The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-06-23

convention was very gratifying to the lay
men of the Democracy today, and that the
assurance of divine assistance is authori-
tative, and, as the wags of the
party insist, will be ample. is demon
strated by the information coming
from church which they SO often de-
nounce as being the disguised adjunct of
the Republican party. The audience gave
demonstrative approval to the fervent
young divine when he indorsed
Democratic principles by asking the
Almighty to guide the trainers
of the party platform so that every true
lover of liberty under right means should
be able to find place where he might
stand erect for the principles that
have made the past of the nation
glorious. But cheers could no longer
be suppressed when he asked
that the nominees might represent the
spirit of modern Democracy, progressive
Democracy, which is arrayed on the side
of the masses against the classes, and
strives to lift from the shoulders of the
people burdens borne for the benefit of a
favored few.
The first session of the convention was
indeed an intellectual feast. There was
very little in the way of effective business
to be transacted and ample opportunity
was afforded for regalement of the dele
gates by flow Of oratory. The first speech
of the day was by Gen. j ohm NJ Palmer. The
senator's speech awakened all the political
fervor that had been waiting for days to be
quickened into enthusiasm by the stirring
eioquence of some popular leader Palmer,
in the capacity of the recognized leader of
the Democratic party of Illinois, pledged
the electoral vote of the great state
to the nominee of the convention whoever
he may be next November He was the
only speaker of the day who ignored the
tariff question. 1.-The Republicans at
Minneapolis" said he, "have written upon
their platform a menace to the people of
the country in a new force bill. As sure
as Benjamin Harrison is elected. and
the next congress is Repub-
lIcan We will have force bill
such as the ingenuity of Mr.. John Daven-
port or the devil may suggest The deaf
ening cheers which followed the sentence
was evidence that the South at least would
exert every possible effort to prevent
either of these characters mentioned from
ever having an opportunity to exercise his
ingenuity after the senator's warning
Hon. w. L. Wilson, of West Virginia,
it is admitted by all, made the speech of
his life in assuming the gavel as perma-
nent chairman of the convention. In his
whole speech there was not stale ex-
preston or a single hackneyed phrase.
There is no self-government where the
people do not control there own
elections and lay their own tactics" This
was the first indirect allusion to the force
bill, but the audience quickly caught the
sentiment. and the mammoth wigwam re-
| verberated with storm of enthusiasm. He
denounced the political methods of the
Republican party by saying that in every
campaign the privilege of taxing the peo-
pie would continue TO be bartered for con-
| tributions to corrupt them at the
| polls, and that alter every victory
| new Mckinley bill would be enacted TO
repay contributors With taxes wrung
| from the people. Republican reciprocity
| he denounced being but retaliation
upon the people for the necessities of other
| people.