The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1866-07-26
The District Convention.

led under the auspices of secessionists of the
Worth, Sentinel, Bragg school, assembled in
the Courthouse, in this City, yesterday. Mr..
Jones Fuller, bitter war man, was called to
the chair, and Mr.. Seaton Gales, who refused
to walk under the flag on the 22d day of
February last, was appointed Secretary.
The attendance was small. We observed
among the delegates few good Union men,
but they had but little if any influence in
body which was controlled by such as Elk
Governor Bragg, Ex-Governor Manly, and
Josiah Turner, Jr, unpardoned rebel.
The conspicuous actors in the meeting
were Ex-Governor Bragg, who left the Senate
of the United States in 1851 to engage in the
rebellion, and Josiah Turner, Jr, an ex mem
Der of the Confederate Congress, so-called,
unpardoned rebel, &c.
The Hon. Robert B. Gillian, of Granville,
and the Hon. A. H. Arlington, of Nash, were
elected delegates to the Convention. Mr..
Henry G. Williams, of NASH worked hard to
induce the meeting to appoint alternates,
but the meeting refused to do so, no doubt
from the fear that some appointments would
be made that would not look well to North
ern eyes
Mr.. Arlington is an old Democrat, and an
ex-member of the Confederate Congress-
Mr.. Gillian is an old Wing, but is not par
ticularly identified with either the " straitest
sect " Union party or the Worth faction
We presume both these gentlemen are OPP
posed to the test-oath and to the proposed
amendment to the Constitution, under which
Tennessee has been admitted. We have no
idea-though we have no right to speak for
him--that Mr. Gillian will attend the Con-
vention. He is a Judge of our Superior
Courts, and on that account he has been
always careful not to involve himself in party
politics.
But if either or both of these gentlemen
should attend, they may be sure they will be
at once admitted, when they produce their
certificates signed by gentleman as Secreta-
ry. who refused in February last to walk I'M
der the federal flag
Mr.. Josiah Turner, Jr, who took posses
sion of the floor several times, intimated
that he was not entirely favorable to the
Philadelphia Convention; and though he
protested to be in attendance as a delegate,
he seemed 10th to qualify by allowing Mr.
Gales, at the earnest request Of the very po-
lite and distinguished presiding officer, to
enrol his name. The sturgeon was, however, at
last caught, when he foundered about, to
the edifcation of the Union men present, and
to the infinite disgust of Gov Bragg and
other old Democrats. He made several of
his rambling, scolding speeches, in the course
of which he said the South must either divide
the Republican party and thus obtain its
own TERMS or remain out of the Union
twenty years-rhe inference being that he
would do this before he would advise our
people to do as Tennessee has done in order
to be restored. He opened his batteries on
the Northern Democrats, ON M. Jefferson,
and on the Democracy generally; and left it
to be very clearly inferred that he desired no
association with them, here or elsewhere.
And yet President johnson was Democrat,
and Mr.. Turner is great johnson man He
said delegates ought to be sent to Philadel
phia who would be acceptable to Northern
delegates; and having secured the election of
Mr.. Gillian, old Wing, he seemed dis
posed to compromise as to the other delegate
on William Eaton Jr., once professed Demo-
GRAFT. But Mr.. Rencher, of Chatham, and
Mr.. Arlington, Of Nash, old and true Demo-
Gratis, were put in nomination, and Mr..
Bachelor at length announced that Mr..
Eaton could not possibly accept; whereupon
Mr.. Turner, having determined that no true
Jefersonian should be appointed, nominated
Hon. Sion H. Rogers, old Wing and Vanceite,
of this County, and voted for him to the last
Mr.. Arlington was, however, elected.
And then Mr.. Turner, to show his consist
ency in desiring to send delegates who would
be acceptable to the Northern people, moved
that the meeting request the delegates from
the different Districts to appoint Ex-Gover-
nor Graham, unpardoned rebel, one of the
delegates from the State at large! He de
clared that Gov. Graham was one of the very
men who ought to be sent; that he was
we'll known in Philadelphia and Boston as
he was in Raleigh; and that he possessed
great influence among the Northern peoplet
This was more than Gov. Bragg could endure,
and he was suddenly stricken with fixed
purpose to have the Convention adjourn
He seemed to feel that enough BARN had
been done already, and that if Josiah Turner,
Jr., should be able to obtain even five min
utes more in which to address the body,
the injury would be irreparable., He pressed
his motion to adjourn, even refusing to with
draw it to allow Mr.. Turner to be heard in
opposition to it; and SO, after the vote had
been gravely taken by Counties, by the very
grave presiding officer, on the motion to adj
journ, it was announced by the Secretary in
sprightly voice somewhat tinged with mel
ancholy, that the motion to adjourn had pre-
vailed by decided majority. And SO Mr..
Turner's motion to recommend Gov. Graham
as one of the State delegates, was lost.
Mr.. Turner is mistaken as to Gov Ora
hams influence at Washington and else
where North. We tell Mr.. Turner that we
have recently been in Washington and talk
ed freely with the President, with members
of the Cabinet, and members of Congress,