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doxy. Mayor Swann stated that, when John J. Crittenden took the stand, he saw platform enough for him, and the "plugs " who were in the galleries, cheered him tremendously. I have heard a great deal of virtuous twaddle in public speeches within a few weeks, but the essence of the article was uncorked to-day. Erastus Brooks gave his idea of a platform. It was the Constitution and laws. The Constitution as interpreted by the constituted authorities-the highest judicial authoritiesand the enforcement of the laws. Now, Erastus is the editor of the New York Express, and therefore a great man. He was consequently applauded throughout with even unusual vigor. He is in favor of the nomination of Gen. Sam. Houston, a rather good old soul, as we all know, but the most shallow of the shallow politicians who have been engaged for some years in attending to the affairs of our beloved country. He probably has a very brilliant understanding of that Constitution and law which is to be the platform. His appreciation of and respect for the constituted authorities was exemplified in his recent proposition to invade Mexico. While speeches were being made, the chair announced that the delegation from Texas was at the door. [Tremendous applause.] The chair directed the door-keeper to admit the delegation from Texas. [Tremendous applause.] The delegation from Texas was admitted. [More tremendous applause.] The delegation, headed by a man with a beard half a yard long, who was dressed in home-spun and bore a great buck-horn-handle cane, made its way to a front seat, amid "tremendous applause." An officious delegate said that the long-haired man had agreed at one time not to have his hair cut until Henry Clay was elected President. [Still more tremendous applause.]

During both sessions of the Convention this day, every speech was received in this 66 tremendous" style. The moment a speaker would say Constitution; law; Union; American; conservative element; glorious victory; our fathers; our flag; our country; or any thing of the sort, he had to pause for some time, until the general rapture would discharge itself by stamping, clapping hands, rattling canes, etc., etc. I have likened the enthusiasm to that of an Irish audience at an archbishop's lecture. It was so, with some additional peculiarities of extravagance. The noise and confusion of applause became a disgusting bore to all but the patriotic "plugs.'

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If I had not known otherwise, I should have thought sometimes that the incessant rage of approbation was factious; but the "plugs" by whom the galleries were loaded, meant only to emit their pent-up ecstasy. So vivid were their perceptions of patriotic sentiments, that they could not in dozens of cases await the conclusion of a sentence, before shouting and stamping like Yahoos on a spree. When a speaker would put off something about the Constitution and laws of our beloved country, he would be obliged to suspend his remarks, until the tempest of approbation subsided. And if he should, in order to make himself intelligible, so far as he might, commence the broken sentence over again, ten to one, when he arrived at the patriotic point, where the fracture commenced, the storm would break out again, with redoubled fury. As a matter of necessity, a committee to report business was constituted

It was necessary to present some business to the Convention. About every other committee man's name was received with outrageous yells of admiration from the galleries, and stamping so desperate that the mortar rattled down, and there were apprehensions that the galleries themselves might tumble under the weight of rampant patriotism heaped

into them.

It is presumed that a nomination will take place to-morrow, and that several cheers will go up, and that a determination to elect the nominee and save our sweet country, will be expressed by a large number of able and eloquent gentlemen, who will cause the skies to be rent

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with roars of American enthusiasm.

The turn out of delegates is larger than was expected. I believe there are really as many people in attendance here, as there were at Charleston. The hotels are full, and the narrow Baltimorean sidewalks can hardly contain the groups of exuberant and vociferous patriots. John Bell stock was high to-day, and is tolerably well high up yet, but there are many who are anxious to avail themselves of the battle of San Jacinto. The persuasion that presses John Bell is, that he is strong in the North. But nearly every body ought to know, that he could not carry a single Northern State. The pressure for Houston is upon the presumption that he is powerful in the South. I am very seriously told that he could sweep every State in the South with perfect ease, and New York also, thereby securing his election in the Electoral College. And, I am further informed, that if by some unforeseen accident or most illogical turn of affairs, he should not be triumphantly elected according to the first form made and provided by the Constitution, and the election should be thrown into Congress, the Republicans there would prevent the election of an ultra-Southern man by the Senate, by joining in the House with the men who have taken the Constitution, Union, and salvation of the country into special consideration; and by elevating their champion to the Presidency, give the nation another lease of life. I have been obliged to say to some of our Constitution-loving friends, that I did not think the nominee of this Convention, even with the naked Constitution for a platform, would be certain to carry the State of Ohio. I have gone so far as to indicate an apprehension that the chances were, the electoral vote of the State would be thrown for somebody else.

SECOND DAY.

BALTIMORE, May 8th.

When the President of the Couvention, Washington Hunt, Esq., appeared upon the platform this morning he was received with the usual joyous cries and stamping. The Convention being called to order, we had a fervent prayer for the Union. The minister did not, like his brethren in some cases at Charleston, pray directly for the triumph of the ticket that might be put forward. The Union being prayed for, however, it was inferred that as this body had the confederacy in charge,

the petition for the preservation of the Union included an invocation for the success of the Convention's nominees before the people.

