Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1870-07-06
DEMOCRACY IN COUNCIL.
An Outline of Mondays Proceedings.
a Magnificent Fiasc,

!
came off in this community, was that of Mon
day.
! The Convention (?) was called to business"
at o'clock by 5. c. Ramage, and Capt. James
5. Boyd, of Knox, was called 20 the chair
On motion of Col John Williams, commit
mittee of five was appointed on
PERMANENT ORGANIZATION.
Col. John Williams, Gen. j. c Vaugn Col
II. X. Byrd, WAD. Mckinley and 5. c. Honey
cutt composed this committee, who, after retiring
a short time, returned the following as perma-
nent officers, which report was unanimously
adopted: President James S. Boyd, of Knox
Secretaries, Ramage, of the Press and Herald,
Woodward, of the Enterprise and Rising star,
Charlton, Of the Wig, and Scott Sr, OF the
Maryville Republican,
In the absence of the committee, Col Pete
Turney was called upon, who excused himself
from making speech on the ground that he
was candidate for the Supreme Bench, and it
would be improper for him to do so. Some one
moved that committee on credentials be APP
pointed, consisting Of one from each county.
The question was never put
Capt John NJ Brooks moved that commit
tee on nominations be appointed
Major Gratz wished to know if nominations
made by Il committee would preclude members
Of the Convention from making nominations
TROUBLE BREWING
Upon this suggestion several gentlemen arose
and commenced speaking at the same time.
Col Williams wanted order. The chairman
succeeded in restoring order. DR.. Frazier sug-
gested that the difficulty alluded to by Major
Gratz might be overcome by those making NOM
nations making them to the committee.
Mr.. Woodward wanted it settled how many
votes each county was to cast in the Convention
Col Byrd astonshed everybody by moving
that the convention stand adjourned, letting
nominations go by default, and that all candi-
dates run who choose to do so, leaving it with
the people to support whomsoever they think
proper
Mr.. W. p. Elliott moved that the Convention
recommend d. X. Young for Circuit Judge
Geo. Brown for Chancellor, and j. Nj. Thorn
burgh for Attorney General.
Considerable confusion ensued, when the res
olutions were withdrawn.
Gen Vaughn wanted the question of repre-
sentation settled. Knox and adjoining counties
might have two or three delegates, while other
voice, Your head s level"]
The motion 20 fix the number of votes from
the several counties was carried.
Mr.. Charlton wanted such action as would Sc
cure harmony in the strongly Conservative
county of Monroe.
a motion was made that each county be al
lowed one vote for every hundred Conservative
voters in such county,
DEAD LOCK.
Col Byrd moved that delegates present their
credentials, and go into this thing in proper
form, carried, only one man voting Then
followed scene of much confusion. A half
dozen motions and resolutions were pending.
p. l.. Rogers moved that a committee of three
be appointed to examine credentials. The
question was put and carried, only one man
voting By this time matters were getting quite
lively Col Byrd renewed his first PROPOSE
tion, He wanted the candidates to take the race
like an old fashioned fox-chase.
Mr. Elliott wanted preference expressed for
Conservative candidates Young, Thornburgh
and Brown.
Mr.. Charlton excitedly said that he expected
this Convention to perfect an organization, but
the adoption of Col. Byrds proposition would
render it a mere farce. Radicals present sat
laughing in the window (alluding to Sheriff
Gossett) and rolled it las sweet morsel under
thier tongues. He had his foot down, and he
would stand where he was He might fail, but
he wasn't afraid He thought delegates had
come panoplied all over for the fight The
proposition of Col. B. meant surrender He
said fight fight it out. We challenge our
enemies to the contest! Let It come m These
closing sentences were uttered at the top of the
speakers voice, when the crowd took it up, and
fight ightln was calculated from every part
Of the room. An outsider might well here
imagine that a general engagement was about
to commence
Col. Byrd nothing daunted by this demon
straton, again rose to speak in favor of his mo-
ton He had never been equivocal in his politi-
cal sentiments. In 1865 when others were weak
in the knees, he had taken the bull by the
horns, but in this election if the party would
win, they must exercise a little policy. Captain
5 G. Honeycutt supported Col Byrds motion
The mountain people did not believe there was
any security in partisan Judiciary. As well
have one class of politicians on the bench as
another
Mr. Mckinley favored Col Byrd's motion
Judge Brown, he said, was large enough to wear
Chancellor Williams old clothes and that he
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