New-York tribune., 1873-08-01
THE LYYCHBURG CONTENTION.

TIE LYNCHBURG CONTENTION
II was O curious Convention the one at
Lynchburg, Va, on Wednesday. 1t was a
very hot day in very hot season in very
hot climate, and the Convention was one half
of colored delegates. Elements enough here
to make very moist and fragrant session OF
it. And they certainly seem to have had It,
Col. Hughes, the favorite of the Admlnlstra-
ton and the candidate of the office holders
had apparently the advantage from the
start. This was so manifest that the
opposition candidate, Major Mcmahon, with
great discretion, withdrew early in the night,
to the great disgust Of many of the delegates
who had scented the battle afar of, and came
ND in the hope of finding market for the
privileges of an American freeman at the
rate of from fifteen to twenty dollars vote
Upon the understanding that Mcmahon
was to be withdrawn the Administra-
ton wing, with great magnanimity, ac-
corded to the Mcmahon faction the
organization, giving them the officers of the
Convention. 1t illustrates the confidence the
members of the Convention had in each other
that, very shortly after this had been consum-
mated, the Hughes party began to suspect
they had been deceived, that McMahOn would
not withdraw, and that his friends who now had
control Of tho Convention would spring trap
and carry the nomination. Out of this there
appears to have grown great deal of debate
and use of tactics on one side and the other,
which protracted the session till dawn. Ac-
cording to all the reports the discussions prelm-
mary to decisive action upon the nomina-
ont
much information of varied and interesting
character.
To this debate q colored delegate from AL
exandria, Seaton by name, gave tone, and,
we may add, without rejecting upon his COM
plexion-cOlor. He was there, he said, with
"out any instructiOns"-an apparently useless
waste of the plural cumberland he did not pro-
pose to discuss canal projects. He was for MAJOR
McMahon-whose name, it Is said, he t0und
some difficulty in pronouncing-becauseh he was
the "most available man." Wien the crowd
laughed indecOrously at his attempts to pro-
nounce Mcmahon" he remarked with great
dignity that they might "hoo-hOo now" but
they would "boo-hoo hereafter" point which
was well taken, and met with enthusiastic ap-
plause. With just shade of bitterness, he
rpInETktu
and black in the Convention who had
come there to be bought up, and
who had "no more interest in
"the State of Virginia than hog" and he
denounced them all as carpet-baggers. This
striking figure Of speech excited continued
merriment, when the chairman, who seems
not to have had any sort of appreciation OF
the gravity of the occasion, asked the orator
to confne himself to the question. The
audience, however, cried out to give
chin latitude,p but the Alexandria del
egate made ready answer, 81 don't want
latitude but you want common sense" and
proceeded to quote from Shakespeare about
" the tide in the affairs of men," which the
Convention drowned in cries and laughter.
To some ridiculous person who asked him to
" sit down or speak to the point" Mr.. Seaton
responded with vivacity, " If l was a big jack
"ass like you the Convention would MT have
"any fun which was received with uprOar-
ious laughter.
After several hours of this entertainment,
Major McMahon's name was formally withdrawn
and the Administration and office-holders'
candidate nominated without opposition. The
features Of the Convention worthy of remark
were two first, the interference of the Admins
tration and virtual dictatiOn of the ticket of the
office holders; and, second the appearance for
the first time in q Republican State Con-
yenton in Virginia of considerable
number of native born white citizens. This
last is one of the good signs of the times
If the farmers of Virginia, the property
and those most interested in the welfare of the
State can lay aside their prejudices and act in
convention with the blacks, they will be doing
very sensible and judicious thing. They
may not accomplish all they desire this
year or next, but they are laying the
foundation for healthy political influence
with the blacks, which will give them an op-
portunity to cOunteract much of the mischief
of the carpet-baggers. The crude perform
ances of the colored men themselves in these
conventions are more or less amusing, but
they do no harm, and really furnish an excel
lent school for them to learn the duties and
privileges of citizens.
OUT-OEDOORS.