CHAPTER XI.
THE CONVENTION.
Belle's heart was sad and full of forebodings of disaster to her lover,for, knowing her father's determined nature, she feared he would atonce discharge the young man who had dared to love his daughter.Fully realizing the situation, she kept her room during the day.Her loving mother was her comforter, yet hardly dare plead for herdaughter, knowing so well her husband's selfish nature and overbearingdisposition. She knew that if her husband was opposed he would becomemore decided in his purposes than if left to think over his own unjustand cruel orders.
Belle decided that she must see George Alden without delay, so she wrotea note requesting him to call at her home at once. Her father, she knew,would be absent and they could enjoy an uninterrupted interview. She waswell aware that if her incensed parent knew George Alden was to visither, he would certainly give orders to prevent his entering the house.
Promptly at the appointed hour George entered the house, and saw quicklythat Belle was in trouble.
"Oh, George," said Belle, "our sunshine of last evening was followed bya storm. I sent for you to tell you of my father's cruel purpose. Hehas given orders that I must receive the attentions of another, and heeven threatened to remove you from the bank. My heart is wretched, forshould you lose your place for the reason that you love me, I shouldfeel that I was your evil genius. I sent for you to ask if you wouldgive me up, rather than lose your position at the bank. Think of it,George, for you are dependent upon what you earn for the support ofyourself and sister. You are free to decide now, and whatever you chooseI will acquiesce in."
"Belle, do you think the ties that bind us together are lightly assumed;or has your father's command made you regret the step you have taken?If the latter, then you are free, for I would not cause you one momentof grief or pain. But you are everything to me--my very existence--andrather than surrender you to another, I would lose all this world cangive. Oh, Belle, you cannot doubt me!"
"Doubt you? No, George, I do not. My heart is yours alone; and letmy father do his worst, he cannot change the course of my affectionnor make me sacrifice myself upon the altar of his ambition. He isdetermined to prevent you from even seeing me, and whatever is done wemust be guarded. I shall be advised by Mamma in all my movements. Attendfaithfully to your duties at the bank and I don't think you will loseyour place, unless the directors are dissatisfied with you. We are bothyoung and time will work changes, perhaps for our good. Let no actionof yours place you at a disadvantage, and be sure not to quarrel withmy father. If he treats you in an arbitrary manner do not complain.Perhaps he may change his intentions when this hateful politicalcampaign is over."
"Belle, I will do all you ask. Whatever insults he may heap upon me willbe borne for your sake; but I do not believe he can discharge me fromthe bank; in fact, our cashier is very ill, there is really no hope ofhis recovery, and I have been told by members of the Board of Directorsthat I am to fill the vacant position. Now, Belle, I will leave you, butshall see you when I can, for I must look often upon your dear face.Rest assured I shall retain my place unless some charge can be preferredagainst me, and of that I am not afraid."
The two conversed a few moments longer, then parted, full of confidencein each other, yet filled with anxiety for their future.
Senator Hamblin was greatly excited after his interview with hisdaughter, and walking quickly to his office threw himself into a chair,and said:
"Confound that puppy Alden! What shall I do? I am determined that Belleshall marry Walter Mannis. I little expected so much opposition. Shehas defied me, her father. H'm! I admire her spirit, but she must beconquered, for my mind is set upon this marriage. Curse the day thattook us to Lake George! It was disaster from the time we landed from thesteamboat until we left. Dear little Willie was taken from us there, andnow my beautiful daughter has rebelled against me. I must write a letterin reply to Mannis and delay giving him a direct answer. Let me see. Iwill write at once," and taking pen and paper, he wrote as follows:
CLEVERDALE, N. Y., September 18, 187-.
MY DEAR MANNIS: Your very welcome letter was duly received and I was gratified at its contents. Allow me to thank you for your expressions in my behalf, as well as your effort to aid my canvass. Believe me, dear Mannis, I appreciate your friendship.
In relation to your request to address my daughter, it would give me inexpressible pleasure to know that she was to become the wife of so brilliant a man as yourself. My wife and daughter have deeply felt the affliction befalling us at Lake George, and I am urging them to withdraw from seclusion. The death of our little Willie has left a desolate household, and my loved ones refuse to be comforted. While I freely give my consent and express my great delight at your request, I ask you to delay, for a brief period, addressing my daughter. We will meet at the Convention and can then talk the matter over at length.
Again thanking you for past favors, and expressing my pleasure at your request, I remain,
Your friend, DARIUS HAMBLIN.
Folding and addressing the letter, he said:
"That will do for the present; in the mean time I shall see if mycommands are to be obeyed."
The days flew rapidly by and Senator Hamblin was busily engaged inmanaging his canvass, trying every way to break the force of Daley andhis friends. Daley, learning of Sargent's treachery, as he called it,had not made use of the statement as expected. Having neglected to getSargent's affidavit to the paper made against Senator Hamblin, he waschagrined and dumbfounded on learning that Miller had succeeded inobtaining one to the later document.
The day of the Convention was only twenty-four hours distant, and ofcourse there was some excitement in the senatorial district.
As the reader may not understand the _modus operandi_ of politicalconventions, we will explain how nominations are made.
There are sixty counties in the Empire State, embracing a populationof 5,082,871 persons. These sixty counties are divided into thirty-twosenatorial and one hundred and twenty-eight assembly districts,apportioned pro rata according to population for the composition ofthe State Legislature. New York County is entitled to seven senatorsand twenty-four assemblymen; King's County, three senators and twelveassemblymen; Albany County, one senator and three assemblymen; ErieCounty, one senator and five assemblymen; Oneida County, one senator andthree assemblymen; leaving nineteen senators and eighty-one assemblymento be divided among the remaining fifty-five counties, requiring fromtwo to five counties to constitute a senatorial district. Each of thefifty-five counties are allowed from one to three assemblymen, exceptFulton and Hamilton, which have but one to represent them both.
