s voice rose sonorously; the convention was relieved to find that
the gentleman in blue serge could be heard; he was audible even to Mr.
Thatcher's excited counsellors in the corridors.

"The delegate will kindly state his point of order."

The chairman was quietly courteous. His right hand rested on his gavel,
he thrust his left into the side pocket of his long alpaca coat. He was
an old and tried hand in the chair, and his own deep absorption in the
remarks of Mr. Harwood communicated itself to the delegates.

Dan uttered rapidly the speech he had committed to memory for this
occasion a week earlier. Every sentence had been carefully pondered;
both Bassett and Atwill had blue penciled it until it expressed
concisely and pointedly exactly what Bassett wished to be said at this
point in the convention's proceedings. Interruptions, of applause or
derision, were to be reckoned with; but the speaker did not once drop
his voice or pause long enough for any one to drive in a wedge of
protest. He might have been swamped by an uprising of the whole
convention, but strange to say the convention was intent upon hearing
him. Once the horde of candidates and distinguished visitors on the
platform had been won to attention, Harwood turned slowly until he faced
the greater crowd behind him. Several times he lifted his right hand and
struck out with it, shaking his head with the vigor of his utterance.
("His voice," said the "Advertiser's" report, "rumbles and bangs like a
bowling-alley on Saturday night. There was a big bump every time a
sentence rumbled down the hall and struck the rear wall of the
building.")

"Sir, I make the obvious point of order that there are no vacancies to
fill in the office of United States Senator, and that it does not lie
within the province of the delegates chosen to this convention to pledge
the party to any man. I do not question the motive of the delegate from
Pulaski County, who is my personal friend; and I am animated by no
feelings of animosity in demanding that the convention proceed to the
discharge of its obligations without touching upon matters clearly
beyond its powers. I confidently hope and sincerely believe that our
party in Indiana is soon to receive a new commission of trust and
confidence from the people of the old Hoosier State. But our immediate
business is the choice of a ticket behind which the Hoosier Democracy
will move on to victory in November like an army with banners. (Che