Arizona republican., 1900-09-22
A DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION
Recalled by the Recent One at Sara
 toga N. Y.

The description of the recent demo-
 cratic state convention at Saratoga, N. Y, recalls to a Phoenix gentleman
 experiences of years ago, when William M. Tweed was boss of Tammany haii
 and of New York state democracy.
 He relates some of his "reminiscences. T was a student in the Rochester
 Theological seminary, and, wishing to
 study life as seen in political cOnven-
 tiOns, asked an old friend, prominent
 upstate democrat, for a floor ticket.
 He had none, he said, and could obtain
 none. They were all in charge of Mr. Tweed. This statesman, who afterward
 did time in convict's garb, was then
 holding court in the best private parlOr
 of the old Osborn house. I tried to
 reach his room, but failed to do so,
 on account of the rush of delegates
 who preceded me. I saw the Tammany
 chief some distance away in the hall
 with the big diamond made famous by Nast's pictures, resplendent on his ! bosom. Fortunately I found Edgar K. Apgar, then a young clerk in Governor Seymours office, who gave me a plat form ticket. My upstate friend. who 1 had been trying to get a ticket from some of Tweed's lieutenants. said: You are lucky. Now you are better off than I ann
 "The convention was held in Corin-
 thian hall, then the largest assembly
 room in Rochester. Tweed came from New York on a special train, loaded down with Tammany tOughs. There
 Were hundreds of them, occupying the seats in front of and partially around the platform, each one carrying the then popular college cane, a smooth, straight. heavy stick. similar to an elongated policeman's club. These canes were called hangers by the col lege boys.
 During the first day Tweed had everything his own way. Several dele gatiOns opposed to him were unseats q without ceremony, among them the
 delegation from Governor Seymour $
 own county of Oneida, the contestinG
 delegates. headed by General McQuadc. being admitted. But the countrymen
 did not give up the battle. They had | Tilden, chairman of the state commit | tee, as their mentor. and Seymour as | their advocate. At the evening session
 were delivered some of the most elo- 1 quent speeches ever heard in ROches- | ter. Men spoke with tears in theil ! eyes and with the enthusiasm born of mingled hope and despair Tweed : | lieutenants did little speaking, for they i supposed that they had the requisite
 number of votes. Tilden, Seymour, and | William NJ. Lawrence of Brooklyn
 made eloquent and impassioned pleas 1 for justice and right, and they pre- l vailed.
 Tn the morning the committee on
 credentials made a new report, revers- l ing it's former decision. The Seymour | delegates and other Tiden contestants were admitted. and from that time on ward the convention was in the hands ! of it's friends.
 William M. Tweed did not appear IT the convention again. He recognized
 the fact that his scepter was broken i and that morning, without waiting foi | the convention to adjourn, he and his i hangers-on, with their hangers. took | the special train to New York city.
 Tt was the beginning of the end | The victory gained at that convention
 enabled Tilden to prosecute to success l his campaign for the purification oi
 party politics and the overthrow of tn, | New York boss"