The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1878-06-05
THE JUDICIAL CONVENTION.
FROM THE KNOXVILLE TRIBUNE

presented, and a large mojority OF them
by full delegations Of the very best and
most intelligent of their citizens The
whole number of delegates on the floor
Of the Representatives Hall in the Capt.
toll, when the Convention was called to
order by the Chairman of the State Dem
ocratic Executive Committee at noon on
Wednesday, was not less than eight hun
bred, and finer body of men, intellec-
tually and physically, never assembled
together in a Convention. General VIM.
A. Quarles, of Montgomery, was made
temporary chairman, and presided with
dignity and Impartiality over the pre-
liminary business of the Convention.
The members from East Tennessee of
the various committees were as follows:
On Credentials-J. g. Hodges, of Ham
blen; C. J. st. John, of Sullivan: d. d.
Anderson, of Knox, and s. A. Key, Of
Hamilton. On Permanent Organization
George Washington, of Knox; Gen.
A. E. jackson, of Washington r. n.
Hood, of Blount. On Basis of Repre-
sentatiCn-W. P. Washburne, of Knox;
John Blevins, of Hawkins George
Brown, of Knox, and w. FL. Dewitt,
of Hamilton. The permanent officers of
the convention were as fellows: Presi
dent-H0n. e. T. Taliaferro, of Giles !;
Secretary-E. B. Wade, of Rutherford ;
Assistant Secretaries-Franc. NJ. Paul,
of East Tennessee; Ed. Hickman, of Mid
die Tennessee; NJ. B. Irrelevant, of West
Tennessee. Mr.. Talisferro assumed the
duties of the Chair in neat and brief
address, and added greatly to his reputa-
ton as an excellent presiding officer, in
the prompt, determined and impartial
manner in which he dispatched the bust
ness of the convention. The basis Of
representation agreed upon was that Of
the vote of Samuel ]. Tilden, for Presi-
dent in 1S76-giving one vote in the con-
Vention for each one hundred ballots,
and fraction over fifty, cast for Mr.. Til
den. After a considerable struggle, q
resolution was adopted to vote for can
didates for the whole five places at once.
This being settled, nominations were
declared in order, and the names of the
following gentlemen were placed before
the Convention as candidates for seats on
the Supreme Bench, the friends of each
| pledging them to abide the action of the
Convention: j. +. Deaderick, of Wash
ington county; Robert Mcfarland, OF
Hamblen; B. ]. Lea, of Haywood; Thorn
as J. Freeman, of Gibson; J. J. Turner
of Sumner; Howell E. Jackson, of Madi-
son; Robert J. Morgan, of Shelby; 8.
W. Cochran, of ObiOn; John L. T.
| Sneed, of Shelby; Peter Turney, OF
Franklin; Thomas NJ. Jones, of Giles
John W. Burtsn, of Rutherford; David
Campbell, of Williamson. The Conven'
| ton proceeded to vote by counties, each
county as called casting the number OF
| ballots it was entitled to under the basis
agreed upon. The voting proceeded
regularly and orderly to the close of the
roll call, when the chair was overwhelm
| ed almost with propositions from the
chairman of delegations to make chan
ges in their votes. This continued fol-
about two hours, during which hun
dreds of votes were changed from one
candidate to another, and the result
| materially altered from that which the
| figures indicated at the close of the call
ing of the roll of counties Finally the
changes desired were all made, and the
| Secretary announced the result of bal
| lot as follows. Mcfarland, 1855; Deader
lex, 1856; Turney, 716; Cooper, I'll
Freeman, 562; Burton, 533; Jackson
$50; Sneed, 4O3; Lea, 430; Morgan, 1913
Turney, 288. Necessary to a choice
$780, Messrs Mcfarland, Deaderick
Turney and Cooper having received g
majority of the votes cast, were, on mo
ton, declared by reclamation the nomi
nees of the Convention, and were 90
| announced by the President. This left
one candidate to be chosen, and by con
| stitutional requirement he must come
from the Western Division of the State.
The Convention adjourned till next
morning at o'clock at which hour the
delegations were promptly on hand, and
without delay the bailoting was recon-
menced. Previously, however, the
names of Judges Morgan and Lea were
Withdrawn and the contest was thus mar
rowed down between Messrs. Sneed
Jackson and Freeman. The ballot re-
suited in no choice. The name of Judge
Sneed was Withdrawn, and on the Sec
ond ballot the contest was between
Messrs. Jackson and Freeman
The interest was intense, and the
friends of each candidate were very act
i've during its progress. Very few chan
ges were made of the ballots as first cast
and the Secretaries were enabled soVI
to make mp the result, which was the
choice of Judge Freeman by majority
of eleven votes over Judge Jackson
This completed the ticket, and the only
thing remaining for the Convention to
do was to designate two of the candi
dates for the State at large. On motion
of w. A. Henderson, Of Knox, Hon
Jas. w. Deaderick and Hon. Peter Tur
ney were so designated, and after return
| ing the usual thanks to the officers, the
convention adjourned sine die. The tick
ct is an excellent one, and of course viii
be elected. The old Judges have beer
renominated, with but one exception
that of Judge Sneed. The people of the
whole State will regret his retirement
from a position he filed SO well, and
will call him to some post Of honor.
-~-~-
Kind of Letters We Receive.
EAToN's K ROADS, Tenn,
May %, 1878.
To the Editor Of the MorristOwn Gazette:
4 IL R,r aaalAaoriEl