The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1872-09-06
Democratic Congressional Con
veution.
Gen. James Craig Nominated or
the First Ballot.
A Disgraeeful Job put on
Col. Birch.

Pursuant to call, the Democrats and Liberal He
publicans assembled in convention at - Joseph,
on the the 18th ut for the purpose of nomina-
ting q candidate for Congress, who could beat
Hon. I. G. Parker at the November election. Dr.
Bland, OF Clinton county, was elsctet fsrmanrh'
county Secretary of the Democratic convention.
The usual conference u confer with
the Liberals, was duly appointed and returned u
port WAS to the effect that both conventions should
hold q joint session. That the Democrats should
he entitled To 81 delegates and the Liberals s.
The minority report claimed thai the majority OF
the conference committee had acted unfair, and
unjust, in allowing the Liberals u greater repre-
sentation than they were entitled To, and that
they uhe minority, were willing To give them the
same ratio allowed by the State convention, ar
even Is per cent. more. After considerable
quarreiling and the waste Of II vast amount OF
eloqueDce the majority report was adoptei anu
the KS Liberal delegates were admitted and took
their seats. 1t now became apparent that the
convention WAS captured and would De run by
Col. j. W Strong and NJ. l., Harrington, In The
interest Of Gen: james rag, hp baS tnsp NV, "
the 50 Democratic votes in the Convention. The
st. Joseph Herald says:
From This time forward Strong and Harrington
were the leaders of the convention. They could
be seen in every part of the room. Long haired
Harrington, the eNecresence Of the Republican
party, was whispering to every country delegate
within his reach. While Col. Strong, whose
hairs stood up like the quils of u fretful porcupine,
was buttOn-holing the "Libs' and placing them
In position for service.
THE BIRCH MEN
began To hear the rustling OF the leaves ami II
was soon evident that the storm WIS Ebout ia
burst upon them which would probably sweep
their organization. which had not been very firm
ly knit together, cut OF existence: NIthing daant-
and stood ready for battle. Firm paced and
slow q hOrrid front they form, still as the breeze
but dreadful as the storm. They were deter
mined to make u desperate fight, but in general
ship they were sadly deficient. No foreman was
there who could cope With the wary Strong, and
It did not take long for them TO see 1t. strong
and moved that a ballot be taken to nominate can
didates. This did not ''pan OUT ~ he expected,
and he ut once gave the signal To his subordinates
to nominate certain parties. motion was tnen
carried. and that the vote be taken by counties;
Col. James ii. Birch was then nominated amid
. storm of applause, which convinced every one
that he was the decided favorite Of at least tnoss
who had come there to represent the masses oi
the Democracy. Cheer alter cheer rent the All
which fairly made the ceiling shake, ana nc
one doubted but that Colonel Birch wouia Dt
their selection.
GENERAL JAMES CRAIG.
The announcement did not create much excite
ment, although Strong and Harrington rieu vo-
ciferously for Craig. A young man, then ny.
peared upon the stage and said ne ha' y, . , C"Ian u
Birch, on the I'D instant, stating that M
would, Under no circumstances, be u can
didate for Congress. cx.;.
II Du1tOIlnB titu tplliuVitSi ~
and Birch In the field, the others having Deer
Withdrawn. =,
The balloting lead of favorably for Birch, bul
Craig gained rapidly on him in the END. Whef
the result was announced, Birch had received
An, and Craig RH.
| Ii was then moved that the nomination be mnd'
unanimous, which failedb a very decided orpo
sition.
Spectators and delegates then rushed out Int
the streets denouncing the Convention, anu I'M
id rascality of the Libcral5!' Inc Dehiocrau
| were clearly Outwitted, and they felt 1t soreiy.-
| FOrty-seyen Democrats who represented nine
tenths of the Democratic and Liberal vote In I'M
| District had been denied the privilege OF nomi
| mating the man whom their constituents had IN
| structed them 10 nominate.
To say the least fiji, 1t was a shameiul iraud
and an outrage perpetrated upon The Democrats
who Were Liberal enough to permit the yo-cnile'
Liberals 10 tome into their Convention wheh Inc.
bed no right there. A.,
Large numbers left the hall, expressing thei
determination tc support Judge Parker, IN pref
erence to the fraudulent nominee, ana W
say they ure correct. No one can say that Zen
eral Craig Is the nominee of the Democratic party
for ne only received nineteen ont of The one nun
dred votes, which the convention Was entitled u
A few renegade Reprblioanssto stole into the camp
abused their confidence, and defrauded them on
OF their candidhte. Will the Democracy toier
ate this will they permit one INSCRIPTIONS Dol
ter from an opposition party TO dictate ule candi
date who they shall support for COngressf
they do they have lost their manhood ana the
political independence ID worth no more than
: mess Of pottaRe.