The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1867-12-10
VIRGINIA..

The sehoaeld Cenvention-Perso
Appearance md Social Standing of
the Delegntes-Curious Antecedents
of the Mcmbers-A Motley Assem-.
binge.
From the Worlds Special Correspondent.
RICHMOND, Va, December 3,-Pur.
suant to the command of Major General
Schofield, the Convention for framinga
Constitution for the State of Virginia as
sembled in the hall of the House of Dele
gates to-day.
DISTINGUISHED CHARACTERS.
Among the good-humored rabble on
the Radical side of the house were OBJ
served many who have acquired no en-
viable notoriety since the downfall of
the rebellion, and the enfranchisement
of the ignorant blacks. Brief reference
to a few of the more prominent men may
interest those abroad.
JAMES w. HUNNICUT, ......
whosis unquestionably the leader of the
Destructive party in Virginia, deserves
the first notice. None who gaze once
upon that countenance, so full of low
cunning and malignity can ever forget
it. The grey hairs which hang about his
neck would entitle him to respect, were
it not for his well-known character.
Hunnicut is admired by no one-even
the most violent Republicans in Rich
mond do not hesitate to denounce him
for his intemperanc0 and intolerance,
while they acknowledge his power over
the negro, and affiliate with him "for
the good of the party" Once a preacher
of the gospel-he is now Hoteriously
profane. Once brutal slaveholder-he
now licks the feet of the negro whom he
then oppressed.
Brownlow alone can eclipse him in
violence of language; Forney alone in
wilful mendacity. With all this, so in
sidious ire his wiles that there is scarce
ly negro in Virginia who does not
worship him as demi-god. Meetings
are convened and adjourned at his com-
mand; the secret societies are worked in
his interest, and depend for their exist
ence upon his will; body guard Of
four attends him wherever he goes after
the sun had set. 1t may be safely as.
serted that no man within the limits OF
the military districts has done so much
to hasten the outbreak ofa war OF races.
JUDGE UNDERWOOD.
A small man, with wide and wander
ing eyes, rugged hair, hump-baoked and
slug ggish-yOu have his picture. Though
hailing from Alexandria, he claims to
the people of Richmond, whose
virtuous daughters he has denounced
from the bench as unchaste; whose min
listers oc the gospel he has assailed as
"say lotbariOs," and priests of heather
gods; and whose noble people he has
branded as slave drivers.
Just now, Underwood is unpopular
with many of his party leaders.
JAMES MORIsSEY,
is the third representative of Richmond
City-God save the mark He Is de-
serter from the British army; an Irish
man by birth; a plasterer by trade; at
present keeps a low groggery supported
by negro custom. Although nOtoriOusly
iliiterate, he is considered valuable to
the party, and is a sworn ally OF Hunnl-
cuts. to whose influence he owes his
election.
JOSEPH cox,
the fourth delegate from the capital, IS
"A black man of good sense and some lit
tie education; he enjoys the respect of
his fellow citizens, and is by far the
most worthy man of the Richmond del
cation. ..r.. ...-.- EG
LEWIS LINDSAY,
deserves special mention. He was for
merly slave Of John Minor Bolts, who
was a defeated candidate for the con-
vention of which Lewis is a member.
He is coarse, uueducated and vulgar;
but popular negro orator. Before the
war he was a paper carrier in the office
ofthe Richmond Dispatch. While serv-
ing in that capacity his employers de-
tected him in the larceny of eighteen
hundred newspapers, which he dispos-
ed of through his agents, to soldiers
of the army then encamped near Rich
mond. For this offence he received q
sound thrashing at the public whipping
post.
Since the war, Lewis has been the
leader of brass band, and in this ca
pacity he endeared himself to his music
loving race. As an orator, he made his
debut on the third of April last, when,
before q large audience of negroes, he
made use Of the most incendiary Ian
guage. ."Lindsay." said he sis as good
as any man." Don't tell me l Amt on
an equality with anybody God made. !
want the privilege of going to see any
white man, of eating with him, of sleep
ing with him-and, if i choose to, why
shouldn't / marry his daughter y
Since his election, in o speech at Hun
nicut Hall, he said:
Before any of his children should suf.
fer for food, the streets of Richmond
should run knee deep in blood. he
thanked God that the negroes had learn
ed to use guns, pistols, swords, and ram
rods.
This language caused his arrest and
he is now under bond to appear for trial
before military commissioner.
DELEGATES FROM THE sEABoARD.
DIR. Bayne, here called "the irrepres-
sible,n is from Norfolk City. He is a
perfect specimen of the African; before
the war, the servant of a dentist, now
following that profession for himself.
He is illiterate, but an original charac-
ter, and will no doubt make his mark
in the convention.
Willis Hodges, bacon-colorei son of
Ham, is from Princess Anne. He is a
field hand, but appears in the CONVEX
tion clad in his Sunday clothes, wears
enormous brass-rimmed spectacles, and
boasts suit Of glossy, well creased
hair. ......,.,--t.. -.
James II. Clements, of Portsmouth,
has long been q clerk at the Gosport
Navy yard, and feeds upon the Govern
David B. White, the temporary chair,
man, represents Elizabeth City and
Warwick counties. He was colonel IN
the Union army; q violent Abolitionisti
he now breaches to the negroes, sas.