The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-07-09
pie had been stifled. CHEERS and ap-


the evidence, as we did, and we are in
formed of all facts that were presented
by the contestants. We appointed a
special committee, OF which | was one,
and went into the details.
You understand the question. and if
you vote for the majority report you will
do what is right loud cheers.)
Delegate Mcknight, one of the Michi-
gan silver delegates, replied to Mr. Stew
enson. He said it was notorious that
the silver men elected majority of 200
TO the Michigan convention. As soon as
the administration at Washington ascer-
tanned this fact Mr.. Stevenson was has
tily summoned to Washington for con-
ference with the great chief.
ITS lie," yelled Mr.. Stevenson,
mounting a chair and facing the dele
gates. There is not one word of truth
in that statement"
Mr.. Mcknight insisted on his state
ment and proceeded to describe the meth
DDS by which the convention had been
wrested from them. In conclusion he
predicted that Michigan would give %
600 if free silver platform was adopted.
The debate was becoming wearisome, so
when Delegate Brucker, a smooth-faced
young man from that state, began to talk
the people began to cry for Il vote. Mr..
Brucker. however. stirred them to n yell
by declaring that while he had always
been free silver man ne believed the
silverites had enough delegates to elect
a free silver delegation on a free silver
platform without committing highway
robbery.
Mr.. c. s. Thomas Of Colorado, a lead
er of the silver men. was the next speak
or. He spoke for the gold men of Michi-
gan. Referring to the hardness of their
Il 81 tI.,4 -,,,t,, doh.
discovered so late that it had been out
ragged should be looked upon with sus-
picion and he was at a loss to understand
how the fraud charged affected only four
delegates.
Judge o. w. Powers of Utah followed.
He inquired why. if the cause of the
gold delegates from Michigan was just,
they were proposing to barter their votes
for seats in the convention and vote for
a gold candidate. He did not want any
delegates seated because it was neces-
sary to make two-thirds majority "for
we have that already" but because their
cause was just.
Judge Powers said:
MIR. Chairman and Gcntlemen-Our
committee has patiently investigated this
matter, has made its report to this con-
vention. 1t has said to you that it has
found in Michigan fraud-fra which
vitiates all the things-and the party that
had the presidency of the United States
wrested from it after Tilden had been
elected ought to have more fraud, even
though it had to be permitted under the
guise of "Alichiganizing' Il state. Hay
ing faith in those men who have investi-
gated the case, / submit to you that the
only question is. shall we sustain the
majority of the state!' (Applause)
State Senator Thomas O'Grady of
New York, a picturesque gentleman with
a gray moustache and wearing Il rather
short sack coat, punctuated speech for
the gold delegates with violent gestures,
which did not secure him close attention.
Mr.. O'Grady spoke as follows:
Mr.. O'Grady was just beginning
to be listened to when the thread
of his argument was harshly interrupted
by the first fight of the convention. 1t
started over in front of the press seats,
to the left of the platform. where Il stall
wart policeman, through mistaken dill
gence, pounced upon delegate who was
attempting TO enter the section allotted
TO delegates. People climbed to their
chairs and Il small riot seemed on hand
until the chairman pressed the button
which signalled for the hand to play.
Mr.. O'Grady coolIy paced the platform,
with his hands in his pockets, while the
band played. and when he could make
himself heard remarked that he never
had been able to speak i'll convention
without starting Il fight. His exit set
the bah rolling and the audience began
crying vote. vote" once more.
As the dusk fell the great coliseum he
came glowing. Suddenly. at 1870. the
electric lights We're turned on and the
artificial daylight flooded the vast space.
Electric lights had been hung from the
galleries behind FURNISHED rclcctors.
which threw the rays in white streams
towards the pit. Several arc lights We're
also lighted. Almost 10000 people We're
in the amphitheatre by this time and the
night scene was never more brilliant and
inspiring than that.
EX-COngressman Weadock of Michi-
gan, II sandy-haired man with a straw
colored moustache concluded the debate
in behalf of the minority.
Delegate O'Donnell of Colorado per-
formed the same Office for the majority.
Just before Mr.. O'Donnell began. sew
eral Bland boomers came up through The
north entrance and created an enthusi-
astic demonstration in front of their
delegation.
At the conclusion of O'Donnell's
speech. amid loud cries of ''vote, vote"
from the impatient crowd, Chairman
Daniel put the question first on the
adoption of the minority report to con-
firm the Michigan delegates to their title
to the seats. The roll was called.
Alabama was the first state called and
started a revolt against the majority.
The gold men got eleven out of Cali
fornia's eighteen silver votes. two of
which were cast by Senator White and
Congressman Mcguire.
Indiana's silver delegation furnished |
eight out of the thirty votes for the gold |
delegates.
Delegate Haldeman of the Kentucky |
delegation, by a challenge. uncovered |
two affirmative votes in that delegation
There were three votes in the Massa-
chusetts delegation for seating the sill
ver delegates and one in Maryland. Mr..
Stevenson of Michigan cast the % votes
OF his state lin which there were II sill
YER votesl in favor of keeping the gold
men in their seats. There was wild
cheering when Ex-Governor Flower cast
the ~ votes of New York for the min
GRITTY report. 1t continued for full
minute, when the cheering suddenly
swelled into roar. The gold delegates
mounted their chairs and waved their
hands while the galleries grew frantic
with enthusiasm. They shouted.
stamped their feet. flung their
hats aloft and turned the convention into
The enthusiasm rose
md fell, only to rise again like the on
coming Tides of tho ncnan Tn 70 that