Show demonstrations C convention demonstrations those amazing exhibitions ot of hysterical enthusiasm usually manufactured rather than spontaneous had their origin in the republican convention of 1860 in chicago the two leading candidates were william H seward of new york and and abraham lincoln of illinois the new york delegation brought along a prize fighter named tom hyer and a band which marched about the streets playing martial music to match these noisemakers noise makers supporters of old abe hired a chicagoan whose shout could be heard above the most violent tempest on lake michigan and a leather lunged dr ames who though a democrat also consented to whoop it up for lincoln but the real blow off came when lincoln was nominated on the fourth ballot an eyewitness eye witness has described the scene as follows the immense multitude rose and gave round after round of applause ten thousand voices swelled into aa a roar so deafening that for several minutes every attempt to restore order was hopelessly vain A man appeared in the hall bringing a large painting of mr lincoln the cannon sent forth roar after roar in quick succession delegates tore up the sticks and boards bearing the names of several states and waved them aloft over their heads and the vast multitude before the platform were waving hats and handkerchiefs another chapter in convention demonstrations was added by the republican convention also in chicago in 1880 roscoe conkling of new york led the forces that had determined to nominate grant for a third term at the first mention of grants name a demonstration began which lasted nearly half an hour conkling noted for his aristocratic to coldness unbent enough t to 0 stimulate enthusiasm in the galleries and among the delegates by waving his handkerchief then robert G ingersoll started wave after wave of frantic cheering when he grabbed a womans comans red shawl and waved it aloft men tore off their coats and used them for flags then the grant delegates seized the standards of their states and started a parade around the hall thus starting a custom which has been perpetuated to this day |