Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1866-04-19
A Rich Scene.

ScrlDeS the most RIDICULOUS scene
we have everread of. Ittook place
in the first Presbyterian Church,
of that city, at a meeting of church
members for the election of three
elders. The contest was between
what was denominated the "Regu-
lar" and the "Copperhead" ticket.
DR.. Anderson nominated Gen.
Wade for chairman, and he was
elected by vote of 81 to 3d.
DIR. Tucker here protested, and
persisted in protesting, notwith-
standing frequent Interruptions
from the opposite party, until he
was tired out. DR.. Anderson took
the floor, begging his flock to avoid
a repetition of such disgraceful
proceedings. We will let the
Commercial tell the result:
Messrs. Culbertson, Phillips and
Rogers (Regulars) were nomina-
ted. A committee of two was APP
pointed to receive the ballots.
DIR. Tucker nominated Messrs.
Smith, johnson and Baird, ("Cop-
perheads.") af
Next arose a difficulty about
the rights of voters, who should
vote, etc. The chair was surroun-
ded in moment; the confusion,
which had been allayed in the
calmness and dignity of DR.. An
derson, arose again with ten-fold
fierceness; Mr.. Cory was seen to
extend the whole length of his bo-
ny arm, and with clutched finger
tips, 'reach' again for one of the
gray haired fathers of the church,
Mr.. Joseph X. Smith. The po-
liceman, who all this time had
been quiet witness of the scene,
reached for Mr.. Cory, but that
gentleman made it appear to the
satisfaction of his friends that he
was the party aggrieved, and not
the aggressor.
There was much catching hold
of gentlemen by ladies, and many
cries of "Now let me 60, ! tell you /;
1 just want to get at him." A
pew-holder at our elbow, who had
just voted, as he said, the "Cop-
perhead" ticket, pronounced the
scene the Oldest he ever saw,
even at political meetings"
The thing was at its worst; the
confusion became INDISPENSABLE ;
ladies and gentlemen were most
inextricably mixed up; chairs
were overturned; the Gle direct"
was given by two gentlemen at
the stand; lady slapped another
lady sface-g gently; the other 'for-
gave" her; the pressure from the
street became insufferable, for the
excitement in the church soon
spread to our fashionable thorough.
fare by the rumor, that there was
a fight in the vestry; glasses of
water were called for by excited
ladies, and the scandal was COM
plete. Above and through the
whole turmoil there were but two
quiet and unmoved beings-the
Rev. DIR. Anderson, and a little
babe that slept in its mothers arms
while she sat an excited witness
of the unusual event.
DR.. Anderson's constitutional
argument had the one effect, if no
other, of quoting the matter down
to the business of balloting, and
at five o'clock the balloting was
declared over, as there was no one
left who had not voted if he or
she chose.
1t was proposed to count the
ballots in an adjoining room, but
Mr.. Cory protested and they
were counted in the presence Of
the meeting, resulting in the cleo
ton of Regulars, which, when
announced, was received with man
ifestations of appreciation. The
vote stood thus: "Regulars" -Rog-
ers, 81; Phillips, SO; Culbertson,
81. "Copperheads' u hnson,
81; Baird, 81; Smith, 20.
In announcing the result, the
Chairman said; "Thank God,
there are votes enough to defeat
the 'Copperhead' ticket, even pro-
vided they had a right to vote,
which they had not" This was
echoed by "Thank God, thank
God" by the Regulars and af-
ter prayer by DR.. Anderson, the
angry elements subsidized, and the
meeting dissolved.