Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1876-03-31
1.-THE Gtnhftatpr%
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FRIDAY MORNING, MARCH 81, 1876.
Local
THE BASEMENT CONVENTION.

Local.
THE BASEMENT CONVENTION.
THE COLORED LINE BREAKS UP THE
WHITE RING-TWO BLACKS AND ONE
WHITE DELEGATE CHOSEN-THE NE
GROEs CLAIM TO BE THE STRENGTH OF
THE ssREPUBLICAN' PARrY-A NEW
LEADER WANTED-CAUCUSES TO TIE
MEN TO VOTE IN THE CITY ELECTIONS
A NEW AND PROMISING RING MAS
TER.
&C., &C., sc.
The assemblage of eighty negroes and
seven white men, that held convention
in the basement of the Long Branch House
Saturday, in answer to the appeal OF the
''Valley Virginiah" that "a representative
number Of the substantial element of the
party assemble in order to Show that some
of the best men in the county are in SYM
pathv with the national sentiment of the
Republican party and the government of
the country" was just too ridiculous for
anything. 1t appears that for some weeks
some very quiet arrangements have been
going on among the colored Republicans
to slip out of the collar Of the Office hol-
ders, and they had chosen. for their leader,
what turned out to be an unexpectedly
smart leader, in the person of Mr.. John
"A Noon. Some days ago R. J. Shelton,
Wesley Elliott, Lewis Brown, Taylor JEFF
ferson and Samuel Williams, prominent
colored men, called a meeting which was
largely attended and which adopted the
following resolutions:
LIST. Resolved, that it is the sense Of
this meeting that as the colored voters of
the city of Staunton and County of Au-
gusta, constitute three-fourthS OF the Re-
publican party, we deem it our privilege
to select two of the three Delegates to the
Lynchburg Convention.
End. That in the event Of four delegates
being entitled to a seat in the Lynchburg
Convention, that we desire the third colored
man be elected for the position.
3-d That the following names are here
by recommended as proper persons for the
Lynchburg Conventional. J. Shelton,
W. G. Elliot, John A. Noon. Alternates
Henry Williams, r. T. Jefferson and s..
M. Yost.
The night before the Convention
ANOTHER PRIMARY MEETING
was held, at which an effort was made in
some way to modify this former action, on
various pleas. The attendance, which was
not so large was presided over by the
colored chairman of the former meeting.
though another colored man rendered him
so much assistance that it was hard to tell
which was which. r. ]. Shelton (colored),
II, 10 don,
He said he was sorry to see that there were
not so many out, but there was time in
: the history Of the Republican party OF Au-
gusta, when there was one who would go
forward to the work, but that one was now
dead. When he lived he was as rock in
wearied land-one whom all Republicans
looked up to. The speaker paid tribute
to the late Maj. Jno. A. Hartman, the one
alluded to, and closed by explaining that
the object of the present meeting was to
express an opinion as to whether the dele
gates to the Lynchburg Convention
recommended to the County Convention
were acceptable.
VIM. Brown (colored) Mr.. Chairman,
I vote for the reading of the next minnits.
Wesley Elliot (colored), who had been
chosen one of the delegates, said that if
any colored man wanted any other men as
delegates instead Of himself and r. J.
Shelton, they had only to say so.
Henry Davenport [colored), a gentleman
with forehead Of such tremendous height
that it gave him the appearance of being
all forehead and heels, said, on looking at
the action Of the former meeting, tlooked
like tying the hands of the Convention.
A voice-They were only recommended.
The Chairman-All we want to do is to
work in harmony with the Republican and
all other parties. If the colored men are
7three-fourths of the Republican party we
want three-fourths representation.
The gentleman with the forehead-I
want to know if the Convention will cur
rispund to this meeting.
The Chairman-There seems to be some
dissatisfaction with the delegates recon-
nnended at the other meeting: if there is,
let them speak.
Mr.. BroHn-We want men that can't be
bought with half GGiIaEs nor dollars.
That's the sort OF man [ am. Applause.
A RECOLLECTION OF ALEXANDER.
4, colored speaker-Gentlemen, when
Ale, yander the Great was On his death-bed
he sa id, let my sword be given to the most
worth lest. That's what I want to do
Give t. 1ese positions to the most worthiest
A mo ton was made to leave the whole
matter f., the untram meled action of the
Convent, IN, tomorrow, and the Chairman
started to put the motion.
Alexandt n the Great-You can't pu
the question that way. You got to say
"GentIemen, are you ready for the ques
tion.'' Oats a oniegal way you putin it.
The gentlem an with the forehead-Stop
gentlemen. 1 got to know if we amt got
to currispund wild de convention. Stol
right thar! All. ut we got to currispundi
[ say we have 60 t to currispund with the
convention. We are not electing people
here tonight. We have come here to cur
rispund.
A voice-Dat's it,: Now de waters il
movin!
CAUCUSES TO CONTROL THE STAUNTON
CITY ELE CTI oNs.
Frank Ware (coD. explained that The
meeting tonight was only a party caucus
such meeting as, he said, his hearers
would remember they had he'd IN elections
for city offices, to tie men down to certain
things. He was not so well satisfied will
what had been done, but he did not pro-
pose to interfere with it, as he was in favor
of standing by all officers and all laws. Ht
did not believe in abusing President Grant
as had been done, not only by Conserva
tiyes, but by our own party. Some people