Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-02-23
THE RADroAL EmErIc.

The Radical County Convention opened
at the courthouse al two o'clock yesterday
afternoon. Old Coneordia Hall was the
room used, and il was sbout two-thirds full
at the commencement Of the exercisea. The
one hundred and tweniy-six (?) delegates
were ranged IN front of the old stage in a
crescent of dirty arm chairs, and presented
| the usual variegated appearance Of such
crowds on such occasions. On the calling
of the convention To order, D. D. Dickey
was chosen Chairman; and on motion Of
Delegate Thornberg, Major Boughton and
the reporters of the loyal y press were
made Secretaries. There were no accom-
nodations for reporters, however, and two
Of them squatted on the floor, while the
Press and Times man secured perch upon
table, the legs Of which had been amPu-
tated some time before.
A Committee on Credentials, consisting
of one person from each ward, was ap-
pointed.
AT the suggestion Of B. F. Cook, and
contrary TO the ideas of delegate Buck
Lewis, colored, ali speech-makiug was shut
off until the action of the committee could
be made known.
During the absence Of the committee,
the respective candidates were busy ped
ding tickets, and the hum and buzz of the
hundreds Of voices were now and then bro
ken by the "Yeh yeh !" of some sweet
scented Everlasting" from the tenth ward,
whose visibility had over-ridden the dig
nity of the occasion.
The Credentials Committee having now
been out for an hour, delegate Thurmeck
moved that a committee be appointed to
bring them in, and suggested that they did
not know their business.
The convention waited awhile longer,
| when ]. Albert Smith moved that the COM
mittee at once report, and leave all ques-
! iions for the convention TO decide. There
was no second TO the motion, however, and
| in half an hour the committee came in with
report, showing pretty full representa-
| ton of the CITY, but slim delegations from
the districts, several not being represented
at all.
On motion to adopt the report of the
committee, Judge Brien and Wm. Sumner,
colored, objected TO a delegate which the
| committee had selected to fill a vacancy in
the 9Th ward, but the action of the COM
mittee was sustained, and their report fully
accepted.
| Allen McTeer moved that the conven-
ton be held with closed doors.
]. Albert Smith moved to lay the reso-
luton on the table az contrary to the
spirit Of republican institutions.
Great confusion followed the attempt to
put the motion to lay upon the table. Over
and over again the chairman ex-
planned the meaning Of the two motions,
but he might as well have shouted to
herd of mules, neither whites nor blacks
seeming to comprehend him
The vote was finally taken upon the
straight question as to whether the crowd
of spectators should be ousted and the
doors closed, which resulted in majority
for excluding them.
The announcement of the result of the
vote was received with a storm OF Kisses
from the dense crowd outside the bar, min
gled with suppressed eaths, whistling, and
the barking of dogs trodden upon By the
swaying mass.
Upon these demonstrations, a motion WaE
made to reconsider. ....
Delegate Woodward sprang up and de
manded that the crowd be kept out, as
they had not treated the convention with
| respect.
In reply Thornberg shouted that the
outsiders had not been treated with respect,
and he insisted upon a reconsideration.
A yeas and nays vote was then taken,
every delegate yelling his aye or no like a
Camanche Indian, but as nobody could
tell the result, and as il was dangerous TO
| trihe with the ugly, twO-fsted crowd out
l side the Chairman decided that the doors
should be thrown open 10 all. His deci-
sion was received by laundering cheers
from the multitude behind the bar who had
determined TO see the show, cost what it
might.
| Nominations now being in order, Buck
Lewis nominated Alferd Menifee, colored,
for Sheriff J. Albert Smith nominated G.
M. Donaldson, and somebody else nomina-
ted D. E. Lord and A. c. Austin.
Judge Lowering offered resolution that
each candidate should come forward and
pledge himself to abide by the decision Of
the convention.
Buck Lewis moved to lay the resolution
on the table.
The motion to lay on the table was lost,
and Judge Coverings resolution adopted,
though il was declared that the outsiders
| voted on il.
Thornberg moved that the candidates be
permitted to come inside the bar, that they
might consult with their friends. This
motion was quickly tabled.
Several persons then made the required
| pledge for the different candidates, and the
convention proceeded to vote by the calling
Of names, each delegate answering with
the name of his favorite.
The first count resulted in the nomina-
ton OfC. M. Donaldson by the following
vote: Donaldson Ga, Menifee "a, Austin
| IL, Lord 9, total number of votes, lbs.
Capt. NJ. Walsh late Sub-Assistant Com
missioner of the Freedmen's Bureau for
Tennessee) was nominated for Revenue
Collector the vote resulting az follows
NJ. Walsh 50, James H. Collins SO, VIM.
Clotworthy s, j. NJ. Shivers 4 /; total vote,
IlS.
The friends of Collins insisted that the
count was false Henry Harding col,
moved to reconsider the vote, bat his mo
ton was laid upon the table.
1t was then moved that Travis Winhsm
be nominated County Trustee by acclsma-
ton, pending which motion q communics.
| iAoh AIoA NaPt SOnu hAllSOu was Eedut III
which he announced himself candidate
for Trustee, aud accused Winham of de
ceptiOn.
No attention was paid the communica
ton, and Winhsm was nominated by &C
Clamation
The following candidates for Jailer were
announced Abram Smith, Col j. II. Aus.
tin, F. T. Walker, II. NJ. Cramer, Jane:
Cavert, A. A. Carter, Squire Fain, James
w. Griffin, James Huntingdon, Andrew
Jackson. The vote stood Cramer a.
Smith 80, scattering 6 and there was con.
: sequently no election.
On motion Of Buck Lewis, all but the
two candidates receiving the highest num
! Der of votes were dropped.
The contest nov Law between Cramer ant
: Smith--a white man against q negro
Cramers success seemed foregone conclu.
sion, though Judge Brien, Dickey and
9 Thornberg were stoHt for Smith. The re
: salt was not looked for with much interes
at FIRST, but, as the voting progressed, the
white clique became alarmed, and theii
jaws dropped. The delegates who had