The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1909-02-19

| tlnueQ applause. 1Iefe WAS 4 SoleHl-
nifty and dignity about the proceed
ings which must have impressed spec
tators with the fact that the delegates
realized the gravity Of the conditions
which confronted the nation; that
they were engaged in nominations
and serious business and had no time
to devote to side shows.
Opened With Prayer.
1.-The convention was opened with
a fervid and eloquent prayer by Rev.
DR.. Robert J. Breckenridge, Of Ken
lucky, a Presbyterian clergyman, and
an uncle, I believe, of General John
C. Breckenridge, of the Confederate
Army, and the secession candidate
for president in 1860. DR.. Breckin-
ridge was a man of commanding pres
ence, and upon assuming the chair
made a powerful speech in favor of
the Union cause and the importance
of destroying the heresy Of secession
at the cost Of any sacrifice, however
great, on the part Of the people.
II thought Governor Dennison, of
Ohio, who was elected permanent
chairman of the convention, lacking
in personal magnetism. He presided
with dignity, but was prim and pre-
else in his manner.
"There was little discussion and
not much speech-making. None Of
the delegates from Maryland spoke at
any length. Apparently the work of
the convention had been cut out for
! it in advance and the only thing to do
was to carry it through as promptly
as possible.
"The Maryland delegation oecu-
pied seats about the center Of the
wing to the night Of the stage, and
had as neighbors nhe delegations
from Kansas and Vermont. Among
the former was "Jim' Lane, who
had been very prominent in the "bor-
der ruheian'' troubles. in the early
days Of the State. Solomon Foote, a
UNITED States senator, and a grand
old man, was one of the delegates
from Vermont. In the left wing, and
facing these delegations, We're the
representatives from Pennsylvania,
headed by Thaddeus Stevens, who do
minated his associates and exercised
strong influence over the convention.
The Platform.
'Henry J. Raymond, then editor
and publisher of the New York Times,
as chairman of the committee on reSo-
lutions, submitted a platform which
may be briefly summarized as fol-
lows:
"'The Union must and shall be
preserved; unconditional surrender
and return to just allegiance to the
constitution the only alternative for
the rebels; slavery must be extermin-
ated, root and branch, and the consti-
tuition so amended as to forbid it for
ever; the army and navy deserve the
thanks of the American people,; Pres
ident Lincoln, by his fidelity to the
constitution, his general conduct, and
especially by his proclamation Of
emancipation, has won the regard and
commentator of the people; unani-
nifty is needed in the national coun-
ellis, and those officers VINO indorse
the principles contained in this plat
form are worthy of confidence; all
men in the army and navy deserve
full protection from outrage and re-
dress should be insisted upon for any
violation of the laws of war; foreign
immigration should be encouraged !;
the Pacific Railroad should be com
pleted; the public debt must be kept
inviolate and the credit Of the ma
tiona' currency preserved; the efforts
of foreign powers to impose monar-
chical governments upon any part OF
this continent will be viewed with ex-
treme jealousy by this country.
"In submitting the platform Mr..
Raymond, who was small, wlry
many, made a rather lmpassloned
speech in favor of its adoption.
George William Curtis, editor Of 1Gle
Harper publications, and the stern
old commoner, Thaddeus Stevens, al
so spoke strongly in the same vein;
but the discussion was not prolonged,
and the resolutions as reported were
adopted with substantial unanimlty.
''Some discussion followed the re-
port of the credentials committee,
which recommended the admission Of
delegates from Arkansas, Louisiana
and Tennessee, and also a contesting
delegation and the regular delegation
from Missouri. In the vote on the adj