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Michigan Delegation In 1876

Michigan Delegation In 1876 image
Parent Issue
Day
30
Month
April
Year
1880
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

The republican state convention beid at Grand Rapids in May, 1876, for thecboice of delegates to the natioDal convention, paBqed no vote and adopted no resolution in regard to a candidato for president, except the followiriii : Hetolved, That our delegates to tho natlonal coventlou be requested to act wlth lmrinoiiy and with as much unlty amoDg ttieuiRelves as poBslble ; tliat whllo we are wllling to walve lersonal preferences, our delégate must under no possible circumstances yleld anythlng of republican principies, nor ever consent tocommll republlcan principies to any standardbearer of iloubtful position, or who does not In hU own character afford assu ranee of the practlce of economy, bonesty, and purlty lu all matlers of admlnlstration. The above appears in the Detroit Post, of May 11, 1876. A reporter for the same paper states that "of the 22 delegates, 16 are for Blaine as first choice, 4 for Bristow, 1 for IJayes, 1 for Conkling ; and Blaine is the second choice of the Bristow men, whilo Bristow is the second choico of' most of the Blaine rueu." This is siniply a reporter's guess, as a considerable number of the delegates elected were not at the state convention and could not have been interviewed in time to justify such a olassificatioD. But even then it was known that six delegates did not prefer Blaine. As a matter offact, 10 of the 22 delegates nevcr were Blaine men at all and never pretended to be. The state convention solocted them as representativo republicaos, and left them wholly untrammeled, with a request to " waiye personal preferences" and " unite if possible " on one candidate. Whon they met at Cincinnati the third week in June and compired views, it waa foundini possible at first to act with "utiity." On the flrst two ballots in the national convention they voted as follows : For Blaine- E. Breltung, Marquette: T). L. Fller, Mason (co.); N. A. Hamllton, nerrleu ; T. F. Sliepherd, Bay ; V . I.. smltli, Genesee; 8. J. Tomlinson, Lapeer; J. C. VV'aterbury, öaullac: A. B. Watóon, Kent-8 For Bristow- K. V. Baldwln, Wayne ; R. A. Bea), Wasliteuaw: George Hannalis, Vau Buren ; Herman Keiler, Wayne; E. S. Ijicy.Eaton; Charles Kynd, Lenawee; W. G. Thompson, Wayne; W. II. Wltblugton, Jacksou ; J. J. Woodman, Van Buren-. For raes-W. H. C. Mltchell, Grand Traverse; W. A. Howard, Kent; B. D. Prltchard, Alienan: W. S. George, Inguam- 4. For Vonkling-lJ. II. Hoyt, Siiginaw- 1 In oonformity to tha wishes of the state convention, offioially expressed, tho delegates finally "united." They gave Mr. Hayos their aolid and decisivo support. They believed he could carry the state of Ohio, which Mr. Blainc could not. He had been elected governor of' that state over the three most prominent demccrats in it. Mr. Blaine had never run for any office higher than representativo in congress. His strength in a general compaign wa9 unknown, while his weakness in New York and Indiana was indisputable. The criticism upon oertain adnaitted letters which he had written foretold a defensivo campaign ; and with less than 6,000 republican majority in 1374 in Michigan, with three democratie congretssmen and a republican majority in the legislature of' only 10 members on joint ballot, while Senator Chandler had been beaten for re-election, although he was the regular caucus candidato, the delegates believed tliat a def'ensive oampaign for president was unsafe, at least in this state. Being especially requested, therefore, by the state convention to " waive personal preferences," being fully satisfied that Mr. Blaine could not get enough electoral votes to succeed, being on the ragged edge of disaster in their own state, with the strong, hopeful, discipliued democratie party pushing tbem hard, they " acted with unity among themselves," as their constituents had requested. They nominated a candidato for president who was elected. They gave hini 25,000 majority in Michigan. They chose a state legislature nearly three to one republican, and all the congressmen excepting one. The victory of 187G in the state and nation is vindication enough for those delegates. We make this plain statement of facts, drawn ('rom the record as a suitable reply to the flings of' sonie men that the Michifrom their duty," or that they told out and misrepresented the party," or that they "betrayed their trust." Who are the republicans thus branded as untrustworthy at Cincinnati in 1876? Look over some of the nanies, and judge whether they are fit to continue jn good standing in the republican party, either by their past services or present hnnors : Wm. A. Howard, lately deoeascd,whose speeches electrified the people in many a hot campaign, and whose Kansas report was the platform on which the republicans oame into power in 1860 ; Henry P. Baldwin, ex-governor and U. S. senator, appointed to the latter position since his " betrayal " of the party ; Benjamin D. Pritchard, ex-land commissioner and state treasurer, eleoted to the latter position since his " botrayal " of the party ; Edward Breitung and J. O. Waterbury, elected state senators since the "betrayal;" N. A. Hamilton, elected state representativo and speaker pro tem., si nee the "betrayal;" W. Q. Thompson, elected mayor of Detroit sinee the " betrayal," by the largest majority of any candidato for several years ; J. J. Woodman, favorably mentioned for governor, and vice-president of the United States, sinee the " betrayal ;" A. B. Watson and R. A. Beal, favorably mentioned as candidatos tbr governor, sinee the " betrayal ;" W. II. C. Mitchell, a veteran legislator and appointed receiver of the U. S. land office, sinoe the " betrayal ;" Edward S. Lacey, favorably mentioned for state treasurer and for congres, since the "betrayal;" Charles Rynd, favorably mentioned for congress in the 2d district, since the " betrayal ;" W. II. Withington, brigadier general of Michigan state troops, appointed since the " betrayal ;" S. J. Tomlinson, editor uf that stalwart republican paper, the Lapeer Clarion ; W. S. (Jeorge, editor of the llopublican, who has been, since the "betrayal," unanimously chosen chairman of the Tnghaiii county republican committoe, also a member of the state central coiuinittee, and who was appointed by the late Senator Chandler as a metnber of tho stato executivo committee. The campaigns of' 187879-80 show that the republicans trust hini as a leader, at least locally, and the electiuns show that our strength luis increaaed. The poople will toon he kfllin who are now stirring up such a fu.ss over the obediBnce of the Michigan dolegation in 1876 to the resolution of their state convention, and the nomination by thom of a uandidate who was triumplantly elected ?