It was Mr. Calvin's pleasure, as expressed in a motion, that the
secretary be instructed to cast the vote of the convention for the
renomination of the entire county ticket, and further that Senator James
Nesbit, in view of his leadership of the party in the State, be
requested to name the delegates to the State and congressional
conventions and that Judge Thomas Van Dorn--cheers led by Dick
Bowman--Thomas Van Dorn be requested to name the delegates to the
judicial district convention. Cheers and many cries of no, no, no,
greeted the Calvin motion. It was seconded and stated by the chair and
again cheered and roared at. Dr. Nesbit rose, and in his mild, treble
voice protested against the naming of the delegates to the State and
congressional and judicial conventions. He said that while it had been
the practice in the past, he was of the opinion that the time had come
to let the Convention itself choose by wards and precincts and townships
its delegates to these conventions. He said further that as for the
State and congressional delegates, they couldn't pick a delegation of
twenty men in the room if they tried, that would not contain a majority
which he could work with. At which there was cheering from the anti-Van
Dorn crowd--but it was clear that they were in the minority. No further
discussion seemed to be expected and the Captain was about to put the
motion, when from among the delegates from South Harvey there arose the
red poll of Grant Adams. From the Harvey delegates he met the glare of
distrust due from any crowd of merchants and clerks to any labor
agitator. Morty could see from the face of Dr. Nesbit that he was
surprised. Judge Van Dorn, who sat near young Sands, looked mildly
interested. After he was recognized, Grant in an impassioned voice began
to talk of the inherent right of the Nesbit motion, providing that each
precinct or ward delegation could name its own delegates to the State,
congressional and judicial conventions.
If the motion prevailed, Judge Van Dorn would have a divided delegation
from Greeley county to the judicial convention, as some of the precincts
and wards were against him, though a majority of the united convention
was for him. Grant Adams, swinging his iron claw, was explaining this to
the convention. He was appealing passionately for the right of
proportional representation; holding that the minority had rights of
representation that the majority should not deny.
Judge Van Dorn, without rising, had sneered across the room in a
snarling voice: "Ah, you socialist!" Once he had growled: "None of your
red mouthed ranting here!" Finally, as it was evident that Grant's
remarks were interesting the workmen on the delegations, Van Dorn, still
seated, called out:
"Here, you--what right have you to address this convention?"
"I am a regularly accredited delegate from South Harvey, holding the
proxy--"
He got no further.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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