Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1876-09-23
A Card.
To the Democratic Toters of Lafayette

did in Il certain democratic convention betray
q trust reposed in us, and did iraudulcntly and
treacherOusly cast our votes in favor of another
candidate, in violation of positive instructions
from our township, we desire to submit i TRUE
account of what occurred at our township
meeting, the statement as made in the card pub
lished in the IntellIgencer Of the 9th inst. being
unqualifiedly false.
On the 18th day of August, 1876, q primary
meeting of the citizens of Sni-a-bar township
was held at Dade's school house, in pursuance
to Il call of the democratic executive committee
of Lafayette county. The meeting was called
to order in the school house by Thomas S. Nc
who stated that Its object was to send
delegates to the county democratic convention,
which YVES to meet in Lexington on Monday,
August 18th. Mr.. Isaac II. Wood was called to
the chair, and Thos. W. Carmichael made sec
rotary. The chair was authorized to appoint a
committee to report sn order Of business. and
designated Messrs. G. T. DOty, G. w. Jones,
VIM. Harris and T. S. McChesney. During the
absence of the committee Mr.. Wood occupied
the attention of the meeting with a speech, in
which he said he was in favor Of instracting for
our to,cnship candidates first, last and all the
time.
The following was the order of business re-
ported by the commute:
LIST. Proceed to elect candidate for the leglsla-
ture.
I'd. For Sheriff.
3rd. For Collector.
4th. For Treasurer.
5th. For Assessor.
9th. For County Judge.
It'll. For Surveyor.
sth. For Public Administrator.
9th. For County Attorney.
10th. Four Delegates to County Convention.
A motion was made to adopt the report, but
meeting with considerable opposition, the motion
and report were both Withdrawn. A motion
was then made to instruct the delegates to the
county convention. Being put by the chairman,
it was lost by ayes and noes, but this not being
satisfactory, q division was called for, and the
room being considerably crowded, the meeting
repaired to the open air, and u vote was taken
by separating into two ranks, the chairman
saying, ''Those in favor OF instructions will
form q line on the west, and those who oppose
instructions will form i line on the east" Dir.
Asa Tracy and DIR. l.. e. Nichols were appointed
tcilers. The vote resulted: Opposed to instruc-
tions. 20; for instructions, 4S.
The meeting then proceeded to select four
delegates. the following being elected: Jno. w.
Bled,Oe, VIM. Harris. VIM. L. Anderson
and 7. W. Carmichael. AT this puint many
persons, thinking tile business OF the meeting
completed, left, some going to the house, others
to adjacent shade trees, and some entirely of
the grOun Is.
The chairman, without regar'i to this fact
without regard to the fact that the insh uctlons
had been twice voted down, and without . re-
consideration of the action OF the meeting, which
parliamentary usage absolutely required, but
which would not. under the circumstances have
been fair, ammo rnced that the candidates would
now be voted for.
Mr.. Wood having served as state senator from
this county for four years, being q member OF
societies governed by parliamentary rules, and
having participated in many conventions and
meetings, knew that these proceedings were
irregular, and must have calculated the ir result
and effect.
Objections were raised that the action was UNI
parliamentary, unprecedented and unfair; but
despite these protests the chair forced the vote,
which resulted. in the case of collector, in n
vote of about fifty-five for DR.. Fulkers0n, and
about thirty-five for 7. A. McCleary and u few
scattering votes for others. In the case of legis-
lator and sheriff, Mr.. Wood put the vote by a
rising vote, submitting one name at a time, which
gave q fair expression of what was left of the
meeting; but when he came to collector, he
arose and nominated DR.. Fulkerson, and said
GAS many as favor DR.. FulkersOn will arise to
their feet" When these resumed their seats hi
said, ''If any are opposed to DR.. Fulkerson lei
them arise to their feet" AS this action was
considered unfair, not giving other candi-
dates q chance, the chair then put Nc
| Cleary before the convention with the result a.
stated above.
A recount of the vote being called for, the
| chair remarked that lie would count this vote.
This being objected to-, as taking the business
OF the tellers cut Of their hands. the chairman
| became offended and vacated the chair, but being
/ requested to retain his position he returned.
After voting on the various candidates, thu
meeting adjourned.
| Now, in spite of what may be said il was gen.
| orally conceded by those in attendance at til,
primary meeting. that the action, after the cleo
ton Of the delegates, was unparliamentary, anG
| of no binding force upon the delegates. TIL,
was not only conceded, but loudly proclaimed
by some gentlemen whose names are upon the
\ petition to the executive committee. We under.
stood the vote on candidates as merely express
| ing a preference for the candidates without bein,
| of any binding force upon the delegates, as .'in
| structions" had been voted down. and no reso
luton of Instructions was ever adopted. W
will now show Il statement from men who un
dcrstood the action OF the convention rs we did
STATEMENT.
We. the undersigned, We're present at the pri
mary meeting in Sni-a-bar township. and hereil
affirm that we did not understand our delegate
to the county convention, held in Lexington
Aug. IA, 1876, to be directly instructed.
G. w. Joyner, j. E. White,
d. H. White. Lewis Rose,
John L. Sanders, Thomas l.. White
Frank Ferguson, Larkin Ferguson.
We, the Undersigned did not sign nor author
ize our names to be signed to the petition to tn
county committee which appeared in the Intel
ligencer OF the 9th inst.
Turner White James Williams.
We, the undersigned, having signed a petitio
to the county committee, would state that "
did not lead nor hear read that petition, an
that we do not endorse TINT portion of it chars
ing Messrs. Carmichael and Biedsoe with frau
Il +. Justus, William A. Campbell
F. NJ. Starks, j. W. Jordan.
We. the undersigned, We're not present at ii
primary convention of Sni-a-bar township
held AWP W. Ea M n: isIS; r.n sbors
F.. W. Wagner, j. W. Jordan,
R. ii. Seawell. n. z. Seawell,
w. H. Carter, j. E. Nivens,
John Simms.
~ kASoS oAA& VI" thS Ao5L bthls
ment. We find eighteen others who were n,
present. but to whom we did not present Il
statement for their signatures.
w. X. McChesney, who wrote the petite
and then signed it, was not ut the conventio,
How does he, or any other man, who was n
present, know that We were or were not positlv,
ly instructed.
One of the men who carried the petition sa,
that he did not read the petition, hut thought
simply 4 petition to bring out Doctor Fulkprsol
He got thirty-one names TO the paper by Stair
It as he understood it.
A great many have told US that they did n
read the petition, and they do not endorse tn
portion which charges us with fraud, but woul
not sign a statement to that effect for fear
would be used as campaign material aEaini
DIR. Fulkerson.
Nine SImms appear on tho petition, whi
there are only six in the township; two Barker
when there is only one.
We are told that one of the petitioners lives
Jackson county. and another in Clay township
There are thirteen signers to that petition wi
are not democrats, most of whom are radical
As one of the statements above shows ~
. names were forged to that paper.
I In the petition We are charged with ''fraud.
| What can honest men think of the men wi
| got APP Ast prtition?
SO far rs the charges of corruption against
are concerned, We have to say that they are u
q tsrly and maliciously false. 1t was known b
fore we were elected that We were not Fulke
: son men, and some of the men whose nam
are on the petition stated, after the meetis,