The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1888-06-21
THE HISTORIC CONVENTION
REPUBLICANS AT CHICAGO.

hEfO hLICANS n NEhNSA"O'
The Republican National Convention
Opened at Noon Tuesday-Chairman
ThurstOn's Address on tho Issues OF
the Day-Scenes and Incidents IN
and About the HSn-Intercstin2
Particulars.
The large space devoted for week
past to the National Convention al
Chicago, shows the widespread interest
in the event. Before the delegates had
assembled the press printed columns OF
details, conjectures, ETC., more in fact
than were devoted to the Democracy at
st, Louis, and the end is not yeti has
hardly begun.
The reasons for what have already ap
peared and which will follow are not fal
to seek. The Republican party stands
for the Republic every time; its interests
are identical and no amount of mud
singing from the dough-faced Northern
Democracy can wipe out this fact. Fail
ing in fair argument the Democratic
press shrieks itself hoarse trying to
make out that the "bloated bondholders
convention" has assembled, The in
tellectual greatness of the Chicago con-
vention's members is ridiculed, There
were giants in other days; now there
are pigmies under the thrall of many
masters" is the cry. The fact remains,
however, that the ticket named at
Chicago will be elected, and thus the
principles settled by the war will be fur
Their confirmed as well as the later
issue which was sounded as key
note" Tuesday when in the convention a
Boston club planted its magnificent
banner, five feet long, just behind the
stage where it proudly floats, bearing in
letters of gold upon a field of blue the
sentiments whichappear to be the upper
most in the minds of the delegates The
banner is inscribed:
"IIome Market Club of Boston. American
Wages for American Wcrkipgmen,
American Markets for the Amer
can People. Protection for
American Homes"
The banner was marked by delegates as
they came into the hall and by on-look-
ers as they gathered in the galleries and
balconies. 1t was cheered time after
time.
THE CONVENTION.
The associated press report of Tues =
day, condensed, is as follows:
When Chairman Jones of the National
Republican committee assembled the
platform of the great auditorium hall at
noon to call the National Convention to
order, he looked upon a scene unparal-
leled In the history of public gatherings
in this country. Larger assemblages
have been held in more spacious halls,
but at none have the ocular properties
been so effective, or the brilliancy of il
termination and picturesque colorings
been so splendid. Every face can be
seen without effort, and an audience of
less than 10000 appears to be an almost
countless multitude. The magnificent
sweep of the great gallery alone, which
seats nearly 1000 persons, Is a picture
which impresses even those familiar
with great audiences and the whole
scene, bathed IN flood of electric light
shed by 2,j0 0lncandescent lamps, thrills
even the most sluggish heart. The audi.
forum is 260 feet long and 100 feet wide,
with two side balconies and a great gal
lery, the seats in which rise tier on tier
at an angle of forty degrees. The stage,
which is but slightly raised above the
floor of the hall commands a view not
only of the great audience in front, but
of large balcony in the rear and tier
of boxes at either side This stage
stretches from side to side of the hall
and accommodates, in addition to the
Presldentt platform, which is in the
centre, several hundred newspaper
representatives. There are Just G.l0OI
seats in the hall, and as the cOnN cntion
is to order probably nine thousand peo
pie are within the glance of Chairman
Jones eye.
The decorations appear a trifle be.
wildering at first, the walls, ceiling and
every post, pillar and panel are covered
with flags, bunting and streamers in
varied artistic designs and colors, and
portraits and paintings of historic scenes
meet the eye. The red, white and blue
is conspicuous everywhere, but great
sheet of terra Gotta bunting hangs as a
roof between the sunlight, which pours
through it from great open space just
above the great gallery, aud relieves the
monotony of SO pro1igal disply of the
national colors. Between the sunlight
shines but dimly in the great hall, the
electric illumination being depended
upon because of the impossibility of pro
tecting the audience in the present I'M
finished state of the building, and let.
ting in the day at the same time. The
arrangement of the electric lamps in
1 =" t stars, suspended from the roos and
walls of the hall, is one of the most
effective aud beautiful features of the
scene which greets Chairman Jones, as
he stands himself a striking figure-tall,
erect, with the appearance and air OF
patriarch-with suspended gavel to hush
the stir and hustle before him to present
a clergyman who is to ask the Divine
bene1iction upon the deliberations of
the convention. Some of the details of
the auditorium decorations are worth
special mention. At the apex in front
of the Chairman's desk Is gided
American eagle, and beneath il por-
trait of Washington. On the right of
the Chairman desk is plaster bust of
the late John A. Logan, in heroic size, |
draped with an American flag. Hang
ing from one of the boxes at the right is |
a large painting of LOgan's charge at the
battle of Atlanta. On the face of the
north and south walls of the auditorium,
framed by a circle Of electric stars, are
portraits of Lincoln and Grant, the de.
signs being mammoth in proportion, and
form the two most striking details of
the decorations,
Flashing Its parti colored briliancy
full into the face of the audience and
delegates is a suspended American
shield, formed of different colored cleo.
trio lamps. This shield, its horizon of
stars, its stripes of the Union, are all
pictured out and put IN basso relief of
light by the flashing jets through the
red. white and blue globes.
AT tho pointI of exit and entrance to
the hall, which dip like great wells into
the auditorium, are Nations standards
planted a: either side and drapcd 50 as
to hide the rough boards which form the
staircases of the avenues to the conven-
ton of which there are sufficient to
empty the place in case of an accident
in three minutes.
The report of the Committee on Gre
dentials gives each State as we print that
OF Vermont in another place, and the
roll of the convention was made up that
way.
Precisely at 1881 the gavel of Chair.
man Jones Of the National Republican
Committee sounded sharply upon the
mahogany desk and the Republican
Convention of 1888 was formally opened.
The hum Of conversation ceased
throughout the vast auditorium and the
buzz of expectation gave place to an i'm.