The county to which Cleverdale belongs is composed of fifteen towns,and this, added to the adjoining county of sixteen towns, furnishes therequired quota of population for a senatorial district.
There are different methods of manipulating caucuses and conventions,and as the exciting political scenes of this story are to take place atthe Senatorial Convention, we will explain the latter. Some countiessend a delegate direct to the Senatorial Convention from each and everytown caucus; some select three delegates at each assembly districtconvention, while others at their regular county convention select threedelegates to be sent from each assembly district. In many counties, bothgreat political organizations adopt the same method, while neither oneof the different systems is in any manner used exclusively by eitherparty.
The county and senatorial district in which Cleverdale is situated isgoverned by the method first described. At the caucuses held in countrytowns, delegates are chosen by those present without enrolling names. Inthe cities, and in fact in some large towns, these caucuses are called"primaries," and the names of all belonging to the party holding theprimary must be enrolled before they are allowed to participate in theregular order of business of the primary.
br /> The respectable portion of the voting population being remiss in theirduty, the "boss" and his followers are in full control of the caucus orprimary. The entire composition of a ticket submitted to the approvalof honest voters is the work of these men. Those claiming to representthe moral sentiment of communities rarely attend the caucus or primary,yet seldom fail to complain of that which they could easily prevent.Honesty in politics can never be expected until the intelligent andhonest masses awaken to the necessity of devoting a little time tothe primaries. The better element of the community is responsible forthe demoralization in political matters, for, being in overwhelmingmajority, a little attention to the caucus or primary would makeunfit nominations impossible. But the American way, in politics as inall things else, is to let everything drift until the situation isdesperate, and then to work for a cure, which generally they effect. Notuntil they realize the proverbial superiority of prevention to cure willAmericans be as wise as they are smart.
The day of the Convention having arrived, Cleverdale was full ofpoliticians, and an irrepressible conflict raged. The thirty-onedelegates present were divided, yet Miller's careful canvass assured himthat his chief would certainly receive eighteen, if not twenty votes,in the first ballot. Several delegates were working for a compromisecandidate; but this element, composed mostly of Daley men, was intent ondefeating Senator Hamblin at all hazards. It was their only hope now;and while resolved to bolt his nomination if made, and run Daley as astump candidate, the irregularity of such a course was to be avoided, ifpossible, by a compromise candidate.
In Miller's private parlor at Cleverdale's best hotel champagne, cigars,and other refreshments were served. Miller could not prevail on alldelegates to accept his hospitality, for several moral lights in theirrespective towns could not forget their standing, and enter a room wheretemptations might lead them astray. Miller became somewhat alarmedat the proposed compromise, for several of his own friends talked ofmaking success sure rather than run any risk of defeat. Miller was givenunlimited power by his chief to thwart Daley's purpose. So, finally,in company with George Horton, Miller held a protracted interview withthe delegates in question, and a generous distribution of money endedfurther efforts for a compromise candidate.
Promptly at one o'clock, the Convention was called to order by thechairman of the Senatorial Committee, who nominated Hon. Walter Mannisas chairman. A Daley delegate offered an amendment that James Kendrick,of Silvertown, be substituted for Mr. Mannis. This was a test of thestrength of the respective candidates, and the loss of the amendment bya vote of seventeen against fourteen was greeted with applause by thefriends of Senator Hamblin.
The deliberations proceeded with many interruptions, when a motionfor a ballot called talkers to their feet. The Daley men, with greatpersistency, fought for a compromise, and the speakers in making theirappeal embraced the opportunity to attack the character of SenatorHamblin. Sargent's statement was read, followed by the affidavit, readby Miller, wherein Sargent retracted his charges against Hamblin,admitting the injustice done to a man who never, to the affiant'sknowledge, performed a dishonorable act. The delegates became greatlyexcited, the Daley men making another appeal for a compromise candidate,charging the responsibility of defeat--which they declared sure tofollow--upon the Hamblin faction, if their request was ignored. Chargesof so grave a nature were preferred by both sides, that, if true, bothSenator Hamblin and ex-Assemblyman Daley would have been consigned tofelons' cells. The Daley delegates failing to carry their point, oneof their number moved to withdraw and hold another Convention. Twelvedelegates left the room, after which the nomination of Hon. DariusHamblin was made, and suitable resolutions passed, endorsing the actionof the Convention and condemning the course of the bolters.
A committee appointed to wait upon the candidate and inform him ofhis nomination, soon returned with Senator Hamblin, who was receivedwith cheers. Order being restored, he thanked the delegates for thehonor conferred on him, and followed with a powerful speech, hiswords being carefully and shrewdly chosen to win sympathy. While heregretted, he said, the action of his personal enemies, he felt it hisduty to remain in the field, so long as the Daley faction attacked hischaracter. He deftly told of the personal sacrifices made to servehis fellow-citizens, the speech concluding with a promise of certainelection, the cause represented by him being in the hands of the people.
Several others spoke, among them Mannis, who paid a glowing tribute tohis friend; then the Convention adjourned.
In the mean time the twelve bolting delegates assembled at anotherplace, where they were joined by eleven others, chosen by boltingcaucuses in the senatorial district. A Convention was organized, Daleywas nominated, and resolutions were passed declaring him the regularcandidate, adjournment following.
Two faction candidates were now before the people, the hostility betweenthem bordering on frenzy.