The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-07-09

l1EhoDA1, july y, 1886.
under the blue stS4e placards. groups
were scattered around the leaders in con-
sultation. Each of the southern sena-
| tors, who are bearing conspicuous parts
in this convention and who collectively
have been called by the newspapers the
senatorial combine" attracted a dozen
politicians.
Jones of Arkansas. Walthall of AIissis-
slppl and Cockrell Of Missouri was each
surrounded by his adherents. Senator
Ben" Tillman, with a straw hat much
the worse for wear on the back of his
head, his thumbs in the armholes of his
vest, banded pleasantries with Rhode
Island delegates, who were telling him
that the Democrats of their state would
carry the state ticket and lose the presi-
dental electors if the silver men were to
persist in their program.
George Fred Williams of Massachu
sets, by his morning speech, had made
himself one of the most sought after per-
sonalities of the gathering and was call
ed upon to shake hand" with delegates.
In the interval between the musical
selections spectators tried to procure ora
tory by calling for popular favorites, and
Bryan of Nebraska seemed to be the lead
er in this competition.
At $50 the committee on. resolutions
filed into the enclosure. In the van was
the stalwart form of Senator Hill. AS
the delegates and crowd caught sight of
him they rose to their feet and wildly
chcered the New York leader. Again
and again they cried his name, but the
senator quietly took his seat and con-
ferred in subdued tones with those about
him as if utterly unconscious of the tu-
null.
CREDENTIALS REPORT.
Ten minutes later Chairman Daniel
called the convention to order and an
nounced that the committee on creden-
tials was ready to report When the
silver district delegates from Michigan,
changing the complexion of the delega-
ton under the unit rule from gold to sill
YER, there was considerable applause
among the silver men on the floor.
Ex-Congressman John c. Crosby of
Massachusetts. on behalf of the minority
of the committee, took the stage and
earnestly protested against the decision
of the majority. He spoke, he said i'll
hardly audible fifty feet away and the
crowd yelled louder" He said:
Mr.. Chairman and Gentlemen of the
Conventon-In representing eighteen
state in this convention, desire to move
an amendment to the report of the COM
mittee which has been submitted to this
convention. | move, sir, that the dele
cation from the Fourth disivict and
the Ninth district be entitled to keep the
seats which they now occupy. The mat
ter of this discussion has lasted through
out yesterday, nearly all night and most
Of the day and after a careful considera-
ton of the merits of this Michigan case,
we of the minority committee think if
the renort is accepted and adopted that
it would be one of the greatest injustices
ever perpetrated on any convention. MIR.
Chairman, the convention which met in
Michigan in April last consisted pf
about 800 delegates. There was not Il
single contest as to a single delegate IN
that convention. There was an unani-
nous report and after that report had
been made these delegates were elected,
Mr.. Chairman and gentlemen, they were
elected in accordance with the laws of
the state of Michigan, and there was not
the slightest question made or contest
as to the legality or the validity of the
election of those delegates, and Mr..
Chairman, | may say further, there is
not the slightest evidence that there was
any fraud on the part of anybody:
Now, Mr.. Chairman, all we want-all
those of us who represent the minority
want is fair treatment at your hands.
1--WE do not attempt or desire to over
rule the majority here, but we do wish to
have a fair and just discussion and con-
sideration of this matter and so. Mr..
Chairman | move that the amendment
may be adopted and | trust that the hon
est sentiment of the convention will give
to these sitting delegates the seats which
they now occupy" (Applause)
When he had completed a brief review
of the merits of the case. John III.
Brannan of Wisconsin. gold delegate,
followed with another protest. The fact
that Mr.. Brannan talked aloud and dis
tinct was hugely appreciated by the
convention which uttered yells OF delight.
Mr.. Brannan SAID:
81 do not desire to submit to this con-
vention an argument on this question,
but, so that you may vote intcligently,
would like to state for you the exact
question that will be submitted. The
committee on credentials has reported to
this convention that they will seat the
present delegates at large from Michi-
gan, headed by Mr.. Stevenson. (AD-
plauseD They have also reported to
this convention that they will seat the
contestants from the Fourth and Ninth
districts. four to be seated that have
their seats in the convention now and
four contestants from the district to be
| seated. That is the majority report.
| The minority submits a report that the
| four delegates from the district remain
and the contests with reference TO the
districts be disallowed. The question
recurs upon the amendment and will be
submitted in that form. The committee
on credentials has had long session
and has gone over all the facts in the
case very carefully. We of the minority.
believing and relying upon the future of
this country as embraced in the principles
of the Democratic party, fear the result
of the action of the majority of the COM
mittee on credentials. tAppause.) The
state of Michigan elects its delegates
from the districts. the districts recon-
mending to the state convention the
names only
with reference to the Ninth district
two names were proposed and were
voted upon in that convention, and there
is no record submitted by the secretary
of that convention that there was any
protest entered there. and it is there they
should have their fight and not here
| (Applause.) There is no precedent fol
national conventions, except for each re-
curing convention every four years, and
we are making precedents every minute
of our time today, and this will esta Dlisf
Il precedent that a minority may go into
Il sovereign state and overturn the viii
of it's people in order that their friends
may have n seat in this convention, (AD