Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1888-06-27
Wise and Malone in the Chicago Conven
tiOn.

The temporary Chairman said:-
Gentlemen of the convention: There now
'emains the question as to what delegates
rom the State of Virginia shall be permit,
ed to name the members of these several
committees from that State. The Chair
will saw the national committee has placed
upon the roll of delegates as prima tacie
entitled to seats the delegates at large head
ed by William Malone. Loud applause.
There are also four district delegates from
that States whose seats are uncontested.-
The national committee placed the other set
of delegates at large upon the list OF con
and they place all of the other dis
trict delegates upon the list, with the re,
that neither shall be allowed
to vote until the contest is settled by the
Unless the convention shall
otherwise determine, the Chair will, there
fore, hold that, for the purpose of partlclpa-
ton in this temporary organization, the four
delegates at large headed by VIM. Malone,
together with the four delegates whose seats
are uncontested, are the delegates who alone
have the right to name the committees and
to vote" Loud applause
Mr.. Wise, of Virginia. CHAIR
mani
The Chair.-"Mr. Wise, of Virginia"
T Applause and cries of platform plat
form p
Mr. Wise assembled the platform amid
loud cheering.
A BATTLE ROYAL.
Mr.. Wise.-ssI am here claiming to be the
chairman of the Virginia delegation. We
are here permitted by this call to have
twenty-fou delegates from the State of Vir-
ginis, and of that twenty-four twenty are
contested and four uncontested. The four
uneontested delegates are from the first and
fourth districts of Virginia. The contested
delegates are the four delegates at large and
the delegates from the second, third, fifth,
sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth, Gls-
tricts. By the decision of the national con-
mittee, with which we make no issue, the
delegates at large from Virginia have been
held to have prima facie title to place
upon the roll with the representatives from
the first and four districts The result is
that four of the delegates on the roll have
contests and four have not Thus eight
but one-third of Virginia's representation,
now led by William Malone, whose trit1ing
with the rights of the republicans of Nir-
ginia is the issue here-have associated
themselves together with their comrades and
placed VIM. Malone upon the committee on
TApplause. Gentlemen, that matter has
been going on in Virginia for some years,
and the decision is always in favor of the
plaintiff Laughter and applause Will
liam Mahone's name is sent here by VIM.
Malone to decide whether VIM. Malone is
a delegate or not. And assure you that
learned in the battles of Virginia that free
ballotsand fair count are the dearest boons
of national republicanism. have learned
in the long struggles which we have waged
there that no man ought to be permitted to
be Judge and sutton both. And yet the pro-
position, gravcly presented to this conven-
ton by these eight men, four of whom are
contested and all of whom are led by him,
is that in this contest he shall go upon this
committee and have vote upon his rights
and mine. Now, Mr.. Chairman, and gen.
tlemep Of the convention, say it is not fair,
it is not right that these eight men should
go on the committee on credentials, upon
the committee on rules, upon the committee
ON permanent organization, and decide in
behalf of Virginia what the policy of this
convention shsll be, what the personnel of
this convention shall be, what the rules of
this convention shall be, when it may be
that within "a hours they will have their
hats under their arms walking out of this
convention as never having had right to
have a voice in It's affairs. Applause. ]
We sent up our rival delegation to make
this issue, and on this issue we stand before
the country. / appeal to this convention to
say: Gentlemen, your difficulty is unfortu-
nate. Gentlemen, we feel like you, that
tears rather than words should express the
feelings which we have about this unfortu-
nate controversy; but gentlemen, until 1t is
settled neither of you shall be judge, juror,
witness and counsel in this matter. =
TCheers.] For my part, l am williag to
trust to the honesty and the justice Of the
republican party from the other forty five
States and Territories of this Union until
this unfortunate struggle shall be decided,
but don't want, when our case has been
presented, to have William Malone on the
committee Of credentials, to remain in when
we have retired and vote on his own case
when we are gone, and perhaps unrepre
scented there. TTumultuous applause. And
so I appeal to the convention to consider
this matter, and appeal from the decision OF
the chair which places VIM. Mahoue on the
committee on credentials, and | rely upon
the justice of this convention to reverse the
ruling of the Chair on that point. As to the
other committee, it is a matter of utter in
difference" [Applause.]
SUGGESTION FROM MR.. HoAR.
There were cries from all over the hall,
'Mahone" and General Malone advanced
through the throug osard the stage. Sena-
tor Hoar was on the floor, however, endeav-
oring to attract the attention of the
chair. A great deal of confusion ensued, SO
much that it was impossible to do anything
in the way of business, aud the Chair was
obliged to rap for order, after which the
chairman made the following announce
ment: f'The Chair desires to state that in
making its decision it expressly reserved to
this convention the right to pass upon this
case for itself, [arp(ause, ] and the Chair
will entertain any motion made by any gen.
tleman looking toward q solution of this
question now recognize the gentleman
from Massachusetts,, Senator Hoar. The
delegates wanted to hear from Malone, and
be was called for from all over the hail.
Finally the Chair raped for order, and
Senator Hoar addressed the convention as
follows:
II fully appreciate the desire of this con-
vention to listen to the gentleman from Vir-
ginia in matter in which he is SO much
concerned, and / will interpose but two ser
fences before that desire can be fulfilled
They are these: First, it is absolutely neces-
sary 10 the nature of the casa that the ma
tional committee should mako up roll of
delegates who must deal with the organiza-
ton of the convention. Otherwise we shall
be at sea without chart or compass. Next,
Gen. Malone and his colleagues by the uni
versal parliamentary law, the universal law
of all justice, cannot be permitted to vote
on their own case. Applause That has
been expressly held in previous national
conventions. The committee on credentials
will! doubtless give the fullest hearing to the
honorable contestant from Virginia who has
Just addressed us and those who are with
him. l suppose the republicans of this
country feel peculiar honor for man who,
bearing the honorable name of Henry A.
Wise, [cheers;1 has brought over the au-
thority of that great name to the principles
of freedom aud repubicanism. Applause.
They also have profound respect for the
gallant gentleman who first broke the force
of the solid South [applause] and has giveH
seven republican representatives to the ma
iional Congress. Between these two men
who so unhappily differ, this convention
hereafter, aud the committee which it is
BOW put upon, will make doubtless and i'm
partial and just decision, but appeal to my
honorable friend, Mr.. Wise, not to inter-
pose at this moment discussion of a matter
which cannot have the slightest practical