Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1896-07-10
THE CHICAGO CONVENTION.

From early yesterday morning until
l o'clock this morning, with the excep-
ton of three hours intermission, the
gigantic coliseum in Chicago, the larg-
est hall in the world, was crowded to
the doors with interested and en-
thusiastic spectators of the pro-
ceedings of the national demo-
cratic convention. Until late in the
night these stirring scenes continued
and the thousands gathered under the
vast expanse of iron canopy never
seemed to tire of using their lungs.
The hall has seating capacity of 49,
600 and every chair was occupied,
while 5000 men filed the aisles and
crowded about the entrances.
The day was one of demonstrations
of enthusiasm.
There had been an outburst of en-.
thusiasm when David B. Hill finished
his speech in antagonism to the plat
form presented by the committee on
resolutions; the vast essemblage had
listened to a sensational speech by
Senator Tillman and had showed ap-
prevail and disapproval by cheers and
Kisses. But when William ]. Bryan,
of Nebraska, concluded the effort Of
his life in support of the free coinage
platform, there occurred a scene which
remains fixed in the memory for a life
time. From floor to gallery the waves
of applause swept, and when the cheer
ing masses fell back exhausted, Will
liam ]. Bryan had been cast into the
arena of presidential hope, full.
fedged candidate for his party's nomi-
nation, and when Mr.. Bryan stopped
and the Bryan demonstration again
brooke loose, thirty-four States, includ-
ing every southern State except
Maryland, fell into a procession to
march around the space allotted TO the
delegates and finally grouped around
the Nebraska delegation.
An attempt on the part of Senator
Tillman to have the convention con.
denim President Cleveland and his adj
ministrative policy had been frustrated
by protests from Senator Jones and Mr..
Bryan, who, though anti-administration
in their views, decried any abuse of the
man who had been twice the choice of
their party. Senator Tillmap, admon-
ished by the cheering which gave COM
mendation to the remarks of Jones and
Bryan, withdrew his resolution.
The first business of yesterday morn
ing's session was the presentation of
the platform submitted by the maj ority.
Then followed the minority report,
submitted by Senator Hill. Speeches
were made by Senators Hill, Tillman
and Jones, and by Congressman Bryan.
The speech of Mr.. Bryan carried the
silverites in the convention OIL their
feet, and created strong sentiment for
Bryan as the presidential nominee.
The vote was taken on the minority
report, which was defeated, as was also
an amendment offered by Senator Hill
to commend the fidelity of the Cleve-
land administration. The platform as
submitted by the majority was then
adopted by q vote of 62S to SOL, Vir.
ginia voting aye, and the convention at
$50 took recess.
The masses of visitors at the nights
session were, if possible, denser and the
excitement intenser than at any previ-
Gus meeting of the convention, because
the crisis of the nominating speeches
and of balloting for presidential candi-
date had arrived.
The convention was called to order
at $50 p. m. by the presiding officer,
Senator White, who Immediately hand
ed over the gavel to Representative
Richardson, of Tennessee, who acted as
president pro tenn.
The chairman informed the conven-
ton that the roll of States would now
be called so that nominations of candi-
dates for the presidency should be made.
By an agreement entered into by the
| friends of the several candidates, the
chairman added, the nominating and
seconding speeches would be confined
to thirty minutes in length.
Senator Vest was the first delegate to
ascend the platform and nominated r.
P. Bland for president. The only point
of his speech that stirred the crowd was
the closing rhyme:
"Give US Silver Dick,
"And silver quick,
"And we will make Mckinley SICK"
The nomination of Mr.. Bland was
seconded by Mr.. David Overmeyer, of
Kansas, who spoke of him as "an illus.
trious statesman and a peerless Grac-
chus-Silver Dick Bland"
Hon. ]. R. Williams, of Illinois, also
seconded the nomination of Bland.
Col. Lewis, of Georgia, then placed
w. ]. Bryan, of Nebraska, in nomina.
ton in brilliant speech. Three or
four State delegates were Cd their
chairs leading the cheer with the lungs
of scattering delegates from other
States abetting them. Nebraska seemed
to furnish the galleries with hero, for
they were making the great chorus OF
the noise. The blue banner with the
placard, civilian ]. Bryan Club, OF
Nebraska, 16 to l." emblazoned in sill
yer letters, was lifted above Nebras-
ka's seats. The standards of Georgia,
North Carolina, Louisiana, Michigan
and South Dakota rallied around the
blue and silver emblem, and then the
standard. bearers started march
around the pit. Men in the California
and Virginia stalls pounced upon their
emblems, intending to follow the pro-
cession, but their colleagues resisted