the party harmonic on, and
thereby defeat Cleveland"
The following was sent by Editor Halfora to
the Chicago Nelcs last night:
Twenty OF the Indiana delegates TO the Chicago
convention met In indianapolis to-day and held
conference. The Gresham men tried TO bring about
an agreement with Gen. Harrison's supporters that
the delegation should vote solidly for Harrison
long there may be any hope for his nomination,
but if they should find such thing impossible, them
Indiana man might be nominated. Nearly third of
the delegates reported to be favorable 10 the
proposition but the leaders Of the Harrison men
not disposed to give 1t consideration. The friends
Of Gresham are considerably disturbed by the re-
port that Harrison leader, Chairman Huston of the
state central committee, recently visited Ohio, and
entered into an agreement with the sup
/ pOrtcrs OF Sherman, promising to give the
Ohio candidate the vote Of the Harrison dele
gates IL there should DO change in the
situation showing that Harrison could not be nomi-