Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-08-06
WASHINGTON WAS CHOSEN.


Special Dispatch to The Evening Star.
DETROIT, MICH. August 6.-The Washington
committee of invitation will leave Detroit thi,
evening for home. They will arrive in Wash
lngton tomorrow evening. They won the fgh,
in which they have been engaged here since
Monday. The last charge was short and full OF
action. At one time it looked as if the Wash
ington lines were completely broken and could
not be rallied. The members of the COMMITTEES
went through in one brief hour as many differ
ent kinds of extreme emotion as one would or
dinarily experience in lifetime.
The encampment assembled yesterday after.
noon at half-past 2 o'clock. and the Washing
ton committee was on hand in the ante-room
with the silver invitation and a floral piece
with the words Washington, 1892" wrough,
in it had been placed on the platform in the
auditorium. Near it was q magnificent floral
piece from Lincoln, Neb. On the wall back OF
the stage was suspended the Washington battle
field map. There was a hallway with doors be-
tween the committee and the encampment. A
Grand Army veteran was on guard at each door
with musket and fixed bayonet. No one who
had not the password was admitted.
The members Of the committee paced the
ante-room and outer hallway somewhat ner-
vously. They occasionally got peep into the
auditorium, but could not make out what the
situation was.
About o'clock Gen. Dudley came out and
said that the COMMITTEES had been invited in
side. They were passed by Gen. Dudley inside
the first guard, but halted at the door that
opened into the auditorium. Just then As
sistant Adjt Gen. Emery came out and informed
the committee that the motion to admit them
had been amended SO that only those members
of the party who were Grand Army men and
had the countersign should be admitted
This, for moment, staggered the committee.
Commissioner Douglass had speech at his
tongues end, but had no countersign. 1t was
recognized as a shrewd move on the part of the
Lincoln men, who had been most actively at
work during the morning.
Comrades Staples and Edison of the commit
tee had the countersign and vent in, leaving
the remainder of the committee. together with
Mr.. Douglass speech. outside. The confidence
that had Frightened all the day up to this mo-
ment began to give place to doubt.
ANxrousLY WAITING.
The committee waited in the outer hall few
minutes looking into each others eyes for
comfort, but finding little. and then we're per-
mitted to 60 up into the gallery Of the hall,
where they remained as silent witnesses of a
conflict which, at one time, seemed to 20
against Washington. Down below them, seated
in close order, were between seven and eight
hundred delegates. The locations of the state
delegations were distinguished BY signs, 30 that
the committeeman as they surveyed the scene
were able to pick out where their supposed
friends sat and where their opponents were.
They noted with pleasure that Pennsylvanis's s
seats were full ard that Iowa and other states
that had declared the purpose of voting for
Washington had large delegations present
The hope that had been dashed in the hallway
below began to rise again.
Commissioner Douglass smiled once more in
his benign way and the luster that for the mo-
to glimmer again and soon illuminated the
whole gallery.
CAPT. PIPES SPEECH.
On the very gorgeously decorated stage we're
seated the commander-in-chief and the officers
Of the encampment When the Washington
committee stole silently into the gallery Capt
Pipes. the one-armed commander of the De-
partment of the Potomac, had just mounted to
the platform and made q speech on behalf Of
his department, inviting the encampment to
Washington. There was no great display Of
enthusiasm when Commander Pipes finished.
At this there was some evidence of depression
among the committeeman in the gallery, but
one Of them whispered, "Just wait till Burdett
speaks; he will stir the boys up" and the COM
mittee took heart again.
GEN. BuRprrr's PLEA
Then Gen. Burdett came forward. He made
q speech eloquently picturing the beautiful city
Of Washington as the city Of the nation and Of
the soldier. and describing its location in re-
lation to the great battlefelds. He referred to
the fact that the veterans were passing away,
that every year . whole brigade Of the Grand
Army disappears. and then dwelt ON the inter-
est that would attend gathering once more
on Pennsylvania avenue, on which the grand re-
view took place.
'.H you made the march on that day." he
said, "your old legs will dance under you to do
1t again"
He summarized Washington's great facilities
for entertaining crowds, and in conclusion
presented the silver invitation from the citi-
zens Of Warrington and assured the veterans
of hearty welcome and . splendid entertain
ment
There were some fine sentences in Cen Bur-
detts address, and they received due share
of applause, but ct the close the demonstration
was somewhat weak. The committee again
looked into one another's faces.
AMassachusetts A comrads. being asked II the
District Of Columbia had not Q candidate for
the Office Of commander-in-chief, Gen. Burdett
read the letter Of Col. C.P. Lincoln declining TO
be . candidate.
vANDERvooRr SPEAKS FOR LINCOLN.
Paul vandervoort Of Nebraska, short stout
man with . smooth face and Q good deal of
eloquence Of . rattling western type, next got
upon the platform to invite the encampmeut to
Nebraska he went ut 1t with vim and .
manner that Indicated he spoke with conf
dence.
All Of this helped TO depress the Washington
committee up in the gallery.
Vandsrvoort ratified away recounting all that
Lincoln would do and speaking of the 200, 900
old soldiers within . radius Of 100 miles Of
Lincoln in sentences which were applaudsd
with much enthusiasm.
Gen. Burdstt in his address, had referred