History: Prohibition Convention (1882)

Contact: Roger C. Davis

Email: rogerd445@prodigy.net

Eau Claire Daily Free Press – 4 September 1882, page 2

THE PROHIBITION CONVENTION

A Local Ticket Put In Nomination— List of Delegates, the Resolutions, &c.

The convention was called to order at twelve o'clock by Mr. H. C. Van Hovenburg. Upon motion, Mr. Van Hovenburg was elected temporary chairman and Mr. F. A. Towne temporary secretary.

Mr. McLaren, George Dickerson and F. Sebenthall were appointed a committee on credentials; W. H. Smith, W. Saunders and Mr. McLeod on permanent organization; and M. J. Robinson, D. Bresee and F. Sebenthall were appointed a committee on resolutions. The convention adjourned to meet again at 2:30 in the afternoon.

Convention called to order after ad journment at 2:30. The committee on permanent organization reported Robert McLaren for president and F. A. Towne for secretary, which was agreed to.

The committee on credentials made the following report, which was adopted:

Eau Claire—First ward—D. Bresee, J. K. Nichols, G. W. Provinche, Chas. Graham.

Second Ward—Elisha Ross, A. W. Saunders, Geo. Lentz, F. A. Towne, 2 votes.

Third Ward—C. R. Kellerman, W. E. J. Deming, R. H. Montieth, John Kemp.

Fourth Ward—Isaac Bartlett, Fred Merrill, H. Carbino.

Fifth Ward—Wm. O'Neil, M. D. Bartlett, H. C. Van Hovenburg, C. A. Bullen, F. Holman.

Sixth Ward—Jacob Kuhn, Joseph Beauregard, J. W. Close, F. R. Sebenthall.

Seventh Ward—J. P. McIntyre, A. M. Keating, Louis Larson.

Eighth Ward—A. S. Bostwick, Geo. Lentz, Martin Beyer, O. R. Sortomme, Eugene Keath, Walter Thompson.

Fairchild—Ed. Wilkins, M. J. Robinson, R. McLaren.

Union—R. Elwell, 2 votes.

Washington—David White, J. T. Olin, Geo. W. Lockin.

Bridge Creek—Dr. Hamilton, John Tebo, John Hawe, R. B. Dennison, H. S. Baldwin, E. A. Kirkham, S. McChutchy.

Pleasant Valley—Geo. Dickinson, A. D. Kneeland. W. W. Jackson.

The following preamble and resolu tion were then submitted and adopted :

Whereas , The licensed drink trade is becoming an offense to the moral sense of the nation and

Whereas, The honest, justice-loving people of the state revolt against the league of the political parties with the license system, and

Whereas, The tolerated liquor traffic is an organized political force with a powerful headship in the so-called Saloonkeepers' Protective association, and

Whereas, To meet the issue presented something more than mere sentiment is required. The claim so boldly put forth for protection to a great whisky monopoly, must be met by the counter claim for protection, to a wronged and tax-ridden people, and

Whereas, It is the people's right—it is the people's duty—to devise measures for the overthrow of apolitical despotism that virtually denies the right of petition, and insults the intelligence of more than 150,000 citizens of Wisconsin —a despotism entrenched behind the bulwark of partisan politics and appealing to the cupidity of the weakest and basest elements of society, to keep open the avenues of public opinion, to afford opportunity for expression of the honest convictions of a large class of our best citizens, in an honest and emphatic protest, by consolidating the intelligent balance of power now in our hands we hereby declare as the expression of, the deliberate conviction of this convention that the legislature in the exercise of its constitutional prerogative, ought and should submit all great questions of public policy, such as liquor prohibition, and any other questions upon which the people are divided, and for the submission of which a respectable number of citizens may petition the legislature to a popular vote, in order that such questions may be separated from all party strife, and the verdict of the people rendered upon their merits in a non-partisan manner, and

Whereas, Both the republican and the democratic state convention, after a fair and full consideration of the foregoing principles, rejected them by decisive vote, thus choosing the fellowship of the liquor traffic, and its allies, rather than those of us who are desirous of freeing the state from the thralldom of alcohol, therefore, be it

Resolved, By this convention of Independent Temperance voters, who are of the belief that the ideas herein set forth are based on right principles, an opportunity to vote as they think and talk, we place in nomination a full Independent Temperance ticket, and pledge ourselves to support and labor For the success of the same at the coming election.               

                F. R. Sebenthall,

                M. J. Robinson,

                D. Bresee.

On motion the convention proceeded to ballot for candidates. Mr. W. E. J. Deming presented the name of H. C. Van Hovenberg for member of the assembly, and Mr. Saunders that of Rev. C. R. Kellerman. The ballot resulted as follows :

C. K. Kellerman                     83

H. C. Van Hovenberg          13

Mr. Kellerman, having been declared nominated, was called upon and accepted the nomination in a lengthy speech.

Upon the order of nominating a can didate for county treasurer, Judge M. D. Bartlett introduced a resolution, which he supported in an eloquent and masterly speech, looking to the appointment of a committee of seven, with H. C. Van Hovenberg as chairman, which should nominate a. county ticket after the dominant parties shall have held their conventions.

F. R. Sebenthall moved to lay the resolution on the table, which motion was carried by a vote of 42 to 6.

The secretary was then instructed to cast the ballots of the convention for H. S. Baldwin, of Augusta, for county treasurer.

The following nominations were then made, each by acclamation :

For Sheriff—E. C. Wilkins, of Fairchild.

For County Clerk—Louis Larson, of Eau Claire.

For Clerk of the Court—R. Elwell of Union.

For Register of Deeds—Frank Sebenthall of Eau Claire.

For County Surveyor—D. P. Simons, of Eau Claire.

For Coroner—J. P. McIntyre, of Eau Claire.

On motion of A. W. Saunders, a committee of three was appointed to select ten delegates for the congressional and senatorial convention to be held at Menomonie next Tuesday. A. W. Saunders, J. P. McIntyre and M. D. Bartlett were appointed as such committee, and reported the following persons as such delegates: H. C. Van Hovenberg, J. P, McIntyre, Frank E. Sebenthall, R. McLaren, George Dixson, A. W. Saunders, E. H. Monteith, John Hawe, G. W. Locking and Robert Elwell.

On motion the chair appointed the following county committee for the ensuing year: H. C. Van Hovenburg, John T. Olin, M. J. Robinson, W. H. Smith, W. W. Jackson, R. Elwell, A. W. Saunders.

A resolution was adopted instructing the delegates to endorse and use all honorable means to secure the nomination of W. T. Price for congress and H. C. Van Hovenburg for state senator.

On motion the convention adjourned.