The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-08-31
Am Insitsc History of f7Ia GynchBarg
C1nve EffoIi.
T.. s. Gregory, Esq, writing from Lynch.

e. s. Gregory, Esq. writing from Lynch
burg to the 1Ddes
From the very outset 1t was apparent Q
the observant eye that there existed u DEFER
mination on the part of gentlemen VINO neil
q balance of power In the Convention. TO pilsl
forward the claims Of new candidate u pos
sible over the three aspirants who had can
yassed the district and been canVassed by tht
people. There were many others and nJorf
fair.minded members las thiDk) who urged
that as these three, and especially Danie
and Whitehead, had made a laborious can
! vass of the district, not only advocating tneil
own claims, but expounding Conservative
doctrine to the people, and aronsiDg them 70
realizing sense of the political crisis-thal
one or the other of them was fairly entitled
to the nomination. have seen nothing TO
shake my original conviction that there was
no such degree Of bitterness between Danlel
and Whitehead. members as would nave
threatened the party with dscord or disaftec.
ton had either one been nominated ABOVE
the other. Timid men, however, innocently
and honestly m.gnified whatever difference
existed into the occasion of great peril to the
party: and designing men who mad nsh TO
fry and axes to grind and shekels to save,
and the like of that, made the breach as
wide as possible In order to let in the said
fish. axes, and shekels to be fried, ground,
and saved, as they selfshly designed.
It was and is equally apparent that in any
square issue of strength as between Captain
Whitehead and Major Daniel the latter
would have been chosen with whoop; by
as many, say, as a thousand majority. Tile
led off with majority of thousand and
oyer7 But the tenacity with which Bote-
tourt and Rockbridge stuck to Judge HouS-
ton, and the hopetulness Of that gentleman
that he would be able sooner or later TO
bring to his own support the strength OF
one or the other of his competitors. prevent
ed the experiment of the two mems compa.
ratjye strength in the Convention. At
O'Clock Thursday morning the first slight eV-
idence of coalition between the Whitehead
men and the delegation from Transalleghany
was afforded, when Colonel Pendleton, OF
Rotetourt, secured an adjournment against
the vote of the supporters of Major DANIEL,
who were confident Of their ability to elect
their man if the session was prolonged for 4
few ballots, and who were willing, as Gene.
raj Early phrased it, to sit II necessary I'LL
day break.
But the adjournment was carried by n
snail majority, and then the wires COM
,nenced moving rs they never were seen to
move in a telegraph office-yea. not the most
busy and bustling. 1t was known that night
that Judge Hou>ton's name was to be with
drawn with bis consent and at his request,
and the belief generally entertained was that
the bulk of his support would be transferred
to Daniel The friends of the latter, mind
full, however, of the traditional slip betwlXt
cup and lip, were apprehensiVe OF some un-
detective danger, while all appearances
pointed at the choice of their favorite candl-
date. But the event which did happen next
morning was surprise to them and to all.
Exactly how it came about nobody knows;
but Colone. Pendleton, of Botetourt, and
Mr.. Coghill, of Amherst, "met by chance the
usual way" and made the pact which de-
prived Lynchburg of an honor which able,
honorable, and gallant gentlemen OF this city
have sought in vain for the past fifty years.
To all outward sembknce the compromise
wears the appearance of 'happy thought
but the undersigned cannot avoid the belief
that it was we'll arranged on the part of some
who really preferred neither of the three
cauvassed candidates, and that it was adopt
ed by the Whitehead men ostensibly is a
compromise. but honestly because their man
had been beaten hopeleSsly, and they pre-.
ferred that some other man than his victor
should be the heir and beneficiary OF the
"swag"
And so this morning Mr. Stevens. Of Mel
son, by whom Mr.. Whitehead had beru
originally put in nomination, arose and star.
tied all Du; the knowing ones by the with
drawul of his name. The Hon. John Ran
dolph Tucker had just been placed before
the Convention by Mr.. E. G. Burks, OF Bed
ford, one of the ciearest-helded men on The
floor OF the Convention. Against this change
in the programme, earnest protests were
made by Hon. G.. l.. Mosby and General
Early, of Lynchburg; by DR.. Dave romp'
kins, Of Bedford. and Mr.. j. b. FitkiiD, OF
Buckingham The compromise $50 calied)
view was supported in speeches by MIR. &.
Z. Smith. Senator from Nelson and Amherst
and by ;'Geueral" Skeen, OF Allegheny
who INDUCED in various pieasantries and eX-
travagancies at the expense Of Major Daniel,
which, it is reasonable to believe, he now
FISHES he hadn't uttered.
{ TIE word to stand firm sped along the
lines Of the friends Of Daniel, and well they
obeyed it, for his last vote was the largest
be had ever gotten. But their fidelity and
devotion went unrewarded, rs they go but
too often in this sad, subunary world, alas
The Chairman, amid much cheering and
confusion, announced the result; and on the
motion of General Early, seconded by MIR.
]. K. Thurman, of Bedford, the election was
made unanimous, and committee OF hVe
was appointed to acQuaint Mr.. Tucker with
his nomination.
There is an idea entertained by some that
Mr.. Tucker will possibly not accept; but |
am confident from conversation had to-
night with Colonel Pendleton that he will
take it, and canvass the district actively as
against any Radical or independent oppo-
nent.
Messrs. Daniel, Houston, and Whitehead
addressed the Convention, gracefully acqui-
escng in its decision, and promising to speak
and work for the nominee wherever stump
could be found smooth enough TO stand on.
The speeches of the two latter gentlemen
were of humorous character; the address
of the first named not so much so. wish
could give you a report Of what was said by
each, but space and time alike forbid me.
The Convention was made up of the good
material which almost always goes 10 the
makeup of Conservative bodies In Virginia.
There were not many gentlemen on its floor
who are known outside of their districts
except to few friends, but all, or nearly all,
were intelligent, capable, and patriotic men,
and able to render reasons for the faith with.
in them. General Early, one Of the Lynch
burg members, was the most distinguished
but be is so universally known that no sketch
whether of pen or pencil, is needed Of features
so familiar and so venerable. The General
was Daniels nonainor Gf there be such q
word) and his prochein ana, and he managed
the case with unsurpassed tact, courtesy
ability, and promptness. The General is as
efficient as ever in his life, except that hi:
voice has somewhat failed him. Hon