TABLE OF CONTENTS. PAGE. 1. Proceedings, platform, and ballots of St. Louis Convention, June 16-18, 1896, 127 2. Notification speech of Senator John M. Thurston, of Nebraska, June 29, 1896, ELEVENTH NATIONAL CONVENTION ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, JUNE 16-18, 1896. McKINLEY and HOBART. The Eleventh National Convention of the Republican party convened in St. Louis, Missouri, June 16, 1896, and was called to order at 12.20 p. m. by Senator Thomas H. Carter of Montana, chairman of the Republican National Committee. By direction of that committee, Senator Carter nominated as the temporary chairman of the convention the Hon. Charles W. Fairbanks of Indiana, which nomination was unanimously approved by the convention. Senator Carter, also, by direction of the National Committee, recommended the election of Charles W. Johnson of Minnesota as secretary, and T. E. Byrnes of Minnesota as sergeant-at-arms, with three assistant secretaries, four reading clerks, and a tally clerk. The persons recommended were unanimously elected. Mr. Wm. Lamb of Virginia submitted the following resolutions, which were agreed to, viz: Resolved, That until the permanent organization is effected, this convention will be governed by the rules of the last Republican National Convention. Resolved, That the roll-call of states and territories be now called, and that the chairman of each delegation announce the names of persons selected to serve on the several committees as follows: Permanent Organization; Rules and Order of Business; Credentials and Resolutions, and that all resolutions in relation to the platform of the Republican party be referred to such committee without debate. The roll of states was then called, and the committees named in Mr. Lamb's resolution were formed. After the introduction and reference to the Committee on Resolutions of sundry resolutions and papers, on motion of General Charles H. Grosvenor of Ohio the convention adjourned until the following day, at 10 ́ a. m. SECOND DAY-WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17, 1896. After the transaction of some unimportant routine business, Senator Henry Cabot Lodge of Massachusetts, a member of the Committee on Resolutions, stated on its behalf that the platform was not completed, and asked permission for the committee to sit during the session of the convention, which was granted. The regular order of business was proceeded with, and the Committee on Credentials called, without response. Senator Sewell of New Jersey asked unanimous consent that the reports of the Committees on Permanent Organization and Rules might then be made, which request was objected to. A motion made by Representative Wellington of Maryland for a recess until 2 p. m. was rejected. Mr. Wellington asked unanimous consent that the Committee on Rules might then report, which request was also objected to. Several resolutions were introduced and referred to the Committee on Rules. Senator Sewell of New Jersey then moved that the report of the Committee on Permanent Organization be received, which motion was seconded and adopted. Mr. Wellington of Maryland made the point of order that no business could be transacted save by unanimous consent. The chairman overruled the point of order on the ground that the convention, by vote, had decided to receive the report of the Committee on Permanent Organization. Mr. Littlefield of Maine made the further point of order that the convention was, acting under the rules of the last National Convention, which provided that the first thing in order should be the report of the Committee on Credentials, and that the order of business thus established could not be suspended in this way. The chairman overruled the point of order on the ground that the Committee on Credentials was duly called and did not respond; that the Committee on Permanent Organization, being called, was not ready to report; that a motion for a recess was made and voted down; that a motion was then made to receive the report of the Committee on Permanent Organization,—no point of order being made against it,—which said motion prevailed, and that as the convention itself had voted to receive the report, it was now the only thing in order. Mr. Thomas McEwen, Jr., of New Jersey, chairman of the Committee on Permanent Organization, thereupon reported the name of Senator John M. Thurston of Nebraska as permanent chairman of the convention, with a list of vice-presidents-one from each state and territory-and also in favor of making the temporary officials of the convention permanent. Mr. Mudd of Maryland made the point of order that while the temporary convention had voted to receive the report of the Committee on Credentials, it could not be acted upon until the convention had ascertained and determined its membership by means of a report of the Committee on Credentials and action thereon. The chair overruled the point of order, and stated the question to be upon the adoption of the report of the Committee on Permanent Organization. The question was put, and the chair declared the motion carried. Mr. Tuck of Maryland demanded a division by states. Mr. Mudd made objection to the adoption of the report in that manner, which objection the chair overruled and declared the report adopted. The permanent chairman (Senator Thurston) was then escorted to the platform by Senator Sewell of New Jersey and Representative Sereno E. Payne of New York, and made a brief address, after which the convention, on motion of Governor Bushnell of Ohio, adjourned until 2 p. m. AFTER THE RECESS. The convention was called to order at 2 o'clock and 40 minutes p. m. After the presentation of historic gavels, one from the wood of a log taken from the cabin occupied by Abraham Lincoln, in 1832, at New Salem, Ills., and another of ashwood, cut from the old home of Henry Clay, the Committee on Credentials made its report through its chairman, Hon. J. Franklin Fort, of New Jersey. The report of the committee was read by Chairman Fort. Its conclusions are substantially as follows: From the State of Delaware there were two full sets of delegates. The contestants were designated as the "Anthony Higgins delegation" and the "J. Edward Addicks delegation." The committee recommended the seating of what was termed the "Higgins delegation." In the State of Texas there was a contest for delegates-at-large, one of the contested delegations being known as the "Cuney delegation" and the other as the "Grant delegation." The committee recommended that the delegates and alternates-at-large from Texas headed by John Grant be admitted to the convention as the regular delegates. The roll of delegates and alternates to the convention from the several states and territories and the District of Columbia, as prepared by the National Committee for the temporary organization, was approved and recommended as the permanent roll of delegates and alternates of the convention. Representative William P. Hepburn of Iowa submitted a minority report signed by himself and seven other members of the Committee on Credentials. The minority report was a verbal one, made by Mr. Hepburn, who, after setting forth the grounds of dissent from the action taken by the committee in most of the contested election cases, concluded by recommending that the delegation from the State of Delaware headed by J. Edward Addicks, with their alternates, be seated; that the delegation from the State of Texas headed by N. W. Cuney, |