Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1892-05-25
Adjourned at o'clock to meet at
THE FIRST FIGHT IN THE CONVENTION

tee on resolutions, without debate, all
resolutions presented. The object OF
this was to get before the body reso-
luton expressing the preference OF the
for Grover Cleveland. AT
the conference to-day OF Cleveland
delegates, Mr.. Rheas said the com
promise was ratified with the under
standing that such a resolution should
be presented At this juncture there
were cheers for Cleveland. An effort
was made by the Hill men to cry down
Mr.. Rhea In a moment the whole
convention was in an uproar. Senator
Daniel was loudly called for, and the
Hill men yelled themselves hoarse,-
Friends of Hill held a hurried confer
ence with Daniel on the stage. He
arose and tried to induce his side to al
low Rhea to proceed.
Mr.. Rhea continued to attempt to
speak, insisting that if the Cleveland
men had majority of the convention
they should express preference, and
if the Hill men had they could indicate
theirs. He cited the case of Georgia's
convention yesterday. The Hill dele
gates continued to yell and attempt to
interrupt the speaker
MIR. GoRDoN's WARNING.
Mr.. Basil B. Gordon, the newly
elected chairman of the State commit
tee and Cleveland man, explained
that he with seven prominent demo-
Gratis participated in last nights con-
| ference. His understanding of the
compromise was that its intent was to
harmonic the two wings and not to
bring about any conflict. He hoped
| that there would be no discord and
warned the convention against such a
course.
GENERAL LEE URGES HARMONY.
Gen. Fitz Lee, another Cleveland
leader who t. ok part in the COM
promise conference, gave his construc-
| ton of it's intent. He did not remeln-
Der exactly it's language, but the intent
| was that there was to be no instruc-
lions given to the delegation. General
Lee had, he said, seen Mr.. Cleveland in
| the last few days, and he did not be-
lieve that that gentleman would &C
cept nomination of the Chicago con-
vention unless the differences in New
York were settled. The speaker advo-
Gated harmony.
MIR. RHEA'S MOTION TABLED.
Thomas Smith, of Fauquier, moved
to table the motion of Mr.. Rhea, OF
| Washington, which was carried by an
overwhelming vote, probably three OF
four to one. This disposed of what, il
pressed, would have resulted in bit
| ter fight between the Cleveland and
Hill forces in the convention.
| DELEGATES AT LARGE CHOSEN.
The four delegates at large agreed
upon by the two sides were then
elected. The names of Senator John
w. Daniel and Wexford Corbin, Of
King George, chosen by the anti
| Clevelandites, were placed before the
convention by Hon. J. Taylor Ellyson
The same gentlemen nominated fol
alternates of the same wing, w. 7
Sutherlin, of Danville, and NJ. @. Holt
of Sussex. Gen. Fitz Lee named Hon
John Goode and Basil B. Gordon al
the delegates at large and Fitz Lee anG
Rufus Ayers as alternates. These were
elected by reclamation.
THE PLATFORM.
At II o'clock the platform was report
ed and after debate, in which Senator
Daniel, Hon. R. H. Cardwell, Hon
Holmes Conrad and others pa1ticipat
ed, was adopted, as follows:
We, the representatives of the demo
cratic party of Virginia in convention
assembled, in view of the magnitude O.
the interests involved in the approach
ing presidential election, and remem
bering that the success of the cause
which we hold so dear can only b.
achieved through united and harmoni
Gus action and by the cultivation of 6
spirit of unselfishness and disintereste(
patriotism, do resolves:
"First, That in our deliberate judg
ment, it is absolutely essential to thu
success of our candidates and our prin
ciples in the coming presidential con
test that all personal rivalries an(
jealousies among our leaders and theil
adherents should be buried and forgot
ten; that the practice of elimination
and recrimination, already too muel
INDUCED in, should no longer be toler
ated; that as brethren of the sam,
political household and cherishing thu
same political faith, we should cult
yate spirit of Cancellation, concession
and compromise, and that our watch
word should be everything for tn,
canse and nothing for men.
Second. We still maintain our al
legiance to those cardinal principles o
government which we have been laugh
to cherish as the sheet-anchor of oul
safety and the palladium of our liber
ties. We do not believe that all the
barriers of the constitution have been
broken down, that all its limitations o.
power have been removed, that the
| federal character of the republic has
been destroyed, and that the govern
ment of well defined and limited pow,
ers created by our fathers has been
converted into a consolidated empire
We believe that the Union is to be in
dissoluble, but that it is to be an indis
soluble union of free and indestructible
States
"Third, That there has never been a
time in our history when it was more
important to oppose the centralizine
tendencies of the general government
and to maintain the State rights doc
trine of strict construction. If we
| would preserve our liberties we must
guard with ceaseless vigilance the right
of local self-government and the re-
served powers of the States under the
Constitution. While these exist the
republic will live. When these are
Overthrown the republic will perish.
"Fouth. That we desire to place up
on record our earnest protest and
solemn remonstrance against any re-
newal of the attempt by those in an
thority to secure the passage of the
force BILL believing, as we do, that the
enactment of that unconstitutional
and infamous measure will not only
be wholly destructive of the autonomy
of the States and utterly subversive of
the liberties of the people, but that it
would seriously imperil the peace of
our homes and the safety of our So
ciety.
Fifth. That tariff is a tax; that
all unnecessary taxation is unjust
taxation that the government has not
power under the constitution to collect
from the people any money except
what is necessary to defray the ex-
penses of it's economical administra-
tion that one class of our people
should not be required to pay tribute
money for the benefit of another class,
and that the burdens of government
should be imposed upon the Injuries
and not upon the necessaries of life"
The sixth resolution favors the abo-