The record-union., 1896-07-09

dnOtner meWDeF OF the committee on
Credentials, gave a history of the cleo
! ton of delegates in Michigan, asserting
| that there was clear ma jority Of DEM
| ocratc votes in that State in favor of
silver, so that there was no issue here
| to throttle the will or to stif1e the pur-
pose of that majority of Democrats. He
spoke of the orders issued from Wash
ington to Federal office holders in
| Michigan to carry that State at all
hazards for gold, and he said that it
was a question for the convention to
decide whether the men who repre-
sented the majority of the Democrats
of that State were to be driven out OF
the convention
! The audience manifested impatience
at the length of McLaurin's explana-
| tion, and broke in with constant cries
for a speech from Hill, but notice was
given if these Interruptions were per-
sisted in the galleries would be cleared
| The threat was of little avail for hard
| ly had Governor McLaurin taken up
the thread of his story again when the
shouts for Hill broke out afresh.
Then the Sergeant-at-Arms made the
solemn proclamation: Ladies and gem
| tlemen, the Chair has requested the
! Sergeant-at-Arms to instruct the AS
sistant Sergeants- -at-Arms and the po-
lice department to remove from the gal
leries anyone who disturbs the meeting,
and he will carry out the order"
Governor McLaurin then brought his
remarks to a close
| salisbury of Delaware opposed the
| majority report He said he had been
oil tod 1
could not conceive of the convention do
ing injustice by seating those who were
not qualified as delegates
Stevenson of Michigan opposed the
report of the majority. He said he did
not desire to discuss the financial ques-
ton now, but desired the rights of the
delegates to sit in the convention "The
convention he added, has no right to
SIT as Committee ON Credentials on a
State convention. 1t may answer its
purpose now, but it will make a prece-
dent which will return to damn YOU
some day. (Cheers) The only safe
Democratic doctrine is to stand by prec-
edents and to seat the delegates who
hold the only credentials that have been
issued from those districts"
EX-L1eutenant-Gov Sheehan. a
member of the National Committee.
made a statement to prove the impair
tlallty OF that committee on the various
contests, and argued in opposition to
the majority report of the Committee
on Credentials
Blake OF Texas, a member of the
committee on Credentials, argued in fa-
Vor OF the majority report. He said that
on principle he was opposed to going
pehlnd the returns, but in this case the
evidence was abundant that the State
convention had been manipulated in
the gold interest, and the will of the
people sighted. In his Judgment. the
whole Internal delegation from Michi
gan ought to be turned out. (Cheers)
The Committee on Credentials acted
justly in reporting in favor Of admitting
the contestants in the Fourth and
Ninth Districts.
You understand the question" he
said. Vote for the majority report.
and you will do what is right
Mcknight of Michigan. also q member
OF the Committee on Credentials, ked
the support, not only OF the silver men.
put or the convention in support of the
majority. He stated that the State of
Michigan elected a majority of 200 to
thelr convention in favor of silver. and
when the Administration in Washing
ton found this out SteN enson was sent
from Washington to upset the will of
the people,
Ihere is not a word of truth in all
that, said Richardson from his seat
AS Mcknight proceeded further with
his statement of alleged facts, Weadock.
one of the delegates at large. seated in
the front row, Immediately facing the
speaker, said in an audible voice.
That's lie" No notice was taken of
this interruption.
Mcknight closed by saying that if the
majority report were adopted the Dem
ocrats would carry Michigan by at least
25, 900 majority.
Brucker of Michigan declared that he
mad always been free silver man, and
that there were enough silver delegates
In the convention to nominate a Presi-
dent by tWo-thirds majority without the
necessity OF committing highway rob-
pery. (Applause and laughter)
Z, 5. Thomas of Colorado, member
or the National Committee, next took
the stand, but the audience was be-
coming impatient, and raised loud cries
OF vote" He held that it would be a
mistake to attempt to elect a Demo-
cratic President by overturning the will
Of a sovereign State. He warned them
that they could not afford to strike down
the State of Michigan simply for the
purpose of obtaining a two-thirds ma
jority.
Powers of Utah, a member of the
yrait Io., so1.
support of the majority report of that
committee, on the ground that the title
OF the sitting delegates from the Fourth
ana Ninth Districts of Michigan was
tainted with fraud. It was not for the
purpose of having silver majority in
the convention that he would exclude
these men and seat the contestants in
their place-because they had a two
thirds majority already-but because
the action would be right and just
State Senator Thomas F. Grady of
New York spoke against the majority
report. He referred to the frequent
statements in the newspapers weeks ago
that the Michigan delegates would be
unseated for the purpose of making the
abrogation of the two thirds rule un-
necessary, but he declared that the peo-
pie of the United States would not be
deceived by the action of the conyen-
ton in this matter.
AT this point one of the numerous po-
hcemen stationed in the building en-
deavored to prevent the entrance of a
delegate, and a small-sized row and
some excitement ensued, but the Chair
man ordered the band to strike up, and
the convention quieted down.
ai,acr 1l.S