Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1874-06-17
SOMERVEELE.
The RadicaI COuventiOn-Eist of EOmi-
nees-SPeeclies Of white Radicals
-RssOIuiiOEs Adcz ted.
What the Negroes say-Fhey do not
Want Mixed Schools, Dut they
DO want Offices, Ete.
From an occasional correspoadent.l

DO AduA OhAACtss EACs
From an Occasional Correspozdent.l
SOMERvmLE, TENN, June l3.-To-
day the cOlored convention met for the
purpose of nominating candidates for
the various officers of the county.
About eleven O'Clock the bell at the
courthouse rang, calling the sable dele
gates together. They were legion Ia
number. Our large and commodious
courthouse would not contain them.
The clique and ring at Scmerville led
the van, first prescribing all but their
select, closing the doors against the
crowd. Be it said to the honor of many
OF the delegates from different parts OF
the county they declared that this was
every mans house, the courthouse, and
all should be admitted. This motion
prevailed. The next resort was to cut
of all, except their select from within
the railing, statioDing guards at the
gates with imperative orders to admit
no one but their select, excluding many
of the most intelligent and worthy col
ored fellow-citizens from participation
in their work. After the roll was made
out to suit their purposes, one Of the col
ored leaders announced that the dele
gates wonld repair down 20 the sheriff7s
office. 1T is hard to tell what was there
done, as part of the delegates were not
effectualiy sworn in and are disclosing
secrets, etc. After much consultation
the programme was partially agreed to.
The resolutions with the names of those
belonging to the clique only were read.
The ticket being cut and dried for
months past, with little change, was
read out. J. q. Reeves, present sheriff,
as county court clerk; Deputy Sheriff
Reeves, Albert, as sheriff; L. l.. Boyd,
tax collector; James McCurley, for
merIy Democrat, for trustee; Jones Riv-
ers, for registrar; Ed. Turner, of La
grange, Democrat, circuit court clerk.
Resolutions were read by the chairman,
about five in number, piedging all to
their support that come up from the
caucus at noon signed Cnly by the
clique. The chairman made the an
nouneement that all outside candidates
would come forward and sign the same.
The house was crowded, making it inn
possible for those that were far off to get
there in the very short time IA minute
or two) allowed them to pledge them
selves TO support the Radical party, and
the said unique and newly borne 7eso-
lutions Thus you see the sticketn and
resolutions were all agreed to in the
caucus-room, and the short time allowed
failed to give them opportunity to sign
them. But for one delegate, Mr.. LOTUS,
from No. 10, scarcely any time would
have been allowed, he proclaiming
aloud that ali should have time to come
forward aud sign them If they wished to
do so. He was OveTruleG. The motion
was made and carried to nominate the
ticket By proclamation, perhaps one
half saying aye. Then the speechmak-
ing commenced. l.. i. BOyd was the
first to take the judges stand, saying
that words would not express the thanks
he felt for the colored people of Fsyette;
that he fought four years in the Confed-
crate army for their freedom; that he
was whipped; that he had Joined the
Republican party because he was
whipped and he knew it; and that he
was in office to-day by their vOte-nOt
fifty white men voted for him in his own
county. II was the first time that the
people of Fayette knew thath citizens
went out to fight to free that which the
law gave them right to hold. Many
other eolored orators spoke, venting no
spleen on their former owners, or the
landlords. All of them expressed them
selves as being disposed to harmonic
They were willing to bury the toma-
hawk Of prejudice forever, they said.
The civil rights bill would not affect
them in the least; they wanted no
mixed schools. They said they did not
want to marry any white mans daugh-
ter. One said that the negro had not
been in the white mans parlor, but
Judging from the faces of many, white
men Had been in the negro's parlor.
They said they only wanted their
rights under the law; they claimed
the right to act as grand
Jurors, and set in tbs jury-boX,
protection on the railroads; all the school
money they were entitled %, to educate
their children; and when negro was
tried for his life, give him a half black
and half white jury. and Uice UerSd.
They talked on until old Sol had declin-
ed low in the western horizon, reminding
them Of other affairs at home, and they
then dispersed. A large number of the
better-informed complained much about
the way in which things were conduct
ed, saying they had ''come up here
(S0merville), believiD justice would be
done to all; but they were disappoint-
edn They were heard to say, "These
fellows about Somerville-the clique
acted rascally,n and that they were not
bound to support any srch. They were
in favor of a linked ticket"-that they
were justly entitled to ''sone of the Of
fces,n having over twelve hundred ma
jority, and that ''the day was not distant
when theyn (the colored fclks) "would
control affairs, il the whIts people didn't
do right" Perhaps over half the color
ed people (being seven or eight hGndred)
went hona dissatisfAd promising to
tell their people how things were con-
Quoted at Somerville. a leading color
ed man from Macon claims that his del
egates had not been treated right-that
no respect had been shown them, and
that lac would tell them so at home;
that he was not bound to support "nO
SUCH" In his opinion this convention
was a nullity; that the voice of a ma
jority of the people had not been con-
suited, ami that ii was one-sided af-
faiF.u DELPHUS.