The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-08-09
THE GREAT CONVENTION.
First Days Session OF the Conservative
Council at tho Theatre.


Council at tho Theatre.
, nls0RDERLY GATHERISG-EFFORTS TO
EFFECT A TEMPORARY ORGANIZATIONS
AN IMMENSE Observation-Disclosures UN-
TIL 2 o'CL0CK-COLONEL LAMB CHOSEN
TEMPORARY CIIAIEMAN-WH HAT HAP
pENED AFTER RECES>-COLoNEL LAMBS
ADDEESS-EFFORTs TO PRESERVE OR
pER-AFTERSOON AND NIGHT SESSIONS
PERMANENT ORGASIZATlON EFFECTED
HON MARSHALL HANGER PRESIDENT
ORDER REST ORED--AN INTERESTING SES-
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. FOR THE FIGHT
To-pAY-THE THIRD CONGRESSIONAL.
DELEGATION MEETING, &C, &C.
About haIf-past II o'clock yesterday
morning the delegates in large parties left
their hotels and marched up TO the Theatre.
They found gathered about Seventh and
Broad streets hundreds Of citizens anxious
TO get admittance. But most OF them were
without tickets. and unable to find any one
with authority to issue them. All were
hot. Not II few were angry. But there
was no one to pay special attention to them.
The delegates were better off. They pre-
scnted their tickets and filed in quite rapid
lv by three doors, and attempted to gain
seats within the bounds marked by placards
Tor the various congressional districts.
The seats provided proved to be too few
in number. Members from one district not
finding places within their own bounds
tre.passcd upon other districts. All the
aislcs were choked up. 1t soon became inn
possible to move forward or backward, and
those who were seated in many instances
were pinned down by the pressure around
them so that they could not rise. The stage
was jammed from foot-lights to the outer
walls.
Fan. FAN.
Nearly every man had a fan. The friends
OF Daniel distributed about thousand with
"thc compliments of the Daniel organiza-
tion" printed on one side. Malone men
by no means disdained TO Use them. Boys
with palm-leai fans to sell had been about
the hotels all the morning, and had driven
A thriving business. But it did not so
happen that a.! had room to use these
cooling instruments. Elbow-room and ice
water were equally scarce. Soon after II
o'clock the crowd in the Theatre had
become so great that the delegates who had
not gained admission found it nigh impos-
sible to do so. There were q considerable
number at the doors clamorng for their
rights, but the situation was not one to be
easily remcdicd. Those who were in, op-
pressed with heat, and torn and banged by
the pressure, wanted to get out. Those
who were out, with the rays OF the noon
day sun pouring down upon their skulls,
and impatient to ascertain what was going
on inside, struggled to get in.
DIsoRG ANIZATIoS.
In consequence Of delegates occupying
seats not belonging TO them, ex-Mayor
Kelley, OF the State Executive Committee,
appealed to them to stay within their
bounds, and promised that rs soon as the
temporary organization was effected as
planned by the committee the dress-circle
would be cleared, and seats made there for
delegates.
Captain w. E. Hinton, Of Petersburg, q
little excited, u minute or two later COM
planned that the order OF Mr.. Kelley was
not obeyed. A member who was probably
in a seat belonging to the Fourth district
protested that he was willing to get cut if
he could, but that he was wedged in, and
couldn't. There were numerous sugges-
tionS and motions. Several parties wanted
the Convention to adjourn; adjourn even
before it had been called to order. Captain
Hinton again made demand for the space
belonging to the Fourth district.
He declared that il his district could not
get their seats they ought to retire to Mon
licello Hall and organize to get their places.
He seemed not to concur in Mr. Keiley's idea
that the Convention should quietly accept
the organization proposed by the State Com
mlttee.
ORDER, GENTLEMEN.
For several minutes there was dire con-
fusion. Judge Lowell, chairman OF the State
Committee, endeavored to make himself
heard. Samuel Mccubbin waved his fan
frsntically and sought to gain Mr.. LoyelPs
attention. General Pridemore tried to pour
oil upon tie troubled waters. He COM
menced speech, saying: "We are all Yir-
ginians." The remainder Of it was drowned
by the voices Of those who desired to ex-
press their sentiments.
At last Mr.. Lowell presented the name OF
CoIonei William Lamb, by direction OF the
State Committee, for temporary chairman;
put the vote, and Colonel Lamb was elect.
ed. though it is safe to say that only few
hundred knew what was going on.
MOMENT OF QUIET.
Colonel Lamb mounted the platform and
raised alott his gayel, and in that position
stood statue-iikc for minute or more. His
cool, soldierly bearing and quiet air OF de-
termination At last commanded the atten-
lioii and admiration OF the crowd, and on
sued silence and order. rs. ~,
Colonel Lamb, believing that majority
OF the delegates had not voted at his cleo
ton, declined to consider himself elected.
de wanted to give any one who desired to
90 so chance TO vote against him, and he
called Judge Lowell to the chair. -,
Then followed another period OF confu-
sion, ended happily at last by the ConVen.
ton Rdtourning until 2 o'clock iY order to