Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1873-08-01
STATE REPUBLICAN CONVENTION.

NOMINATION OF ROBERT W. HUGHES FOR COVER.
MORO. P. RAMsDELL FOR L1EU-GovERNoR ANI
JUDGE FULTz, OF STAUNToN, FOR ATTORNEY
GENERAL-MAJ. MCMAHON WITHDRAWN BEFORE
THE CONVENTION AND PUT IN NOMINATION AT.
TERwARDs-ScENEs IN THE CONVENTION ROB,
ERT w. HUGHES SPEECH-SKETcH OF THE CAN.
DIDATEs-INTERvIEw WITH MosBY-INTERvIEw
WITH JUDGE FULTz.
&C. &c, &C.
The Radical State Convention of negroes and
whites met at Lyhchburg ON Wednesdays nom
mate candidate for the Office of Governor OF
Governor of Virginia, Lt.-Governor and Attor
ney General. Two days before the assembling
the delegates commenced arriving, besides some
prominent men of the party who had the inter
ests of the different candidates before the Con.
vention at heart. Gen. Wickham, J. H. Platt
Maj. Mcmahon, J. H. Clements ]. Amble,
Smith, j. B Sener and nearly all the prominent
Republicans in State were on hand Just before
the meeting postscript was published to Maj
McMahon's first letter, in which he declared
himself 'tfree railroad law man." telegram
| nesday, tells about:
THE AGREEMENT TO WITHDRAW M'MAHoN
| The prospect for lively fight between Nc
Mahon and Hughes was splendid last night and
| early this morning., and there was so much dau
ger OF angry and violent discussions apprehend
| ed in Convention that DR. Mills the Chairman
of the Radical State Committee, issued circu
+, lar calling for a close caucus of delegates a
| Holcombe Hall at 10 A. NJ. Before this hour
| however, Gen. VIM. G. Wickham and Jas. B
| Sener, two of the most prominent and infuen
tial supporters of Mcmahon, arrived in the city
| After conference with John Amber Smith
| S M. Yost, of the VALLEY Virginian," anc
| others, it was decided to Withdraw the name O
Mcmahon In caucus, inasmuch as a careful coun
had revealed the fact that 200 delegates were
committed to Hughes to about 10 for Mcmahon
| MMAHoN's SURRENDER WAS UNCONDITIONAL.
although he could easily have comm nded
terms that would have give one or both of thu
other places to his friends. Indeed, yesterday
evening the Hughes men proffered to J. Amber
Smith, in case he could induce Mcmahon to leave
the field, The position of Attorney Gederal fol-
Lunsford Lewis, member of the Lewis family
Lewis declined to run at all. Mcmahon coulG
have secured as compromise the nominate n
for Lieutenant-Goyernor for himself but did
not want it. He was pluck to the last but
yielded to The advice Of his friends
Amber Smith did not urge the course adopt.
ed, but rather opposed il, believing, or hoping
that upon ballot Mcmahon would develop
| more strength than the count gave him.
The announcement made among delegates al
the Norvell House that Hughes was undis.
puted master of the situation was unexpected
and created considerable xcitement McMa-
hons adherents were rather disguised than
otherwise while their adversaries exhibited signs
OF the most lively satisfaction. Hughes took the
matter complacently, if any thing seeming to
to regret that he was not to be allowed to meet
and defeat his aspiring rival.
THE coNvEN noN-A NEGRO CHOSEN PERMANENT
cHAIRNAN-MCMAHoN PUT IN DOMINATION
ANYHOW
After the usual caucusing the Convention met
and R. L. Paige. negro from Norfolk county,
was elected permanent chairman Baldwin, Of
Prince George, moved that the Convention pro.
coed to nominate Governor Sener desired frs
to have a committee on platform appointed and
make report
NOISE AND CONFUSION
This was the signal for furious uprising O.
the two factions-the Hughes men demanding
immediate nomination, and the Sener-McMahor
men fillibusterng heavily, and discussing post
prandially. The scene in the ball for half ar
hour was riotous in the extreme, and there were
sharp and angry passages of words and almos
blows between Plat, Sener Amber Smith
Franklin Wood, G.. W. Graham and Others.
Paige did his best to control the unruly
speakers, and his gavel came down upon the ia
bic with vigorous raps, at the rate of about lO(
a minute. Amid dire confusion.
DEMoN1AC YELLs AND CURSES
and savage EXPLANATIONS, the chairman, decided
the motion to 60 into nomination carried -
Through the whole the STANDARDIZATION party
stouty protested that the vote was unfairly
taken.
Major R. R. Garter, of Fauquier, got the floor
and presented the name R. W Hughes
The name was greeted with a tremendous
| hurrah, and nne-tenths of the delegates anG
spectators rose and threw up their hats, waved
their handkerchiefs and made other demonstra.
tons of delight.
| Wickham made thoroughly Radical speech
| from the floor, and believed, with Radical vic
| tory this fall, Conservatism would never raise
| its head in this State again. He said it was i'm
| portant to make careful selection of lead ers
and not sacrifice the party to the promotion per
sonal ambition. He then pictured what quali6
cations a candidate, in his opinion, should ha We
aud said Major Edward Mcmahon filled .ht
| bill man who could attract large foreieI
vote and satisfy fully his party friends, and ye
| not draw out the entire strength of the oppos
| ton.
| Wickham's remarks we're checked by abou
| fifty delegates, but there YVES no echo from thu
| spectators
| L. H. Chandler warmly seconded the nomna
! ton Of Hughes, and could hardly proceed in hi
| speech for the cheers. He began to rebuke thu
| Mcmahon men for not KEEPING faith in tn,
| causes.
Wickham, interruptingly-Let me have on,
word.
Chandler--Certainly.
Wickham then protested that whatever hi
friends might have done, he had never consented
TO tag for Hughes or broken faith
Sener also made an explanation vindicatine
himself from any bad faith in the promised with
drawal of Mcmahon, but it was not very ceal
to anybody what he meant.
Montgomery Sims, of Albemarle, and ] H
Rives, of Lynchburg, also endorsed Hughes
Rives accused Wickham of bringing in Mcmahon
to defeat the James River and Kanawha cana
project, which would injure his railroad Wick
ham sprang up and utterly denied this
Joe Seaton, of Albemarie, spoke in favor Of
McMahon, and so did Lewis Lindsay. Lindsay
| was unusually windy and silly, and killed about
thrae-quarters of an hours time receiving much
applause from the galleries He neverwould have
stopped in all probability had not Sener earn
estly desired him to cease. Beckley followed
him for Hughes.
HUGHES NOMINATED BY AccLAMATIoN.
At midnight the call of the roll for nominal
tion for Governor WAS commenced, and ten
counties had been called, resulting in, Hughes,
! l24 votes Mcmahon, 4, when Wickham asked
jeave to withdraw McMahon's name. Some OBJ
ection was raised, but it was soon crushed out
and Hartman then moved that Hughes be nomi-
mated by reclamation. The question was put to
vote and carried with only few dissenting
voices.
THE OTHER NOM NATrCNs
On yesterday Thursday We 'saln.by tel
earaph, that Inc convent on nominated G.
T. Ramsdcl O. Lu ay for Lii. Governor, and
Judge David G.. Fultz for Attorney General.
Geo. q. Deneale oe ROCKINGHAM. was defea-