The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-05-19
A BAD START.


From the ~ r. World.
Some days since radical State convention
was held in Raleigh, North Carolina, osten-
sibly to nominate candidate for Attorney
General but really in the interest of Mr.
Grant. AS the programme was originally
prepared, there was to be an immense out
pouring of enthusiasm for Mr.. Grant, a
wholesale Endorsement of his administration
not forgetting a good word for the San
Domingo job-and glorious nomination for
reelection in 1872. Unfortunately for the
success of this scheme, the brethren do not
dwell in unity in the old North State, and,
though the fires have heretofore been smould-
ering, the convention famed them into q
light blaze. 1t was apparent Immediately
on the assemblage of the delegates that there
were two factions: the Grant wing, headed
by ayellow negro preacher from the North
somewhere, and the anti-Grant wing, led
by Holden, the reconstructed Governor
of the State. Subsidiary to these cham
pions were the so-called United States
Senators-Pool, the native Senator,
booking Holden, and Abbott, the carpet
bsgger from New Hamsphire, swear
ing by ''big yaller," as Mr.. Grants
tawny advocate is termed in unregenerate
North Carolina parlance. On proceeding to
organize the convention the trouble began.
Holden entered Pool for presiding officer, and
the negro nominated the carpet-bagger. The
temporary chairman, one of Holden's hench-
men, decided that Pool had it. Then "big
yaller" rose resplendent. He objected to dis.
''He had the Bible and the Constitution to
hack him and revolver in his pocket, and
he'd be id if he didn't mean to have his
rights. In vain the chairman raped to
order; in vain little creature known as "Jay-
bird Jones, a warm friend of Grants, and
anxious for harmony, pointed appealingly to
the legend, "Let us have peace, as borne on
some bunting in the hall; "big yaller'
was not to be appeased. Under the flow of
his fiery eloquence, clubs, sticks, aud pistols
began to make their appearance. Holden felt
for his hat and fed; Pool sent for the police;
and Abbott cheered ''big yaller' on. Finally
the police came and carried Grants friend off
to the watch-house, and Pool assumed the
chair. Next day 'big yaller, who had gotten
out of limbo, appeared in the convention
again, but only to find his wing utterly
squelched, and no chance left to get in a
resolution commendatory of MIR. Grant. The
Pool-Holden victory was so complete that
there was not even the faintest move made in
that direction, and the great outpouring,
enthusiastic North Carolina Radical State
Convention adjourned without a mention of
his name.
The moral is obvious. The man Holden
is as shrewd and tricky a politician as the
South contains. He has been on all sides,
and has a most wonderful faculty of scenting
out success. He was once a strong seces-
sionist, just before secession rose in its
might and glory in 1861, and fought it out
on that line till he saw the end coming;
then he became instant and furious for the
Union, did no little to distract and weaken
the Confederacy, and built up SO loil
a reputation that Andrew johnson made
him provisional Governor of North Caro-
lima under the Lincoln-Johnson restoration
plan. When that began to topple, he turned
from it instanter, bowed humbly before Con-
gress, accepted the reconstruction policy in
all its parts and PARTICLES, and once more
rode into success as the reconstructed Gov