The San Francisco call., 1896-07-08
War Records During the Rebel
lion Compared by John
P. Irish.
OPENING OF THE NATIONAL
CONVENTION.
Old.Line Democrats Cheer for Hill,
While Southerners Yell for
Daniel.
THE CALLS HEADQUARTERS,
GREAT NOpTuFpN HOTFT

weather. The political weather is peculiar.
A glance at the crop of Presidential can
didates mentioned" shows that the weeds
are getting ahead OF the corn. Senator
Blackburn is here, candidate for the
nomination, and is personally conducting
his campaign aided by Colonel Chinn and
two minstrels who sing. Chairman Foote
of the California delegation invited the
combination to the delegation head
quarters last night with view OF securing
a solid vote for Blackburn. It is true that
the State convention indorsed Senator
White for the Presidency, and it was to be
expected that the delegation would be pre-
senting him at other headquarters instead
OF inviting competition to their own and
promising to another the vote pledged to
him.
When Senator Blackburn appeared he
was glowingly introduced by Mr.. Foote,
and spoke first a eulogy of Kentucky,
mentioning especially as her leading fea-
lures of excellence whisky, horses and
women. He said that be was thrilled by
the meeting with Foote; that they first
met as blanket-mates in that most glori-
Gus part of their career, when they were
fighting for the Southern Confederacy-a
service to their country of which he was
proud, for which he knew Foote had never
apologized and for which he would never
make excuse. He said Kentucky, in view
of her past service to the country of her
position and capacity to care for the popu-
lar interests, in his person asked that
! her care and kindness be upon our 20 0O00,-
600 OF people through the executive
| office, and therefore asked of California
solid vote to intrust to her the Presidency
in the person of Kentucky statesman.
This speech, followed by Dixie" "Old
| Kentucky Home" and '"The Bonnie Blue
Flag" aroused great enthusiasm and was
responded TO in the most ornate style by
Mr.. Foote. Some thought that either
Foote or Blackburn should have made
some reference to Senator White, for this
was the great event of the occasion in the
California delegation which had been care
fully prepared for, and no obligation of
hospitality excuses this ignoring of White.
] True, White was not in the Confederate
army, but one or two members of the dele
| CATION tell me they do not regard that as
| positive disqualification. Others, who feel
that it does weaken him here, insist that
his services to California and to free silver
ought to strengthen that weak place in
his record. There are still others who feel
like the old farmer friend of Adlai Steven
son. The Vice-President tells the story
| himself. He was a townsman of the late
David Davis and strongly advocated him
for the Presidency in one of the Presiden-
tial years soon after the war closed.
| Stevenson made In the Illinois Demo-
cratic Convention a strong speech for Mr..
Davis. When he closed an old farmer took
him aside saying, "Adlai, 1 have great
confidence in your political Judgment,
great respect for it, but don't you think it
is a leetle too soon to bring Jeff out
again?"
| As the hours went by Monday, melting
into the day of battle, the new Democracy
the force that is here to make new princi-
pies, and, as some of them think. new
heaven and new earth and are likely 10
make only new hell, were sobered as
the hour of responsibility approached. So
Macbeth paused as his football echoed from
Duncan's door. No form of insult had
been spared. Rowing hands clad IN raga-
muffin views had raided all State head
quarters to abuse Cleveland and Carlisle
But they were met by the old Democracy
with calmness that finally grew mysteri-
J Gus and appalled, them. They grew afraid
!
were driven back into their own company.
Then it was discovered that there are rival
ambitions-a general desire to lead and an
aversion to follow. The chameleon, Alt
| geld, who flouted BANDS section on Sat-
urday, was driven to BANDS side by the
necessity of keeping himself in view.
The great majority of the convention-to-
be slept uneasily and awoke fevered. By
1 foto =
| to fill. 1t is vast iron-trussed structure
admirably adapted to hold thousands, as
| if Buffalo Bill had his Wild West show
there, and the days crowd took the seats
as to an encore. 1t was leanly decorated.
Tawdry crayons of Democratic Presidents
were hung from the gallery, CleveIand's
being in an obscure corner. The time un-
| til o'clock was filled by splendid brass
band, which played while men thought.
This period furnished interesting studies.
After light-opera airs came Dixie then
there rose and surged and sounded a
strIdent yell, uncanny and sinister, that
drowned the sounding brass and tinkling
cymbal. Then came an interlude, fol-
! lowed by the "Star-spangled Banner"
Was it applauded? Yes. 1 have heard it
whistled by plowboy, sung by Patti and
| playeu DV nunuIeu nornS. LII is In MEM
ory identified with patriotism that lives
and dies. To-day, as its notes sweetened
the air, its applause was tears. Old men
silently cried as if it were the threnody of
the party which has carried that banner
over mountain and desert and distance
until the sun that lit its folds in the morn
ing on the Atlantic kissed them good
| night on the Pacific. The coronach of the
past rose and fell and echoed back from
the memories of men as sound among
mountains.
| 1t was o'clock before Chairman Har-