Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1896-07-07
THE CHICAGO CONVENTION.

met at CDlCaSO lo-uays
The national democratic committee
at its meeting yesterday evening, by q
vote of 81 to %, decided to recommend
Senator David B. Hill rs temporary
chairman of the convention. Mr.. G.
| S. Thomas, of Colorado, gave notice
that minority report would be pre-
sented recommending the selection OF
Senator John w. Daniel, of Virginia,
and that the convention would be ask
| ed to make choice between the two
nominations.
1t is curious fact that at the last
democratic convention, held in Chica-
| 90, during that memorable all-night
session which resulted in the nOmina-
ton of Grover Cleveland, Senator
4 Daniel faced for over an hour hostile
audience as the especial champion Of
Senator Hill, the man by whom he is
now antagonized.
The committee transacted its busi-
ness at single session, disposing of all
the contests for seats.
| a contest was brought by the silver
men for seats for three districts in
| Michigan. The gold men were placed
on the temporary roll with but one dis
senting vote.
| Secretary Sheerin stated that the
Clark contestants from Texas, known
as gold men, had withdrawn from the
further contests for seats in the conven'
ton. The withdrawal was accompa-
MED by a statement of the reasons
which impelled them to enter upon
the contest and now to voluntarily
abandon it.
| A conference of the accredited repre-.
sentatives of free silver delegations as
sembled yesterday evening. They re-
presented 400 votes. Senator Tillman
of South Carolina asked that the roll
be called by States to decide whether
the silver men should name slate for
officers of the convention and President
and Vice-President of the United States
to be supported in open convention by
all silver men. The vote on this propo-
sition stood: Ayes, lis; noes, so; undecid-
ed, 900. Later revised count was made
of the votes which could be relied on to
support the substitution of Senator
Daniels name for that of Senator Hill.
The total of the votes spoken for was
STA. 1t was arranged that Senator
Jones, who presided at the conference,
should make the motion in convention
substituting Senator Daniel. The con-
ference adopted the following resolu.
luton:
Resolved, That it is the sense of this
meeting that the interests of the cause
of free silver require that democrat
in favor of silver should be elected tenn
porary chairman of the convention and
that all true and loyal friends of the
free coinage of silver should vote for
Senator John W. Daniel for temporary
chairman of the convention, as recon-
mended by the minority report of the
national democratic committee.
There was more sharp discussion of
the caucus question in the Virginia del
egation last night. In this State, as in
others, the Bland men appeared to be
aggressive and determined to force the
caucus. This is accepted by many as
an evidence of the belief that the Bland
men control the situation and fear no
combination. When the vote was taken
eleven were in favor of the caucus, nine
were against and four were absent.
Owing to the absentees the vote was
not considered as final.
The Virginia delegation selected the
following: Chairman of delegation, W.
A. Jones; national committeeman, P.
]. Otey; resolutions, Carter Glass; Gre
dentials, G. A. Swanson; permanent or
ganization, E. S. K. Morrison; rules, j.
A. Blackey; to notify nominee for Pres
ident, T. B. Murphy; to notify nomi-
nee for Vice President, E. W. G. Black
stone.
| At the meeting Mr.. Glennan asked
that he and Mr.. West be relieved from
the unit order, and that they be allow
ed to vote on all questions as they indi-
vidually thought best. He made an
earnest appeal to his fellow delegates,
alluding to the history of the Charles
ton convention, and embodying his re-
quest in resolution. Congressman
Claud A. Swanson opposed any such
action by the delegation. He review
ed the struggle at Staunton, and recall
ed Mr.. Glennan's attitude there, and
contended that it was impossible for the
delegation to depart from their instruc-
tions regarding the unit rule. This
was the view taken by all the del
egates, except Messrs. Glennan and
West, and the resolution was lost.
Bland, Boies and Stevenson last night
were the most talked about for the
presidential nomination and John r.
Mclean was in the lead for vice presi-
dent. William P. st. John, the free
silver fnancier, of New York city, who
recently was forced to resign as presi-
| dent OF bank there on account of
| his silver tendencies, was also favor
ably spoken ofas vice presidential can.
didate. The populist leaders yester-
day issued manifesto in behalf of Sem
ator Teller for President.
VIM. G. Whitney will be in dele
gates seat on the floor of the conven-
ton. He has been placed in the seat
of A. P. Fitch, of the fifteenth New
York district, and will thus be able to
take part in the debate that will fol-
low the silver mems move. This is an
unexpected thing. he having not been
elected as delegate from New York
upon his own expressed request when
the State convention met there. In
references to a report that he was cred
| tied with not being averse to bolt.
Mr.. whitney last night said "{ou
NAV deny eniinhatically that ! am in
favor offs bolt. I don. want bolt,
Il hr