522 



MASSACHUSETTS. 



State offices this day nominated. "We know and ad- 

 mire their integrity and capacity, and no one need 

 fear that they will repudiate the platform on which 

 they have been nominated. 



The only show of discord or division of sen- 

 timent appeared in the election of a State Cen- 

 tral Committee, there being some opposition 

 to the plan of nominating this body by a com- 

 mittee appointed by the chair, and then voting 

 on the report of this committee. Those who 

 opposed this plan desired that the delegation 

 from each congressional district should choose 

 the member of the State Central Committee 

 from that district, and that the members at 

 large should be chosen by the full convention. 

 The method by nomination of a committee, 

 however, prevailed. 



The Eepublican Convention was held at 

 "Worcester, on the 7th of October. The dele- 

 gates had been very generally selected with 

 special reference to their favoring or opposing 

 the nomination of Mr. Talbot, though strong 

 efforts had been made to secure unity of senti- 

 ment by sinking this issue out of the canvass. 

 When the delegates came together on the 

 night before the convention, it was found that 

 a large majority of them were in favor of Mr. 

 Talbot's nomination, and, in order to avoid any 

 serious division, and all discussion on the next 

 day, it was arranged that he should be nomi- 

 nated as promptly as possible, and all mention 

 of the prohibition issue avoided in the plat- 

 form. The Hon. Henry L. Dawes was chosen 

 chairman of the convention, and made a con- 

 ciliatory speech, dwelling on the importance 

 of the continued ascendency of the Eepublican 

 party and the necessity for union and harmony. 

 A ballot was then taken for a candidate for 

 Governor. The number of votes cast was 

 1,042, of which 755 were for Thomas Talbot, 

 198 for George B. Loring, 51 for Charles Doy- 

 ens, Jr., 20 for John E. Sandford, 16 for Ben- 

 jamin F. Butler, 1 for E. E. Hoar, and 1 for 

 Henry L. Dawes. On motion, of Alexander H. 

 Eice, of Boston, a viva-voce vote was taken on 

 making the nomination unanimous, and de- 

 clared carried, though it was by no means 

 unanimously supported. A ballot was taken 

 on the nomination for Lieutenant-Governor, 

 which resulted in the selection of Horatio 

 Knight, of Easthampton, also a pronounced 

 prohibitionist. He received 643 votes out of 

 1,012, and a motion to make the nomination 

 unanimous prevailed. Before the result ot 

 this ballot had been declared, the other can- 

 didates were nominated by acclamation as fol- 

 lows : For Secretary of State, Oliver "Warner, 

 of Northampton; for Attorney-General, Charles 

 E. Train, of Boston ; for Auditor, Charles Endi- 

 cott, of Canton ; for Treasurer, Charles Adams, 

 Jr., of North Brookfield. 



The platform adopted was as follows : 

 _The_ Republicans of Massachusetts, proud of the 

 historic record of their party, reaffirm their devotion 

 to the great principles of justice upon which it was 

 founded, and they pledge their best and constant en- 

 deavors to the maintenance of those principles in the 

 future. Be it therefore resolved 



_ 1. That a sound currency is indispensable to na- 

 tional prosperity, and that to this end the nation 

 must make its demand promises to pay equal in gold, 

 which is the recognized standard of value in the 

 whole civilized world ; that it is further the duty of 

 Congress to adopt such measures as shall safely and 

 speedily lead to this equalization of value ; and no 

 inflation of the currency by adding to the Govern- 

 ment issues should be permitted. 



2. That Massachusetts has seen with abhorrence 

 the attempt, through banded leagues, to deprive 

 whole classes of our population of their constitutional 

 prerogatives ; and, as the amplest protection of the 

 individual in his civil rights and privileges is the 

 first duty of the national Government, therefore, as 

 Republicans, reaffirming our unshaken faith in fun- 

 damental rights and the exact equality of all citizens 

 before the laWj we express our gratitude to the Presi- 

 dent of the United States for his prompt interference 

 against an eifort at usurpation over a recognized State 

 government, and for his determined opposition tow- 

 ards all movements and combinations seeking to 

 abridge, limit, or restrain the rights of any portion of 

 the American people. 



3. That the Eepublican party of Massachusetts de- 

 mands and will require of all persons holding office, 

 whether State, national, or municipal, an adminis- 

 tration of government which shall conform to the 

 highest standard of honesty, integrity, and economy, 

 to the end that the public indebtedness may be hon- 

 orably and speedily paid, and the burden of taxation 

 lightened. 



4. That the record of the Eepublican party of Mas- 

 sachusetts is a sufficient guarantee of its continued 

 sympathy with that legislation which will promote 

 the best interests of labor and tend to the moral and 

 intellectual elevation of all persons engaged in indus- 

 trial pursuits. 



5. That the Eepublican party has proved itself 

 under all circumstances the party of progress and re- 

 form ; that it has shown itself ready and prompt to 

 correct all abuses and bring its own servants to strict 

 account for unfaithfulness in official conduct ; that it 

 denounces all laws and practices that open a way for 

 corruption in the public service, and that it will de- 

 mand of all its servants that their official position 

 shall never be made subservient to their personal ag- 

 grandizement. 



6. That in the nomination of the Hon. Thomas 

 Talbot as Chief Magistrate of this Commonwealth, 

 this convention expresses its appreciation of the char- 

 acter and ability of a distinguished public servant, 

 and relying upon his administrative experience, his 

 personal purity and sterling integrity, we feel confi- 

 dent of his triumphant election by our loyal and law- 

 abiding people ; and we heartily commend him and 

 the other nominees of this convention to the suf- 

 frages of our fellow-citizens. 



The following resolution, which had been 

 offered early in the convention, and referred 

 to the Committee on Eesolutions, but had been 

 ignored by that committee, was brought up by 

 the original mover before the close of the con- 

 vention, and was adopted : 



JResolved, That, to protect the rights of all law- 

 abiding citizens at the Eepublican caucuses held for 

 the choice of delegates to the State Convention, the 

 ballot and the check-list should be used, provided as 

 many as five voters shall demand the same ; and, in 

 case of refusal to comply with the request, the re- 

 monstrants may call another caucus and proceed to 

 elect delegates to represent their ward or town, and 

 act in such convention. 



The election occurred on the 3d of November, 

 and resulted in the choi6e of Mr. Gaston for 

 Governor, but to all the other State offices the 

 Eepublican candidates were chosen. The to- 



