that body designed to represent in our persons the several States and Territories. In grateful performance of the duty we are entitled to express the admiration of the convention and of the party for your long and well-known personal qualities and character, and for your distinguished public service and maintenance of the principles and objects which are believed best calculated to promote the security, happiness and welfare of the people. And especial satisfaction in the minds of all good men must follow your election from the reflection that in your person the testimony will be peculiarly given that the American people are never conscious or willing instruments of that great public crime by which, through fraudulent returns and a flagrant disregard of truth and justice; others were seated in those high offices to which Samuel J. Tilden and yourself were rightfully chosen in 1876, as well as of the patriotism of your great submission in confident reliance upon the justice of the people for vindication. An engrossed copy of the declaration of principles and policy made by the convention is submitted with this communication for your examination, and we may surely expect your loyal devotion in the cause of our party to accept the candidacy imposed by your nomination. We have the honor to be, with great respect, WILLIAM F. VILAS, President. "NICHOLAS M. BELL, Secretary." Mr. Hendricks responded as follows: "Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen of the Committee-I cannot realize that a man should ever stand in the presence of a committee representing a more august body of men than that which you represent. In the language of another, 'the convention was large in numbers, august in culture, and patriotic in sentiments,' and, may I not add to that, that because of the power and the greatness and the virtues of the party which it represented it was itself in every respect a very great convention. [Applause.] The delegates came from all the States and Territories [applause] clothed with authority to express judg ment and opinion on all those questions which are not settled by constitutional law; for the purpose of passing upon those questions and selecting a ticket for the people that convention assembled. They decided upon the principles that they would adopt as a platform. They selected the candidates that they would propose to the party for their support, and that convention work was theirs. "I have not reached the period when it was proper for me to consider the strength and force of the statements made in the platform. It is enough for me to know that it comes at your hands from that convention addressed to my patriotic devotion to the Democratic party. [Applause.] I appreciate the honor that is done me. But at the same time that I accept the honor from you and from the convention I feel that the duties and responsibility of the office rest upon me also. I know that sometimes it is understood that this particular office that of Vice-President-does not involve much responsibility, and, as a general thing, that is so; but sometimes it comes to represent very great responsibilities, and it may be so in the near future, for at this time the Senate of the United States stands almost equally divided between the two great parties, and it may be that those two great parties shall so exactly differ that the Vice President of the United States shall have to decide upon questions of law by the exercise of the casting vote. [Applause.] The responsibility would then become very great. It would not then be the responsibility of representing a State or a district. It would be the responsibility of representing the whole country, and the obligation would be to the judgment of the whole country, and that vote, when thus cast, should be in obedience to the just expectations and requirements of the people. "Gentlemen, you have referred to the fact that I am honored by this nomination in a very special degree. I accept the suggestion that in this candidacy I will represent the right of the people to choose their own rulers, that right that is above all, that lies beneath all; for if the people are denied the right to choose their own officers according to their own judgment, what shall become of the rights of the people? What shall become of free government if the people select not their officers ? How shall they control the laws, their administration and their execution? So that, in suggesting that in this candidacy I represent that right of the people, as you have suggested, a great honor has devolved upon me by the confidence of the convention. As soon as it may be convenient and possible to do so I will address you more formally in respect to the letter you have given me. I thank you, gentlemen." [Applause.] At the close of Mr. Hendricks' remarks hearty applause was given and he was introduced to each member of the committee, and a general handshaking followed, after which the assembled audience paid their respects to Mrs. Hendricks. CHAPTER I. THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CON- THE HALL-THE TEMPORARY ORGANIZATION-THE UNIT RULE SUSTAINED-PROCEEDINGS OF THE FIRST DAY. SEVERAL days previous to the meeting of the great National Democratic Convention a large number of delegates and many prominent members of the Democratic party arrived at Chicago to prepare the work to be laid before the Convention. THE NATIONAL COMMITTEE. On Monday the Democratic National Committee began its session, Chairman Barnum presiding. The committee decided to recommend to the Convention that the rules of the last Democratic Convention govern this body until otherwise ordered, subject to the following modifications: "That in voting for candidates for President and VicePresident, no State shall be allowed to change its vote until the roll of the States has been called and every State has cast its vote." After a long discussion the committee decided that undetached coupons would not be accepted for admission to the Convention hall. THE CONVENTION. On Tuesday, July the 8th, the day fixed for the meeting of the great National Democratic Convention, crowds began to gather in the vicinity of the Exposition Hall at an early hour. Door-tenders and ushers reported for duty at 9 o'clock, and many people were even then awaiting to enter and secure their seats. A lowering sky, broken clouds, small patches of blue peeping through rolling masses of black smoke, and occasional stray slants of sunlight-this was the sort of weather that came to the Democratic National Convention this morning. There were many early breakfasts, and by 9 o'clock the Palmer House interior presented a wondrous sight. Up and down stairs streamed a closely packed throng, going and coming constantly. State headquarters were packed with delegates and visitors. Policemen stood at all points where crowds could gather to obstruct the way and tried to move lagging individuals along. The convention men have been a singularly well-behaved body, very much less noisy than the Republicans who met here a month ago. Band music in and out of doors and marching delegations in every street started the crowd toward the Convention hall as early as 10 o'clock. By 11 o'clock the neighborhood of the convention building was thronged with people. Policemen in ade |