The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1872-03-17
COLUMBIA. s. G,
Sunday Morning. March II. 1879.
Tho Alexander Convention.

Tho Alexander Convention.
This body met in the Court House,
yesterday, and, of course. re-nominated
the present incumbent. John Alexander.
for Mayor Of the city for the coming
term. The nomination had all been cut
and dried beforehand, and is just what
everybody expected. There were FIVE
votes cast for Mr.. Swygert to twenty for
Mayor Alexander. The meeting, of
course, as general thing, was uproari-
ously pleased with it's action; but there
were not few colored citizens who went
off highly indignant at the manner in
which things were managed. After tho
nomination was made aud declared, q
committee waited upon Mr.. Alexander,
who was not far Of. and escorted him
to the Court House, ''to return his
thanks for the high honor conferred
upon him." He said he was proud to feel
that his denomination was an acknow-
ledgment of the arduous services which
he had faithfully performed for the peo-
pie for the past two years; that he felt
himself the representative of the work.
ing men. and always would consult their
Interests and labor in their behalf; that
he always had been for the working
men, and it was because he had 80 shown
himself, and declared that he believed
the Republican party was the working
mems party, that he had been turned
ont Of the Democratic ranks.
he seemed to think it very unjust and
sznean, that he should have been dropped
from the Democratic Club, simply be-
cause he was Republican. Right
here. too, We think the worthy Mayor
ilost sight of his past record, to some ex-
veut. In declaring himself as having
been through all time the champion of
the working men, he seems to forget
that he was the first to discharge his
colored employees-working men-irom
his services, in 1868. for holding differ
ent political opinions to his own. This,
we are creditably informed, is fact.
He claimed, too, that lie had been ostra-
cised by the Democrats, on account of
his politics; that he had, therefore,
nothing to ask of that party-by which
he meant the white citizens of Colum-
bia-and nothing to give. He warned
his audience of the citizens movement.
oharaoterizing it as Democratic trick,
that would bring innumerable woes
upon the unwary working men, if it
should be successful. He made an
urgent appeal to party prejudioes. and
stated it to be in keeping with his politi-
cal creed to vote for the devil himself,
once he got the party nomination.
In this we think the Mayor has sta ted
bis own case i'll rather stronger words
tnan we ourselves would feel justified in
using. Mr.. Alexander, in our opinion,
does himself injustice in some respects,
perhaps, by the unwilling comparison; !;
but his satanic majesty must feel himself
aggrieved on one SCORE at least. There
is an anecdote that we have heard that
aptly illustrates the point.
"a CERTAIN Ola lady, grand mama, the
story goes, he'd heart so full of the
milk of human kindness, was SO kind
and charitable in her opinions of peo-
pie. that she always had something good
to soy of any person who might come up
for criticism in the family circle. This
tovable weakness of grandma was q
source OF considerable amusement to her
fun-loving grandchildren. They would
make it point to bring into discussion
the character and conduct of the worst
reprobates in the neighborhood, in order
to 'stump" grandma. Their efforts.
however, were in vain; thed old lady
would always have something good to
say for their hardest specimens. Finally,
bright urchin of the family suggested
that they should try the dcou, and SEQ if
grandma wouldn't have to succumb.
The brilliant suggestion was unani-
mously agreed to, and upon the first
fitting occasion, the ''father of evil' was