San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1896-07-05
THE ST LOUIS CONVENTION.
How The Mission Garden Delegation
Were Shut Out

alton to each and every person who
wants to know how the Mission Gar
den congressional delegation came TO
to be shut out at st. Louis.
In the first place the st. Louis nat
ional convention was very different
from any convention ever held by the
party during all the period since the
civil war, only bearing some resem-
blance to the Philadelphia convention
of 1872 when Grant was nominated
without opposition. 1t was forgone
conclusion that Major Mckinley
would be nominated on the first bal
lot even should all his opponents re-
main in the field. Quay, Morton,
Reed, Allison, knew the decision of
the convention before it met, and the
uninitiated will wonder why they per-
mitted their candidacy TO continue,
and why they did not keep away from
a forgone conclusion We must take
it as a fact that these gentlemen
Staid in the race merely to maintain
the interest in the convention, and
from pure patriotic motives, but it
was understood that their people
should not be detained any longer at
st. Louis than necessary to make the
nomination: hence it was that the
Mckinley managers We're licensed to
ride down all precedent and organize
a convention for business upon
temporary roll call. and ignore all
contests. The permanent organiza-
ton was perfected before the creden-
tial committee could be heard from,
and this committee only reported two
cases, Delaware and Texas at large.
1t so happens that in such a con-
dition of affairs all matters of con-
test were disposed of very summarily,
mostly to the advantage of the Nc.
Kinley side, but now and then. out
of mere caprice or as show of fair
ness, to the advantage of one or the
other candidates.
1t was decided that the temporary
roll made up by the national commit
tee should be adopted by the creden-
tial committee without going into any
of the contests. The national COM
mittee began its session on the 10th,
six days before the meeting of the
conventions; at first the contests were
given some show of investigation, but
before the close, the committee made
short work of all contests and settled
the matter in summary manner.
Usually the national committee make
up a temporary roll without any at
tempt at deciding contests, leaving it
to the credential committee, but this
convention did not need any creden-
tial committee, there were enough in
structed, uncontested Mckinley votes
60 20 hin, hn1
greed that the people who came there
should not be punished by long
stay. The south furnished the bulk
of the contests, and the national party
had big disgust on over the black
and tan organization in the south.
Well how about the Mission Garden
congressional delegation? Why We're
they not seated. The Mission Garden
convention was regularly called-it
contained both sides, Lilies and
black and tans; 1t was pure McKin-
ley outfit. While the Fredericks-
burg convention was black and tan
affair, and an Allison layout-backed
by Quincy.
= The Mission Garden case was taken
under DIR. Grants wing; it was recog-
nized by Major McKinley's mana
gers;and it was put down as sound
to the core; 20. H." etc.
G. X. Brenneman, Esq, prepared an
elaborate brief; In it, all the facts
were marshalled in formidable array
this brief was proclaimed to be the
most perfect work of legal skill pre-
scented to the convention people; Mr..
B. with the other delegates were on.
the ground early, and visit to Mr.
Thompson the great lawyer in charge
of the Mckinley contests, proved very
satisfactory; the Mission Garden peo-
pie should be seated, 1t was a sure
thing; DR.. Grant was jubilant and
cOntident.-Judge Brenneman made
the Mckinley headquarters his head
quarters; we only had to wait for our
case to be called and would be listed
as delegates. Judge Brenneman took
share the anXieties of other contes-
tants as he felt that his calling and
election were sure.
In the meantime what were the
Cuneyitss doing. DIR. Clifford had Sc
cured the back door key to headquar-
tiers, if not the sleeping headquarters
of several of the great leaders; he was
appointed a sergeant at arms for the
conventions; and kept Quincy we'll post
ed from keyhole standpoint as to all
the movements of the enemy.
Hon. L. III. Terrell, our ex-Minister
to Belgium, was not idle one moment,
and although he had lost all hope
over the congressional contest he kept
busy. Mr.. Terrell took charge of
the entire Quincy contest, and in the
absence of Judge Ogden conducted the
congressional contest.
When the 18th district was called.
about IL o'clock at night, ten minutes
were allowed to each side. Mr.. Ter
rell opened-he had no brief-in fact
no case, but he made very impressive
speech, claiming that Charley Ogden
was the regular chairman of the ex-
ecutive committee that Judge Noon
an had caused him to be elected; that
Judge Noonan endorsed the Freder-
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