The old church used by the Convention is very much crowded this morning. The ladies' gallery is well filled; but there is hardly a fair representation of that female loveliness, for which this city has a just celebrity.

There are many distinguished men on the floor, but they are mostly venerable men," who have come down to us from a former generation of politicians, and whose retirement from the busy scenes of public life have been rather involuntary than otherwise, and whose disgust at political trickery may perhaps in part be attributed to the failure of the populace to appreciate their abilities and virtues.

The Hon. Jos. R. Ingersoll made the report of the Business committee. He said of the committeemen:

They met with entire cordiality; they proceeded with entire good feeling, and they terminated their proceedings with great unanimity, and I may say with patriotism. [Applause.] I would not venture to present as an example at all to a great and highly respectable body like this the feeling and the courteous deportment of the gentlemen with whom I had the pleasure to sit as chairman last evening; but I would say that a more entirely respectable set of men-in manner, appearance, and in result-I never saw. [Applause.]

THE PLATFORM.

Whereas, experience has demonstrated that platforms adopted by the partisan Conventions of the country have had the effect to mislead and deceive the people, and at the same time to widen the political divisions of the country, by the creation and encouragement of geographical and sectional parties; therefore

Resolved, That it is both the part of patriotism and of duty to recognize no political principles, other than

THE CONSTITUTION OF THE COUNTRY,
THE UNION OF THE STATES, AND
THE ENFORCEMENT OF THE LAWS;
(Loud and prolonged cheering.)

and that, as the representatives of the Constitutional Union men of the country in National Convention assembled, we here pledge ourselves to maintain, protect, and defend, separately and unitedly, those great principles of public liberty and national safety, against all enemies, at home and abroad, believing that thereby peace may once more be restored to the country, and the just rights of the people, and of the States re-established, and the Government again placed in that condition of justice, fraternity and equality, which, under the example and constitution of our fathers, has solemnly bound every citizen of the United States to maintain, "a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquillity, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity." [Prolonged cheers.]

Mr. Ingersoll in making this report was cheered when he took the stand, cheered when he opened his mouth, given nine cheers when he said the committee had with entire unanimity and surprising enthusiasm agreed that there should be no formal platform. When the declaration of principles was read, there was more cheering. The opening proceedings were, in fact, a long yell, partially subsiding at intervals, so that a few remarks could be interpolated. The declaration of principles was

passed unanimously, with a proper amount of the article of enthusiam. But the perfect harmony which had thus far prevailed, was now disturbed. There was a distressingly earnest and dreadfully protracted discussion, on the report as to the process of business, which was prescribed in the following resolutions:

Resolved, That each State shall be entitled to the same number of votes in this Convention as its electoral vote, and that each delegation shall, for itself, determine the manner in which its vote shall be cast.

Resolved, That in balloting for President and Vice-President, ballots shall be taken until the candidate nominated shall receive a majority of all the votes cast; that the candidate for President shall first be balloted for and selected, and then the candidate for Vice-President.

There was an impression somewhere that there was a disposition in the various States to coerce the minorities, and out of this the trouble grew.

The Convention got itself into a very uncomfortable condition of confusion, and about twenty resolutions were heaped upon each other. The " gallant and gifted Goggin," of Virginia, at last offered a resolution, which brought the Convention out of tribulation and the rapids of controversy into calm and deep water.

It was as follows:

Resolved, That the chairman of each delegation shall cast the vote of his State for each delegate, in such way as he may be instructed by the delegate entitled to vote, and when there is not a full representation from any State, then the majority of such delegation shall decide how the vote of the district unrepresented shall be cast; and where there be two delegates who cannot agree, each of said delegates shall be entitled to one-half a vote.

This was adopted.

At half-past eleven, the nomination of a candidate for the Presidency was in order. Some time was spent by the various State delegations, in preparing their votes, and there was no little sensation in the hall. The Maryland delegation being unable to get the proper construction of the Goggin resolution through its head without a surgical operation, retired for consultation, and to have the necessary operation performed. A delegate from Minnesota had a delicacy. He was the only man from that State, and had not been appointed a delegate. He was a substitute, consequently he did not feel like representing the State. The voice of the Convention overcame his modesty. The names most loudly cheered as the balloting proceeded were those of John Bell and Edward Everett. Everett received a long and loud clamor, and the ladies waved their handkerchiefs. When the vote of Texas was called for, her hairy delegate got up and mentioned the battle of San Jacinto, and tried to give peculiar emphasis to the SAM part of Houston's name. But it did not take wonderfully.

The first ballot resulted as follows:

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As the second ballot was being taken it became apparent that the friends of John Bell were in the ascendant.

As the vote of New York was being taken, Jas. W. Garrard, of that State, gave his political biography. He stated that he had been in the habit of standing up in favor of the South. He was a Northern man with Northern principles. Northern conservative principles were the same as Southern conservative principles. He mentioned that he had several times talked like a prophet. He had something to say of Washington, the American Eagle, the Washington monument, the Battle monument, and striking upon expediency, availability, etc.,

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