Rensselaer Republican, Volume 16, Number 39, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 June 1884 — BUTLER IS CALLED. [ARTICLE]

BUTLER IS CALLED.

The Greenbackers Nominate the General on the First —— General A. M. West, of Mississippi, Named for the Vice Presidency.

Every State in the Union except two was represented at the National Greenback Convention, at Indianapolis, May 28, Delaware and Mississippi being the exceptions. South Carolina was represented by Morse Churett, a proxy. The convention met in English's Opera House, and was called to order by Jesse Harper, of Illinois, Chairman of the National Committee, after which the Hon. John Tyler, of Florida, was chosen Temporary Chairman. The anti-Butler feeling among some of the Southern delegates manifested itself early in the day, and was chiefly noticeable in the determined effort to give proxies permission to vote. Solon Chase, of Maine, and George 0. Jones, of New York, argued vehemently against excluding proxies, but, after three hours’ heated discussion, the Butler men were triumphant, and it was decided that delegates could only cast individual votes. This decision made the actual vote of the convention 411. During the day the following telegrams passed between Gov. Begole, of Michigan, and Gen. Butler: To Gen. Ben Butler, Boston: Will you accept nomination on satisfactory platform? No other question here. J. W. Begolb. To J. W. Beaole, Indianapolis: Thanks for yonr consideration. But why should I be asked a question which, under like circumstances, was never put to any other man? Is not my reoord as a Greenbacker for twenty years sufficient, without a formal pledge to yon, which would cause me to be pointed at as a man who bids for a nomination? Benj. F. Butter. Permanent organization was effected by the selection of Gen. James B. Weaver, of lowa, as Chairman; Vice President for Illinois, Charles Voris. Among the Secretaries were C. C. Post and S. I. Norton. Gen. Weaver was conducted to the chair and delivered a speech reviewing the growth of the Greenback party, commending its principles and denouncing financial measures enacted in recent years by members of the old parties. One of the best speeches of the day Was made by Mrs. Augusta Bristol, of New Jersey. Her remarks were almost entirely political, with an incidental reference to woman suffrage. She made a telling hit in describing the characteristics of the man the convention should nominate, and closed by saying he should be a man with an eye single to the best interests of the people. This was taken as referring to Butler, and was roundly cheered. At the conclusion of Weaver’s speech a recess was taken until 7:30.

The convention was slow in reassembling, and it was 8 o’clock when Chairman Weaver called to order. The roll of States was .called, for members of the National Committee, with the following result: Arkansas. C. E. Cunningham; California, D. Shellhouse; Colorado, G. De La Matyr; Connecticut, Henry C. Baldwin; Georgia, Charles D. Parker; Illinois, Jesse Harper; Indiana, Richard Gregg; lowa, E. Hi Gillette; Kansas, A. J. Utley; Kentucky, L. A. Wood: Louisiana, W. H. Hyer; Maine, Charles S. Emerson; Massachusetts, G. B. Hutchinson; Michigan, E. S. Greene; Minnesota, C. H. Roberts; Missouri, Henry D. Hill; Nebraska. L. C. Pace; New Hampshire, Warren G, Brown: Now Jersey, B. W. Terlinde; New York, Lewis F. Post; North Carolina, George R. Wren; Ohio, J. S. Clarkson; Pennsylvania, J. A. Case; Rhode Island, D. P. Chase; Texas, Andrew Young; Vermont, M. N. J 2. Bake: West Virginia, J. W. Gorham; Wisconsin, Robert Shilling; District of Columbia, Lee Crandall.

After the appointment of the nntionial committee, and pending the receipt of the report of the committee on resolutions, speeches were made by a number, including So’on Chase of Maine, Mrs. Marion Todd of California, Mrs. Martha J. Strickland of Michigan. Charles Roberts of Texas, and Mr. Small of Georgia—“ Old Si,” of the Atlanta Constitution. At II o'clock the convention adjourned until 10 O'clock on the 20th without transacting further business, the committee on resolutions not being ready to report. Upon reassembling, tho convention spent some two hours in listening to brief aildresses. Then a recess was taken until 2, at. which hour it was again announced that the platform was still in process of construction. Meantime several resolutions of thanks were passed, one to William H. English for the free use of the Opera House. A resolution of sympathy with uniou'priuters and organized labor in boycotting the New York Tribune was adopted. At 8 o'clock Chairman Weaver announced that the Committee on Resolutions was ready, and it was ascertained that there were three reports. The minority reports were by Jones, of New York, and Blanchard, of Michigan, the latter receiving much praise for the stand he took on temperance and woman suffrage. The majority report was adopted, and is as follows:

