The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1874-09-18
HOW III OCCURRED.


what MR.. T'hacher hns 10 Say
Considerable has been said in re
gard to the manner of the nomina
ton of State Superintendent in th'
late State convention. Having
published some rather severe crit
icisms on the course of the president
of the convention, T. Dwight Tach
er, IL is but Justice to that gentle
man to give his version of the af
fair. In the Lawrence Journal o.
Thursday last we find the follow.
ing statement. 1t was not orr in.
tention to do Mr.. T. injustice. We
did not rely on the evidence of the
Kansas City Times, but on the per-
sonal statements of delegates and
others who witnessed the affair,
and these were all one way-that
is, that Prof. Norton was not treat
ed fairly. We quote:
John Fraser, of Lawrence, Is well
qualified for the position of super
intendent of public instruction.
He has for several years been pres
ident of the state university. The
only bad thing about the noInina-
ton Is that IL was not honestly
made, Judging from the burden of
testimony before us. This, howev-
er, was the fault of Il. Dwight
Thacher, and not of Mr.. Fraser
Emporia News.
The above does us great Injustice.
The method of taking and ANNOUNCE
ing the vote i'm the convention was
as follows: The secretary and his
assistant called the roll and kept
the tally. When they had counted
up the votes and written out their
statement they handed it on a sheet
of paper to the president, who sat
in the speakers desk above and be-
hind them. The president then an
nounced the vote as thus recorded
by the secretaries.
When the vote for state superin-
tendent was handed TO the presi-
dent the name of the two candi-
dates, Gen. Fraser and Prof. Nor
ton, were written, the one above the
other, OH the left hand margin of
the sheet, the votes being carried
out in parallel columns across the
sheet, and the summing up in fig
ures placed ut the terminus of each
column, and showing a majority
for Gen. Frazer. In announcing
the vote the president mistook the
columns and read Gen. Fraser's
vote for Prof. Norton's and Vice |
cersa; instantly discovering his
mistake, and while he still stood |
holding thu nonay. iu hiS boNH ha
corrected the announcement. |
Tbereupon a great commotion en-
sued among some of the supporters |
of Professor Norton, some yelling |
one thing and some another, the |
Another voter "Another vote 7"
The president restored order as
soon as possible and recognized
Judge Webb, of Fort Scott. That
gentleman put Judge Valentine in
for associate justice,
and moved to suspend the rules and
make his nomination unanimous.
While this motion was under dis
some friend of Prof Norton
came to the president and quietly
,aid that several of the professors
supporters were dissatisfied with
he vote just taken and thought
hey were not having q fair show.
The president told him that as soon
b the pending business was dis
posed of, so that a motion could be
made, he would entertain
! motion to reconsider the motion
taken for superintendent.
The reply was that this would be
perfectly satisfactory, and the pres
dent thereupon announced to the
that as soon as the mo-
ion could be reached he would en-
Iertain motion to reconsider the
vote on superintendent.
When the nomination of associate
Justice had been made-and it took
but a single ballot-the president
himself suggested to the conven-
lion, at the instance of one of Prof.
Norton's friends, that instead of
voting on a motion of reconsidera-
ion, a new vote at once be taken
by general consent. This was ac-
,eded to, and the vote was taken,
md again resulted in q majority for
Frazer, whereupon Prof.
Norton's friends in a brief speech
moved to make the vote unani-
nous, which was carried with few
voices.
We have not the least doubt that
Cen. Frazer was nominated on the
irst ballot, and that, had not the
president made the erroneous an
which he inadvertently
lid make, the result would have
been received without question.
A dozen supporters of Prof. Nor
ton told us Immediately after adj
ournment that they had no doubt
hat Gen. Frazer was nominated on
he first ballot.
That there was the slightest in
IGNITION to treat Prof. Norton I'M
fairly we Indignantly deny. The
chair, from the magnitude and
stormy character of the convention,
was placed in circumstances of
great trial as presiding officer, but
he endeavOred to do his duties i'm
partially and is sure that in this
case he did not sfail.-I.awrence
Journal.