The Arkansas banner., 1844-06-19


 On the 9th of April, a county meeting of the De- mocrats of Pulaski was held, in this city, for the purpose of appointing delegates to the approaching State Convention. Byrd was not present, but he was represented there, by his menial Weller, who attempted to iorestall the action of the meeting by forcing through his preamble and resolutions, be- fore the meeting was fairly organized, and when only few persons had assembled. We have, on another occasion, mentioned this, i'll recording Weller's treachery; and we here repeat that his attempt failed He, with his preamble and reso- lutions voted down, with remarkable unani- mity; being left in minority of one-and that one himself. Eighty three delegates were appointed to the Convention; three of whom to be selected from among themselves, to cast the vote of the county On the 18th, the day of the Convention, the Pulaski delegation met, at the City Hal for the purpose of selecting the three voters Sixty three delegates were present Before commencing the ballotting, it was understood of course that majority of the delegates present requisite to elect the three voters Gen. Byrd was now present, and was very active in distributing aprnted ticket containing the names of three gentlemen, favorable, as he supposed to his nomination, by the Convention. These names were Chester Ashley, Gilbert Marshall, and John Perceful. On the first ballot, Col. Ashley received 36 votes, and was of course elected; but Marshall received only Pc, and Perceful only 24 votes. The Chairman announced the result of the ballot stating that Ashley, having received majority of the dele gates present, duly elected; but that each of the others, voted for being minority, another ballot ting would be necessary. Now it was that Byrd | thn o11 f,,ot eontended that plurality was sufficient to elect and, consequently, that Marshall and Perceful were elected. The Editor of this paper opposed this ment, and sustained the opinion of the Chairman that only had been elected because only one had received majority; and contended for another bal otting. Gen. Byrd became very much excited. and made two long and vehement speeches in favor of the minority votes. The question was, at length, taken, whether majority, plurality, should elect; and it was decided in favor of majority and against Byrd, by vote of nearly tlco to one. He now declared that he would withdraw from the meet ing, and have nothing to do with second balotting But the second ballotting begun; and then Byrd again rallied his men, and came forward, and voted Upon counting the votes, it was found that neither of Byrds supposed friends was elected; but that Jesse Hill and Chas. |. Moore had received ma ionty of the votes, and were announced, by the Chairman, to be, along with Chester Ashley, duly elected voters for the county of Pulaski in the State Convention Byrd expressed great dissatisfaction, at this result inasmueh he doubtless felt the &C.,
 ton of this meeting to be adverse to his pretensions by voting him down. and rejecting those whom he considered his peculiar friends and supporters. The meeting of delegates adjourned.
 At 1 o'clock, of the afternoon of the same day, the Democratic State Convention assembled in the Capitol. Gen. Byrd, fanled by his pimps and par asites-Weller and Colby, appeared in the Conven- ton, participated in the proceedings and, to all in- tents and purposes, recognized it's authority and the fairness of its constitution and organization. Not only did he do this by his presence and acquescence in the proceedings; but he boasted of it, as an achievement for which he deserved great credit that he had been mainly instrumental in getting up the Convention, and procuring its assemblage. He boasted that he had visited tnenty.fUe countless and had made speeches in ffteen. In a word, that but for his industry and exertions. Convention at all or only very meagre one, would have been assem- bled. He mingled with the members in the most complaisant manner-had warm grasp of the hand,
 
 pered communication, for each, as he met him, and he deemed best suited to his capacity and temper. Indeed, no man ever was known to attempt the arts of the cozenng demagogue, with more persevering earnesness, thandd Gen. Byrd, in the Convention. Yet his anxiety was so much greater than his cum ning that no man ever made greater failure; and we are satisfied that no set of men were ever more dsgusted with the shallow caolery, attempted to be played off upon them, than the members of the Convention, with that of Byrd So absorbed, was he, in his selfish purposes and stupid conceits, that he was evidently unaware, at the time of the contempt he was provoking; and even, now, finds it difficult to believe that he owed his defeat to his ocn defects, o mind and character and not to the wrong doing of others.
 Not only in the preliminary proceedings of the Convention did Byrd aid and ecquiesce; but evenin the caucuses which were held to ascertain the rea- tive strength of probable candidates he was present. and active participant. Does not every member of the Convention remember how busily engaged Byrd would be, talking with various persons, just previous to a vote in cauens-hew anxiously he watched, and carefully noted down, each vote as it was counted out? Was he not careful that his name should always be brought forward, and voted for, at each ballot l caucus' Now we ask any candid man, if in all this, Gen. Byrd did not recognize and ac- the fair constitution, proper organization, and binding authority of the Convention, what con struction is to be placed upon his conduct From this aspect of the case, every body understood at the time, and cannot now doubt that he did recog- nize its authority, and thus bound himself to abide its decisions, whether in his favor, or against him. Here was jury of his own choosing-empaneed by his aid and co-operaton; and he voluntarily sub mited his pretensions, along with others, to its de- cision. Was he not bound by every consideration of honor, decency, and common sense, to abide the verdict of that jury' No one doubt or deny it. If he had intended to object to the Convention, be- cause its members were not properly appointed, or were not duly authorized to act he should have done so before it was organized If he had intended to object to the Convention because it was not fairly