The Van Buren press., 1896-09-26

/ 1hacher S status came up.
Senator Hill was present as proxy
for John II. Flanagan of Utica, and
the word was passed around that he
would defend the Albany man. Rumor,
for once, was right, and David B. Hill
made plea for his man and for his own
political salvation, that will long live in
the memories of those in and about the
committee room.
The fight opened with Tammany as
the aggressor. Coroner,John B. Shea,
who held the proxy of Henry d. Purroy
offered the following resolution;
Resolved, That in view of his letter of accept.
ance, made public on Monday, We hereby re
guest MI John Boyd fhacher to withdraw from
his candidacy Tor the goyernorship. in order
that the state committee may name someone i'll
enure accord with the platform adopted at Chi
cago.
Mr.. Shea explained that under the
laws of the state Mr.. Thatcher could not
be pulled down by the state committee,
and that his retirement would have to
be voluntary; otherwise, he said he
would have moved to declare the guber
Material nomination vacant, and that
the state committee proceed to name
another candidate in place of Thatcher.
This brought Senator Hill to his feet.
/
ment he found it difficult to speak
When he had recovered his voice, how
ever, the Senator entered an impassioned
defense of Thatcher. He said that if the
friends Of Mr.. Thatcher had pledged him
to the support of the Chicago platform
they had done so without authority from
the candidate. He took the position
that Thacher had acted wisely, and that
h.a r,.1 1x n 81
standard bearer, the sound money
Democrats of the state would rally to
his support. The 'sound money men
might, Senator Hill said, nominate a
third ticket at their convention in
a mere formality, and Thatcher, left
undisturbed would absorb their
strength.
HILL DENOUNCED THE PLATFORM.
Then ne Dranched off into discussion
of the national platform, and denounced
in unmeasured terms the platform and
the men who made it. The Senator
gesticulated furiously and showed some
of his old time spirit as he skipped
about the committee, facing first one
member and then another, speaking
directly at them. This show of power,
VI
sequel proved.
When the Senator concluded his
speech, he went to the door of the ante
room to consult with friend. The
corridors were crowded, and the
Tammany leaders hurled imprecations
at him, like shot. One man, approach
ing Hill, shaking his finger under the
Senator S nose, said:
| ha orIe 70,
night, but you We got to deal from the
top this time. -
The Senator returned to the com
mittee room to find himself face to face
with Thomas Grady. the spokesman of
Tammany Hall Grady is a brilliant
speaker, and he spoke in this meeting
as if inspired. He declared that if
Thatcher S position on the currency
question had been known at Buffalo he
never would have been nominated.
The Senator, Grady continued,
complains of the opening plank in the
state platform, declaring for Bryan and
Sewall and the Chicago platform. He
thinks that plank should never have
been reported by the committee.
II want to tell the Senator, - the
speaker went on, his voice rising to a
: high pitch, THAT | am sorry he was
not present in the Buffalo convention.
want to tell the Senator that no man
; and no body of men could have kept
that plank out of the Buffalo platform
"And | want to tell the Senator, and
will stake my reputation as prophet
on this prediction, that If Mr. Thatcher
remains on the state ticket he will not
poll 20, 600 votes in the city of New
, York. -
Mr.. Grady spoke at great length on
national and state issues. He said that
this was a year when the people would
| make their influence felt in politics
| He affirmed the regularity of the
Chicago convention and eulogized Mr.
Bryan. Leaders who were untrue to
the Democratic party he added, would
be overthrow
, THE SENATOR wEPT.
, Senator Hill again took the floor. and
this time he spoke for nearly two hours.
He was clearly frightened now The
committee had been polled and was
found to stand about even in the matter
of indorsing Thatcher. Hill pleaded for
support of his man. He pleaded for his
: own cause. He pleaded. cajoled,
1 bowed the knee, and actually wept in
recounting his association with the
Democratic party in the Empire State.
His voice choked with emotion as he
concluded with the plea:
Let us 20 down with our colors fly
ing with the old leaders in command,
if need be rather than surrender to a
passing fancy.
Altogether. Judge Grady and Senator
Hill spoke six times, alternately.
Grady scored Hill for the part he had
played, and declared that it would be
impossible to reconcile Thatcher letter
with the Endorsement by the Buffalo
convention Of the Chicago ticket and
! platform. And, as between the two.
. Judge Grady added, he preferred Bryan
and the platform of the National
Democracy,