The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-07-09


four of the 7S3 delegates, he said, were
instructed for free silver. He describ-
ed the alleged methods pursued by the
administration agents to override
this expressed will of the people and
declared that they were under instruc-
lions to carry Michigan for gold and
the administration.
Some hnsympathetfc auditor in the
gallery shouted shut up and sit down"
Whereat there seemed to be a sympa-
thetic attempt to howl down the speak
er. This reused the ire of the silver
delegates and one of the indignant
Louisiana delegates arose and shouted
that If the Interruptions were cont1n-
ued he should move to clear the gal
leries.
THE galleries are packed by the gold
men, he shouted But the cries OF the
crowd continued. At last Col. Martin,
the sergeant arms, interposed from
the platform and instructed the assist
ant sergeant-at-aTms and the police to
summarily eject any one VINO inter
rupted the proceedings
Gov. McLaurin drifted into dis
cussiOn of the issue before the Demo
Gratis of Michigan, whereUpOn Dele
gate NcDermOtt of New Jersey arose
to q point of order.
What happened 20 years ago" ne
shouted, has nothing to do with the
merits Of this controversy" The gal
lerfes cheered and waved their hand
kerchiefs at this protest from the floor
The blood of the gold spectators was
aroused.
John F. Salisbury, member of the IA
nous old Salisbury family of Delaware
whose ancestry runs through all Amer
lean history pushed his way to the
platform to protest against the major
ity report. He was elected free sill
yer delegate. he said, but he believed
the sitting delegates from Michigan
were entitled to their seats.
4 protest" he shouted emphatically,
that this is not the place to wash the
dirty linen of state factions"
Then q blue eyed, sandy haired,
well built young man mounted the
stage. AS he turned and faced the au-
dienCe, with a cheer the galleries rec
ognized Blue Eyed Billy Sheehan
who was lieutenant governor of New
York for four years and who is cOnSid-
cred one of the past. grand masters of
politics He, too, protested against IN
seating the gold delegates.
His place was taken by Delegate J
W. Blake of Texas who made a VIC
lent speech in favor of seating the sill
yer men. He charged that it was no
tOriOus that the Michigan convention
had been packed and manipulated by
federal Office holders
THE whole Internal delegation
should. in my opinion, be turned out,
ne said earnestly, and many of the
silver delegates on the floor seemed to
agree with him
State Senator J. F. Grady of New
York, a picturesque red faced gentle
man with q red mOustache ana wear
ing rather short Jacket punctuated
speech for the gold delegates with VIC
lent gestures, which did not avail to
Grady was just beginning to be listen
ed to when the thread of his argument
was harshly Interrupted by the first
fight Of the convention 1t started over
in the front OF the press seats to the
left of the platform where 4 StalWart
policeman through mistaken diligence,
bounced upon a delegate from Illinois
who was attempting to enter the sec
ton allotted to the delegates People
climbed to their chairs everywhere and
a small riot seemed on hand until the
~Srafa
signaIled the band to play. Senator
Grady coolly paced the platform, with
hands in his trousers pockets, while
the band played, and when he could
make himself heard, remarked he new
er had been able to speak in a cOnven-
ton without starting fight
Ex-COngressman Wealock of Michi-
gan, a sandy haired man with q straw
cOlOred mOustaChe and imperial, con-
Guided the debate in behalf Of the mi
nOrity.
formed the same Office for the MAORI
ty. Just before Mr.. O'DOnneu began
several hundred Bland boomers came
up through the north entrance and
created an enthusiastic demonstration.
At the conclusion of O'Donnen's
speech amid loud cries of Vote, vote"
from the impatient crowds, Chairman
Daniel put the question on the adop-
ton of the minority report to confirm
the sitting delegates in their title to
| the seats The roll was called.
Governor Flower cast the p votes of
| New York for the minority report. 1t
| continued fully a minute when the
| cheering suddenly swelled into a roar.
| The gold delegates mounted their
| chairs and waved their hs1ndkerchiefs,
! while the galleries grew perfectly fran
| tic with enthusiasm. They shouted,
| whistled, stamped their feet, flung their
| hats alOft and turned the convention
! into pandemOnium. The enthusiasm
/ rose and fell, only to rise again like
z T,a Of TTyo
! to that time it was the most enthuSi-
/ aStic scene of the convention. Senator
! Daniel tried to restore order with his
gavel but the rapS were swallowed up
/ in the din as the crack of a toy pistol
! would be by the roar of a vOlley of
/ hundred ton guns, the bands broke in
! with the srains of one of SOusa's pop
| ular marches, but it had no effect on
! the 10000 people who were yelling like
| mad. When the music ceased the
/ demonstration grew ffercer.
The silver men were Infatuated. They
/ were evidently convinced that the gal
! Ieries were packed Chairman Daniel
/ held up his hand for order, but he was
/ not needed. He ordered the clerk to
! call the roll, but that official voice
could not penetrate the WhirlWind of
/ sound. The silver men in the galleries
/ Kissed. The silver leaders on the floor
( were manifestly disturbed. Governor
/ Stone of Missouri moved hastily up to
/ the stage to consult Chairman Daniel.
/ Senator COclzrell worked his way
| around to where sat the Illinois dele
1 cation. Others moved hither and
thither. 1t looked almost as if the sill
yer men had been stricken with panic.
| Suddenly Governor Altgeld got up on
his chair and faced the chairman. His
pale face was silhOuetted against the
/ royal purple standard of the Illinois
] delegation and his long, lean arm was
| extended toward the chairman, appeal
! ing for recognition. The silver dele
/ gates regained their composure as they
I saw that strong masterful figure tow
/ ering above the forest of waving arms,
mistaken by the tumult raging about