The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-07-26
Tne t,rang. Convention.

WHAT TOOK pLAGE-PERSOaAL---A
BY GENERAL HUTTON, Mr.. b. JOHNSON BAR
BoUR, AND oTHERs-TtIE RESULT, &C., &C.. &G:
sfCorrespondence or the Richmond Dispa'ebj
RArIpANN ,srATfoN, July "a, 1878.
Having heard and read several coDnicting
accounts OF the proceedings Of the Orange
Cor seryatfye Convention, held ct fne ColIfs-
house on the 2sd, I take the liberty OF senu-
ing you what believe TO be an aceurate .
statement OF what took place, ms seen NY
Iion-residen spectator il ~ 80, :.
J, An attempt to hold o meeting pe!o,e: cout QUIZ
having failed, q large crowd asseinoiea oub.
side the court house, and was aaoresssu
from tie portico by General Hunton, VINO
gave. a. clear and concise account OF nls
Stewardship, successfully deiendins MN
self at the same time against Tue mlsrepre-
sensations set afoat by MS enemies he
was followed by Colonel John WINS, VINO
confined himself to the question whether
tbe Conservatives Of Orange should longer
submit to the State and County Conserva-
five Committees). Mr.. 3. johnson Bar
f,onr. The indere1dent candidate, then made
~ speech in his usual happy VEIN. Wilicn
was frequently appiauded by his followers,
and in which he attempted rather TO snow
up the delinquepcies, real or imaginary, OF
General Hunton than to set forth ms own
views on questions Of national politics.
After n short speech by Mr.. William Il.
TaIiaferro in favor OF The third candidate,
Mr.. s! @. NeaIe, the crowd reassembled in
the court-house, and the meeting was called
"a, order. pursuant to the published notice
Of fhe State Executive Committee, by the
County superintendent, John q. Williams.
Permanent organization was effected by the
choice of Lewis B. Williams, Esq, as chair
man and Messrs. Hidden and Prout as secre-;
tarics. =" ,,.. 49, ..:-s, =
A resolution was then offered by Dir.
Browning that eleven delegates opposed to
General uunton be sent to Alexandria. Z
This was met by q. substitute presented
by DR.. voolfolk endorsing General Hun
ton, in the name OF the people OF Orange,
as am able, efficient, and faithful representa-
tive, and recommending, though not in
structing,, the delegates to be chosen to sup
port BIN in The district convention.
These resolutions led to a long and heated
but finally the substitute OF DIR.
voolfolk was put to vote, and the Chair
decided it to be carried in the affirmative,
and such was also the opinion expressed to
he writer by the county superintendent.
The majority. however, yielded to sugges-
ton OF certain parties that q count be made
outside, aud accordingly an informal adj
lournment was ms de to the green, where
Inc Hunton men formed line as agreed
upon, but his opponents, consisting OF Bar
bour and Neale supporters, refused to form
% that an accurate count could be made.
Under such circumstances the vote appeared
100 for and 100 against the substitute.
During these proceedings Mr.. Williams,
who had not declared the meeting adjourn
ed, and who had taken no part in the count,
vacated the chair. .,..r
The Hunton party then rc!issemblcd in
the court. house to appoint delegates, in ac-
cordance with the substitute OF DR.. Wool
folk, declared by the Chair TO have been car
ried in the organized Convention. Mr..
Williams not being present, Mr.. Henry j..
Holiday was called to the chair. There
upon the vote on the green was announced
by Mr.. Hidden, declaring at the same time
that he had been unable to make q fair
count, owing to the failure Of HQnton's OPP
ponents to form in line, and that many per,
sons not entitled to vote had been counted
on that side. No further notice was taken
Of this vote, and delegates were appointed
in accordance with the substitute above
whereupon The meeting ;ld-
iourned. .-..,...
Meanwhile those outside organized an op-
nosition meeting of Neale and Barbour men,
with Mr.. John N. Chapman rs chairman, in
which Neale delegates were appointed. and
q resolution was unanimously carried ''that
the delegates be instructed to use every ef-
fort to prevent the nomination OF Genera!
Hunton.'' This meeting then broke, up
with three cheers for NIr. Barbour. ! have
since learned that a number OF these dele
gates have declined to serve, being out-and-
out Barbour men. Mr.. Barbour having re-
fused to refer his claims to the Convention,
his supporters, who form the majority OF
Hunton's opponents, ought never TO nave
been allowed voice or vote in regularly
organized Conservative meeting. Though
not yersed in local politics, it seemed to me
that the Neale party, under the shrewd
management Of Mr.. Browning, was attempt
ing by uniting all of General Hunton's OPP
moments to commit the County Conven-
ton against him, and thus leaving
the field to Barbour and Neale only, and
then to shelve Barbour, as delegates in bis
favor could not, il elected, obtain admission
TO the Convention. Had this stratagem sue
ceeded, the voice Of the people of Orange,
which is for Hunton, would be stitled, and
tney WOulu NC IepIcseAIcu W uciCSateS III
the interest Of one who, though greatly es-
teemed, has less strength than either OF his
opponents. His supporters played their
cards we'll, but it is hard to believe that the
District Convention will hesitate to seat the
Hunton delegates, chosen by the Conserva-
tive Convention. as against the Neale dele
gates, selected by meeting composed prin-
cipally OF boiling supporters Of MIR. Bar
bour's claims. SPECTATOR.
Seventh District.