, 1859-04-29
wIIIDBY's ISLAND CONVENTION.

WHIDBY's ISLAND, W. T.,
April 18th, 1850.
FRIEND PRoscH-.SiT: Aseditor and ubliSher
Of the best and tho most widely circulated paper
IN Washington Territory, take pleasure in fur.
nishing for the columns Of your excellent journal
and the ediiication Of your many Intelligent read
ers brief sketch Of the farcical proceedings had
In tituar Democratic convention, which was
held at Coveland, the county seat Of Island Co.,
on Saturday last the l6th inst.
This convention, it appears, was called into
existence for the purpose Of selecting two dele
gates to attend upon the approaching Territorial
convention, which is 10 be holden at Olympia on
tho 10th day Of May next ensuing, and for the
nomination also Of q corps Of officers to I'LL the
various county Offices that will become vacant by
virtue Of expiration Of time Of service at the next
general election.
There were present on the occasion some thirty.
five or forty persons, men Of large experience and
great political sagacity, many Of whom had come
from afar for the especial and avowed purpose Of
paying homage to their tavorite candidates, who
were in full pursuit Of high offices, and were
praying and petitoning sutlerance at their hands.
The convention organized precisely at the hour,
or some time thereafter, Of o'clock PM, by
the election Of an honorcd and estiinable member
Of the Democratic party mot Of the Democratic
party Gs i d, but az Il Tds in the days Of its
iuslrious fouu ulcr, Thomas JcfiIrson) chairman,
who, upon taking his seat, rendered his warme,t
thanks 10 the convention that had thus elevaGd
him to the highest position within its confrrment,
ior the honor bestowed upon him. The conven-
ton now proceeded to the election Of "Grand
Scrivcncr," or Imperial Secrttary. The names
Of several worthy gentlemen were put in nomin-
alton for said Office, but upon casting about t.
the great modification Of many, il was discovered
aE
tho sacred precincts Of the convention. A sight
deviation from the prc.arIangcd programme was
here necessarily resorted to in order that the con-
ventional wheels might be kept in motion, and
whether out Of ourtcsy, or downright mockcry,
the name Of dcfunct "wou,d-bc politician" anu
an ox-County Auditor, &C., whose claims to po-
ltical prefernent have long since been ignored,
not BY his countrymen, but by an al en- rabble,
with some honorable exceptioas) was put in
nomination, and was cectcd BY an ovcrw whe!ning
Kansas Minority, and TO his disgrace we regret
70 say Il, he, with apparent indifference, entered
upon the discharge Of his arduous aud plerplex-
ingdutics; and here We shall leave the Secretary,
with our sympathies TO aid him in rendering a
truthful record Of the chaotic proceedings done
IN convention to the Pioneer aud Democrat, that
sheet Of inspiration that essays to sway the po.
hteal destinies Of Washington Territory, and pass
to notice the leading characters and scenery in
the I'd act Of the drama. Upon motion being
made and seconded, the riod rOee system ot vot.
ing was adopted In the nomination Of candidates
for Office, and oil the preliminaries having been
previously determined upon, the names Of two
delegates to serve the good people, g. c., the con.
Vention) as representatives in the territorial con.
vention, were now brought forward and were
elected with scarce adissenting voicc. So ended
the Sd act ''sg
Now came the most important proceedings in
the whole farce, the nomination Of a candidate to
represent the coaventOn--not the pcople-in tic
next Legislative Assembly of Washington Terri
tory. Tho convention, at this stage Of affairs,
might truthfully be likened unto Babel with her
thousand different tongues as ii was all confusion
and bOisterous uproar. As many as twenty gen.
tlemen were upon the floor offering motions at the
same time, and It was only through that nice
conception Of Parliamentary tactics, Of which
the worthy chairman so frequently exhibited
himself master, that one could tell whose mo-
ton took precedent. After considerable wa-wa
TO use classic term) that no individual could
get head or tail Of the ricd roce system was, by
general consent, suspended, and the process Of
balloting adopted in lieu thereof The names Of
many individuals were announced in connection
with this important trust, but Il soon appeared
that there was only one man among the many
that virtually and equitably had claims TO the
position. So ruled the majority of our alien
voters, and the chaplet of political victory at
once encircled bis venerable head. Upon the
chairman proclaiming the name Of the successful
candidate, loud huzzas went forth from the mouths
Of certain participants, who, we have every rca.
son TO believe, supposed that they had in the
election Of their candidate voted a diadem to A
refrigerated monarch, secured tho per, etuity
o. our glorious Union, and acquired the posses
sion of the Cuban Isle, such was their profound
knowledge Of what they had effected. The in
eipient representative returned his thanks (oT
course he did, TO the dear convention that had
reposed such high confidence in his known abili
eeA The honorable gentleman made a speech to
hls ret!sr eitersensb and his political logic was
certainly -; but the brevity Of bis discourse
st once marked him as "man Of wit"
A. Inis Juncture Of the proceedings the mem
osp q tho convention began to absent them.
n.ye4 one sfser another, TN there was scarcely
saneSut persons present to deliberate further