DEMOCRATIC STATE CONVENTION
C. L. Weller, Chairman of the Democratic State Central Committee, called the Convention to order yesterday noon, at Turn-Verein Hall. He observed, in the opening speech, that it was the most important Democratic Convention which had met since the adoption of the Federal Constitution, inasmuch as upon it would devolve to decide whether our liberties were to be preserved or destroyed. Beriah Brown was chosen temporary Chairman, and temporary Secretaries and a Sergeant-at-Arms were also appointed. A Committee on Credentials was appointed, consisting of one Delegate from each county. A Committee on Permanent Organization was chosen in the same manner. The Convention then adjourned until three P.M.
Afternoon Session. - As soon as the Convention met, the work of forming the Committees on Credentials and Permanent Organization was begun, when the discovery was shortly made that Chas. L. Weller and Beriah Brown held proxies for the San Diego and Shasta delegations respectively. This riled Coffroth, of Sacramento, and expelled from his system a two hours' speech which had probably been festering there all day, on account of the evident disposition of the San Francisco delegation to rule the roost. He gave it to them hot and strong, and accused them of gobbling up every thing else they could get their hands on. He was bitter on the San Francisco boys. Weller replied that he did not conceive himself guilty of any very heinous crime, in being the recipient of a proxy, and reminded the Convention, in a general way, that he had always been a good and consistent Democrat, and had suffered martyrdom for the cause. Coffroth hit him back; said he was ready to bring flowers and lay them at the feet of any who had actually suffered martyrdom, and then ungenerously insinuated that he "didn't see it." He couldn't recognize a martyr in a man whose misfortunes were all aces in a deal for a Congressional nomination, perhaps. So the afternoon was wasted in wrangling, and actual work cannot begin in the Convention until to-day. Downey, Weller and McKewen are the most prominent aspirants for the nomination in this District, and Coffroth in the Middle District, as we are informed by a chaste and reliable Copperhead. The permanent officers of the Convention are as follows: Chairman, J. W. Mandeville, of Tuolumne; Secretaries, John D. Goodwin, of Plumas, T. L. Thompson, of Sonoma, and Barclay Henley, of San Francisco. A Committee on Resolutions, consisting of five members, was appointed. They are to report to-day.
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