Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1872-08-17
FROM CLEVELAND.
The Congressional Convention
Times-BIfzard slaughfered-Aey
rar.as,R.~ .

This pretty little town has been ehiiVen
ed to-day by the presence OF the represent =
atives of the Simon-pure Democracy OF tne
Third Congressional District, big with the
weighty responsibility of choosing can
didate for Congress. Almost every shade
of the penus Democrat was represented III
the promiscuous crowds which gathered on
the street corners and in bar rooms discuss
inp the chances and claims, and pulling
the wires for their various favorltes, The
grey.haired father, who has spent years In
the service of his party and the gushing
vouth lust in his majority, were represent
cd. each seeming to vie with the other
az TO who could talk the loudest and the
longest and present in the Ost favorable
light the excellencies of his candidate.
Col. Billiards. friends held up their
heads and looked game, as much as
to say we are conscious of our
power to carry the day for the man with
the enormous appendage vulgarly styled a
nose. Key's friends were silent, but if
one of them could be got off to one side,
he chuckled over the certainty of his fa-
vorite's success, and the unsuspecting ig-
norance of Col. BIS adherents. The
| friends of Col. Eb. James and Col. Bob.
Byrd understood that they stood no chance,
and only presented their names as an act
of courtesy.
At eleven o'clock, A. NJ, the crowd as
sembled, and after some delay, was called
| to order by the chairman of the Congress
sional Committee, who demeaned himself
with an unaffected grace and dignified ell
egance which showed that he was not a
novice. in some things at least. He made
short speech, full of the " milk of human
| kindness " toward all the world, and es-
pecially they of the household of faith. "
His speech, together with subsequent de-
veIopments, was suggestive of but
| tered Watermelon soft-shelled crabs, y
and "sich," and showed a strong af-
| finity for the tail end of the Greeley
| ticket. He remained in the chair until a
| permanent organization was effected. 1t
| took nearly an hour to get committees ap-
| pointed, looking to a permanent organiza-
| ton, when the convention adjourned for
one hour to take -, dinner, DC. The
meeting was not called to order promptly
/ ut the hour of one, from the trif1ing cir
cumstance of the acting chairman having
| forgotten just where he had put his hat be-
| fore going into the dining room of the
| Ocoee House. By the aid of kind friends,
however, it was found and the convention
was again called to order, when perma-
| nent organization was effected, with Hon.
J. w. Cleft as Chairman, and Kirby,
Woodward and McNelly lthe handsomest
man in the COnventiOn) as Secretaries.
Nominations were now in order. Judge
Van Dyke nominated Col. Blizzard and
urged as q reason why he should have the
race, that he had run against "the bull dog
of the Radical party two years ago" Major
Reynolds, of LOudOn county, very modest
ly presented the name of Chancellor Key.
Colonel Neal, of Roane, ventured to NEIL
ton Colonel Byrd. Mr.. SwaffOrd, of War
ren, nominated Gen. Savage, and Smith, of
Hamilton, presented the name of Eb.
James.
Just at this stage of the game, gentle
man, who afterwards proved a steadfast
friend of Chancellor Key, although his
name had been withdrawn seemingly with
authority, by Mr.. Cliff, of Hamilton, be-
came very anxious to have all the candi-
dates commit themselves to the support of
the Convention, no matter who was sue
cessful. They were all so committed by
their friends, in less time than it takes to
write it, and the interesting process of bal
loting com menced, the roll of counties be-
ing called in clear, sonorous voice by the
world renowned wit Alligator Blizzard
received 68 votes on the first ballot, SO be-
ing necessary to choice. His friends were
enthused over this very fiattering vote,
and felt sure he would obtain a majority
on the next ballot The second ballot was
taken with little change. Some one then
renewed the nominotion of Key, notwith-
standing it had been stated that he did not
desire it. Sheppard, of Chattanooga, af-
ter some sharp sparring with Judge Van
Dyke, ventured to suggest that unless
Key was nominated the district would be
represented in the next Congress by a
Radical,n This declaration startled Biz
ards friends, and some of their eyes pro-
truded wonderfully, while they blushed
clear up to their eyebrows. Key contin-
ued to gain strength, receiving 81 votes on
| the 18th ballot. On the 18th hallot, War
ren, Grundy and Van Buren, changed their
votes from Savage to Key, which gave him
| 72 votes, three more than a majority.
The result was announced and received
with faint applause, while Billiards. friends
commenced to retire abruptly. Judge
| Van Dyke moved that the nomination be
made unanimous, which was carried with
out opposition by those remaining in the
hall, but some of them made very wry fa-
ces. To say that Blizard's friends are dis
satisfied, would be stating the case in a
very mild form. Vollies of sulphurous
maledictions, and continuous sluice of
| AAfOOOAhS1 COulu U0 uSdIQ u On CNOlH
street corner and in every bar room. AS
we write two delegates from neighboring
county are discussing the resu1t--one swear
ing Inat he will carry his county against
Key. the other upbraiding him on the in
i ierlGr quality artyy OF his Democracy, and VOW
ing In terms more emphatic than polite
that he can't do any such thing. Tbey
have retired weary 10 bed, but are so hot
that they keep up the discussion i'm Ioud
and angry tones.
The Convention adjourned after the
nomination, in wild confusion, that does
not in any sense partake of the nature OF
enthusiasm. Not resolution of any kinf
was offered or passed, and no organization
of the party provided for, all seeming t.
act as if they were standing on nitro glyc
crime, and were prepared at any momen
to witness fearful explosion. -s.sss
The result is generally regarded as tri
umph of the Confederate element of th
| oorfv ovor fbo TIni0n tolonapOt RliZar6