Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1873-05-15
City Conservative Convention.
All, THE DELEGATES PRESENT.
AJORITY r u l. E d q L L E ID .
HIGH LATHAM NOMINATED FOR
MAYOR, AND w. ID. COKSE
FOIs TREASURER.
ACTION OF THE CONVENTION MADE
UNANIMOUS

ACTION OF THE CONVENTION MADE
UNANIMOUS.
At eight o'clock last night the delegates from
the four Wards OF the city, to nominate can
didatc for Mayor and City Treasurer assembled
at the Office of the City Sergeant, Oh Royal
street, when
j. B. Smoot, County Superintendent, stated
that Harmonic Hall had been secured for the
use Of the Convention, and suggested that the
meeting adjourn to that place, which suggcs-
ton ON motion of j. W. Nails was adopted.
Upon assembling at Harmonic Hail. Mr.
Smoot called the Convention to order and stated
its object, whcreupon Geo. r. Shiun Was called
to the chair and Morton Maryc chosen Sec
rotary.
The credentials Of the delegates were then
presented by Mr.. Smoot, and read by the Sec
rotary, after Which the roll was called and re-
spondcd to as follows:
Present from the First Ward--Geo. r. Shinn,
W. W. Rock and Isaac Eichbcrg.
From the Second Ward-Jas. 7. Coleman,
W. A. Stewart and NJ. B. Harlow.
From the Third Ward-M. d. Corsc, Ch;ls.
A. Yohc and j. T.. Bcckham.
From the Fourth Ward-M. Maryc, r. H.
Rudd and J. w. Nails
On motion of J. Il. Beckham, the County
Superintendent furnished copies Of the plans of
organization of the Conservative party adopted
in the years 1871 and 1872 from which the
Secretary read the articles in reference to nom
mating conventions, the plan Of 1871 bcing
silent as to the basis of voting while that Of
1872 prescribcs that
"In all nominating conventions tho basis of
voting shall be tho conservative strength in each
| township of y county and ward of city ut tho
election for Governor in 1868, or any subsequent
election for Congress or the Legislature, us the
Convention may decda by Il per capita vote.
Each delegate shall cast his equal proportion of
the nominating vote Ii only one OF two town
ship delegates bo present. he shall cast the vote
of the township; II both are absent it shal be
| cast by the delegates present from tho other
townships Of tho county, each casting IN equal
proportion thereof If delegates from the ward
ofa city be absent, those present, if any, shall
cast the vote of the ward each casting an equal
proportion; and if All the Delegates from ward
| be abscnt the delegates present from the other
wards shall cast its vote, each casting IN equal
proportion thereof"
Mr. Beckham moved the adoption of this
plan.
Mr. Shiuu, calling Mr. Nails to the chair,
said that he was in favor Of carrying out tlp
plan of organization of the Conservative party,
but that the plan just read had never been APP
proved by the people of this city, while that OF
1871 had been fully endorsed and acted upon in
all Conventions aud meetings subsequent to this
Que, and he thought deviation in this in
stance, from the preccdents and course here
totorc adopted, would be rather prciudicial 1t
| had been the custom to vote 10 all city noml-
Mating conventions per capita. the delegates
representing the views OF the people oil the
wards and the city at one aud the sane time;
and unwilling to do anything that would appear
to conflict with the accepted plan Of orgau!za-
ton he must contend that the method of voting
that had heretofore obtained in conventions for
| the nomination of municipal officers should be
adhered to on this occasion.
MIR. Bcckham said that he was not ac1ualnt-
cd with the usagcs Of the city nominating con-
veutions, but in the Congressional Conventions
| that he had attended, the plan as laid down in
1872 had been always adopted. He thought
| that the proper way was to cast the strength OF
the wards, and hoped it would be the pleasure
of the Convention to so decide.
Gen. Corse seconded the views of Mr.. Beck
ham, as, in his opinion, being the fairest mode
of arriving at the wishes of the Conservative
voters OF the city.
Mr. Stewart said that the plan proposed by
Mr.. Beckham and Gen. Corsc had been advo-
Gated by him in the caucus OF the delegates
from this city and county to the last Congress
sional Convention, but had then been decided
against him, and he was now in favor of adher
| ftn :, # ha q
| have assembled to nominate municipal officers.
He entertained the views as expressed by MIR.
Shinn, and hoped they would prevail.
| Mr. Rock contendcd that as 1t had not here
tofore been the practice to vote otherwise than
per capita in our city conventions, that to de-
waite now would be impoliic and preudicial.
The question being on the motion OF Mr..
Beckham, it was put and decided in the mega
tive by a tie vote-6 to 6.
Mr.. Shinn then resumed the chair, when
Mr. Beckham moved that two-thrds vote
be required to make nomination.
This was opposed by Mr.. Eichbcrg, and upon
a rising vote, the motion was defeatcd-aycs ,,
noes 6.
Nominations being then in order,
Mr. Echbcrg nominated Hugh Latham, MIR.
Bcckham nominated K. Kempcr, and Gcn.
| Corse nominated S. II. Janney.
A ballot was then taken, resulting Latham e,
Kcmper 6, Janney none.
Mr.. Janney name was then withdrawn by
Gen. Corse, and The second ballot taken, re-
sulting Latham 6, Kcmper 6.
Nine other ballots were then taken without
CHOICE each resulting Latham 6, Kemper 6.
After the ninth unsuccessful ballot Mr.. Har-
low moved to take recess for five minutes, but
the motion did not prevail.
On the twelfth and last ballot Mr.. Latham
received votes and Mr. Kemper 5, whereupon
Mr. Latham was declared the nominee OF the
Convention, and upon motion of Col. Maryc the
The next business in order being the nomi-
| nation of City Treasurer,
MIR. Rock nominated w. D. Corse, and Mr..