1. That ere hold the late decision of the Supreme Court on the legal-tender question to be a full vindication of the theory which that party has Always advocated on the right *nH authority of Congress to overissue lech-tinder notes, and wre hereby pledee ourselves to uphold said decision and to defend the Constitution acainst alterations or amendments intended to deprive the people of any rights or I'rtTileves conferred by that instrument. We deman 1 the issue of snch money in sufficient quantities to supply the actual demands of trade and commerce in accordance with the increase of population and the development of ottr industries. We demand the substitution of creenbscks for national bank notes and the prompt payment of the public debt. We want that money which saved onr country in time of war, and which has frtven it prosperity and h»ppiness in peace. We condemn the retirement of the fractional currency and small denominations of irreenbacks ar.rf demand their restoration. We demand the issue erf the boards of money now locked up in the United States Treasury by applying them to the payment of the poblie debt now due, i We denounce as dangerous to our republican institutions those methods and policies of the Democratic and Republican parties which have sanctioned or permitted the establishment of land, railroad, money, and other gigantic corporate monopolies, and we demand snch governmental action as may be necessary to take from each monopolies the powers they have so corruptly and unjustly usurped and restore them to the people to whom they belong. A The public lands being the natural inheritance cf the people, we denounce that policy which has cranked to corporations vast tracts < f land, an.t we demand that immediate .and vigorous measures be taken to leda m from snch corporations for the peop'e*s use and benefit all such land-£ran:s as have been forfeited by reason of Ecn-iulfU ro-nt of the contract, or that may have teen wrongfully acquired by corrupt legislation: and that such railroad lands and other public d. males be henceforth held as a sacred trust, to te cranted only to actual settiers in lim.ted quantities; and we demand that ah n ownership'of fated, individual or corporate, shall be prohibited. A We demand Cc.Ejrr"ss:o-ai regulation of interstate commerce; wv denounce ’‘proto*,” KOd-nt ns*, and dis rmi nation te rates and chargee: and that Ot b.tsj shall correct these abuses, even if neeewsarv by the «o: strnotion of na,joaal railroads; wv also dem od tie wtablishmeut of a Government postal tekMcaph sys5. All private property, ail forms «f money and obligations to pay money, tbwW near their just proportion of public turn: we de-. marnl a rraduatedjacdme tax.

tlon of labor by enforcing sanitary laws In Industrial establishments by the abolition of the convict-labor system; by a rigid inspection oi mines and factories; by a reduction of the hours of labor in Industrial establishments; by the fostering of educational institutions; and by abolishing child labor. 7. We condemn all importation of contract labor made with a view of reducing to starvation wages the workingmen of this country, and demand laws for its prevention. S. We insist upon a constitutional amendment reducing the terms of United States Senators. 9. We demand such rules for the government of Congress as shall place all representatives of the people upon equal footing and take away from committees a veto power greater than that of the President. . . , 10. The question as to the amount sf duties to tie levied upon various articles of Import has been agitated, quarreled ever, and has divided communities for nearly a hundred years. It is not now and never will be settled unless by the abolition of indirect taxation. It is a convenient issue always raised when the people are excited over abuses in their midst. While we favor a wise revision of the tariff laws with a view of raising a revenue from luxuries rather than necessaries, we insist that as an eoonomio question its importance is insignificant as compared with the financial issues; for, whereas, we have suffered our worst panics Under low and also under high tariffs, we have never suffered from a panic or seen our factories and workshops closed while the volume of money in circulation was adequate to the needs of commerce. Give our farmers and manufacturers money as cheap as you now give our bonkers, and they oan pay high wages to labor and compete the world. 11. For the purpose of testing the sense of the people upon the subject, we are in favor of submitting to a vote of the people an amendment to the Constitution in favor of suffrage, regardless of sex, and also on the subject of the liquor traffic. li. All disabled soldiers of the late war should be equitably pensioned, and we denounce the policy of keeping a small army of officeholders, whose only business is to prevent en technical grounds descrying soldiers from obtaining justice from the Government they helped to save. 13. As our name indicateSAwe are a national party, knowing no East, no West, no North, no South; having no sectional prejudices, we can properly place in nomination for the high offices of state candidates from any section of the Union. We appeal to all people who believe in our principles to aid us by voice, and pen, and votes. ... The convention then proceeded to nominate a Presidential ticket, the first ballot resulting: Butler, 323; Jesse Harper, of Illinois, 98; Allis, of Wisconsin, 1. Solon Chase, though not placed in nomination, received 2 votes. Gen. A. M. West, of Mississippi, was chosen by acclamation for Vice President. When the nomination of Gen Butler was announced, the delegates from Colorado and Louisiana withdrew and declined to participate further in the deliberations of the convention, asserting it had selected a man for its standard-bearer who was not a member of the party, and was simply an office-seeker. The" opposition to Gen. Butler’s candidacy is headed by Lee Crandall, of Washington, Secretary of the National Committee, and George O. Jones, of New York. A committee of five was appointed to waff on toe nominees and notify them of the action taken, and the convention adjourned.

Minnesota Democrats. The Democratic State Convention of Minnesota was held at St. Paul, with the Hon. L. L. Baxter as Permanent Chairman and Capt. J. C. Wood Secretary. P. H. Kelly, Michael Doran, C. F. McDonald, and R. A. Jones were chosen as delegates-at-large to the national convention. A long discussion arose as to whether the district delegates should be chosen in the convention as a whole or the convention should dissolve itself into district conventions, each of which should elect its own delegates. It was finally decided to dissolve into district conventions. This was done, and the following district delegates were elected; First, W. J. Whipple, B. P. Cook; Second, John C. Wise, Henry Poesler; Third, W. M. Campbell, George N. Baxter; Fourth, R. A. Smith, T. W. Durant; Fifth, T. E. Beenan, A. Gurnon. The platform declares in favor of the most rigid economy in toe administration of the Government and toe reduction es the surplus in the national treasury by lowering the taxation on the necessaries of life; denounces, in a long and exhaustive series of resolutions, the present tariff as a masterpiece of injustice and false pretense, and as the cause of the decay of the merchant marine and the present depression, and calls for liberal pensions for toe Union veterans of the late war.