The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1868-05-02
Republican County Convention.

Inc radical SlauSnterpcn OF tnlS county Wa
duly organized, according to previous announce
ment, in this city on Thursday of the present
week. There was full attendance of dele
gates from all the towns except two
Hope and one other. Tho natural won
dermeat was, that SO many apparently ssnsi-
BILE men should take so deep an interest in the
nomination, for fat office or two, of couple
of comparatively unimportant individuals, and
of whose election, after such nomination, there
is so dim prospect. An explanation, how
ever, may he gathered from what follows.
The bali opened with . motion to proceed
to the nomination of a candidate for the Office
of Circuit Clerk. This had been the big bone
of contention-the carcass that brought all
the eagles together. But the picking had
been done before hand, and their was no
chance for scramble here. The candidates
had been Mr.. Silver, the present incumbent of
the Office, and Mr.. Chas. Hook. Mr. Silver is
a German, and man in whom the Germans Of
the county, perhaps more than any other, have
confidence, and to whom they look up. As
they command about 1900 votes in the county,
which had hitherto been trooly loil" and al
ways cast for the radical candidates, they in
sisted on having representative on the radi-
cal ticket in the person of Mr.. Silver. Now
this claim of the Germans had been set up four
years ago and in the peculiar stress Of the
party at the time had, with good deal
Of grimace, been accedsd to. The question
arose, must the pure and pious radical party,
engaged in the propagation of great moral
ideas, again surrender the latest Office to ap-
psass the "beer drinking, misunderstanding
Dutchf' It was resolved, in the language Of
one Of the pious leaders, that "that sort Of
thing was played out" Mr.. Charles Hook,
late chief clerk in the office of Mr.. Silver, a
competent man and personally very popular,
was selected as the candidate with whom to
clay out the Dutch" The battle, however,
was fought in the town caucuses on Saturday,
and was Jail over when the convention met.
Mr.. Hook went in with 80 or 80 instructed
delegates against score or less for Mr.. Silver
So when, in convention, the motion was made
to proceed to the nomination of candidate
for Circuit Clerk, the name of Mr.. Silver was
withdrawn and Mr.. Hook was nominated by
reclamation.
Then came a very confused scramble for the
Office next in impOrtance--that of Sheriff
The caucuses on Saturday had been 30 absorb
ed in the "great moral and religious battle
over the Circuit Clerkship, that the Sheriff had
been measurably overlooked. To the dismay
Of the convention, six candidates were trottetl
out; and it was determined to test their bot
tom respectively by an informal ballot. Re-
suit as follows: Walter Good 20 votes, Frank
Warner 21, John Ferguson 20, Clement Luel.
len 10, Isaac II. Fredenburgh 70, W. II. Fox ..
Mr.. Fredenburgh, on the announcement of
this vote, arose and stated that Mr.. Fox was
not a candidate before this convention, and
would not accept its nomination if rendered.
Mr.. G. W. Ravens German Hook man) said
Mr.. Fredenburgh had no authority for making
such statement that, on the contrary, Mr..
Fox would accept the nomination of this con-
vention; that his name was presented here by
o large body of Germans and that his nomina-
ton would be satisfactory to them. That Mr..
Fox had been soldier, &c.
The speech of Mr.. Ravens though brief, was
to the point. II the Germans, after their re-
buff in the matter OF Mr. Silver, were willing
to be .appeased by the nomination of Mr.. Fox.
itlooked like the sharp thing to nominate him.
In this frame the convention proceeded to the
first formal ballot, which resulted-Wa 81
votes, Ferguson 2s, Luellen II, Good 90, Fox
%, Fredenburgh 4.
Fox stock had gone up 100 per cent. at a
jump Mr.. Fredenburgh Indignantly rose and
said, he saw he had been seld out to help Mr..
Fox. He therefore withdrew his name rs q
candidate. He and his sons and son-,n-law
had served their country during the rebellion
at Sl3 month"; and never got any other pay.
lie himself had done great deal of dirty work
Tor the republican party. They were welcome
to his services heretofore: hereafter he should
doas he pleased The speech was received
with much dersive laughter.
The name OF MIR. Luellen was withdrawn.
Inc second formal ballot resulted-Warner
20. Ferguson 80, Good &c, Fox 30. Third BID.
lot-Warner II, Ferguson 81, Good 25. Fox
DO Here Warmers name was withdrawn, evil
IDENTITY in the interest of Mr. Good as shown
by the next ballot, which resulted-Good RI
% Ferguson 43, Fox 80. 9th ballot-Good a,
Ferguson 4j, Fox q. II had now becor,. 80,