The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-06-05
MEETING ON SALE DAY.
Important Hctioa Of that Body a. to
Colored Clubs Sc The Secret Ses-
sion and what was Done.

AhARSAScAS
Colored Clubs Sc The Secret Ses.
sion and what was Done.
Promptly at twelve o'clock, the ap-
pointed hour, a large mum Dol OF delegates
and citizens assembled in the. Court
House to hold the regular meeting OF the
Abbeville County Club. General Nc
Gowan took the chair and requested the
Secretary to read the minutes of the last
Injecting, which were confirmed.
Mr.. King-As Judge Kershaw is In
town, I movet that he be invited to a seat
on the floor, and that tho courtesics OF
this Convention be extended to him.
Unanimously adopted.]
The P~resident-The first business in
order is the consideration Of the subject
of Primary Elections, which was referred
to committee at our last meeting. ls
that committee ready to report?
Col. Cothran--Mr. President. tho Sec
rotary has not called the roll Of clubs.
The President-I thank the member for
please call the roll. [Secretary called the
roll, twenty-five clubs answering.]
Capt. j. N. Cochran---The committee
appointee to draft a plan for the conduct
of the coming campaign are prepared 70
report. I will preface the reading OF
this report only by stating that we have
kept close 10 the old plan. That plan
worked we'll then, and brought us VIC
tory. It will in our opinion do the same
in this campaign If closely adhered to.
The report is as follows:
Resolredl. That primary elections be held
at such tims and Places iaS as G mnS f SS fseea nuI.
pose OF nominating suitable candidates ior
the general election In November next.
Resolved 2. That the Committee on Registra,
tlon Of each Township o. bsalI GU CUB Dr shall anon NE Teq 81 iist
Of the DEMOCRATIC voters OF the IownsnlPII
taken from the.rolls OF the clubs for 1877 and
lS7S-and from the personal knowledge ana
inspection of the Committee, which list shall
be completed and given to the President OF
the club on the day OF the Primary Eiectiois
to be used by the managers OF said elections;
el esiS,ue the various a r IS local Clubs shall meet Of
or near their regular place OF meeting ana
proceed to receive votes for such candidates
az may be proposed for the different offices de,
signated. Each club having chosen three
members who shall act as managers and VINO
shall keen 9 poll list OF all persons voting
voters to have the qualifications prescribed by
Resolped, 4. That, on the day designated W
the county club, after the township clubs
shall have voted as h~ereinbefore provided the
managers shall certify under their hands, 70
the county club, the result OF said election.
Alhthe returns shall be then and there aggre-
gated. and the nominee or nominees found to
have received Q majority Of all the primary
votes cast shall be declared To be the candl-
date or candidates OF the party.
In cases where q clear majority OF all the
primary votes are not cast for O nominee or
nominees for any office, the names OF those
OF votes (but less than a majority OF the
Whole) shall be certified back to the township
clubs and another election ordered.
The names so certified back shall be In the
~ fhrfra tho nnnhar nf nOminA.
lions to be made. For Instance: II for the Of
dee OF Probate Judge there should be any
number Of nominees more than Two mo one
having a majority Of the whole the county
club shall certify back the names OF the Two
highest nominees and so on as to other OH.
GERS, including nominees for the Legislature,
Resolued, 5. That one OF the managers OF
election from each club. TO be chosen by the
| other managers for the purpose, shall consti;
tute the county board OF managers, VINO snaii
meet at Abbeville, G. H.. at an appointed
minees reelected.
Resolped8 6. AS soon as the nominations are
completed the County Chairman shall send o
list Of the nominees TO the President Of each
club who shall give 1t publicity In his club,
Resolved Z. Polls TO be opened BY all the
clubs at 10 o'clockA. NJ. and closed at 3o'clock
p. NJ: When the managers shall count and
certify the vote.
The President---The Committee on
Primary Elections have reported. What
ia the pleasure Of the convention to do
with it? I will read the report again.
At the conclusion of the reading OF the
report given above.
The President said---What action il
il the pleasure of the club to take on the
reporto of the committee7
Can't. w. NJ. Black---I move to amend
the 4th section Of the reports 80 as to make
it read flour o'clock instead of three
o'clock"
The President---Wha Is the pleasure Of
the Convention?
DR.. Neel---I move that it be 80 amend
ed as to read "six o'clock"
Capt. W. A. Black--I acceptthe amend
ment.
A. NJ. Aiken---I move to make the
hour earlier. Say "nine'' instead OF
"ten" in the forenoon.
The President---That Is upon q differ
ent part Of the resolution. The other
motion comes before it. That motion
will come up after we have disposed OF
the motion now under consideration.
Those favoring the motion to amend the
report will vote "ay." Those opposed
viii vote "no." The resolution is adopt
ed and the polls will be open until six
o'clock.
A. M. Aiken---Inow move to open the
polls at "nine o'clock" instead Of Item
O'clock" lCarried.]
Captain Rykard---The fourth clause
might be altered so as to suit the people
better. would liketc say something on
the subject Of a change.
The President---The chair will hear
YOU with pleasure. The gentleman from
Smithville will proceed.
Captain Rykard---That clause refers
back to- the voters only the two candidates
receiving the highest number OF votes.
The best men may from some ccntin-
gencies get o smaller vote than an infe-
rior man at the first ballot. Two men
NAV conflict and 80 give the election to a
man not of our choice. Let all the can
didates who are not chosen on the first
ballot 60 back before the people. Let all
vote for who they please. Let us not cut
off anybody's candidate, but rather let
the people settle that matter among them
selves.
A. NJ. Aiken---I move that the report
be taken up seriatim.
Capt. w n. McGhee---I move that the
whole matter be postponed until our
next regular meeting.
debate.
Col. Cothran---I second the motion of
the gentlemen from Hodges. This Is q
question which may be Of importance to
us. There is plenty OF time yet We
will lose nothing by considering this
question thoroughly before voting upon
it.
The Presidcnt---The motion to post
pone overrides the motion to amend.
Capt. w. z. McGhee---I withdraw my
motion to postpone for a moment In Or
der that the gentlemen may be heard.
A. NJ. Aiken---I am opposed to the
postponing business. We are q well
prepared to vote upon this question TO-
day as we will be in July. This is the
proper business before this meeting and
I am in favor of disposing Of it at once.
Col. Herndon---Are we in a hurry to
act upon this question? I haven't had
time to cansider the matter. l don't
know how I'll vote. The committee, /
know, have carefully considered this
question, but I want to consider 1t for
myself. ~
DR.. Neel--What did this club do at our
last meetingf Didn't we appoint a COM
mittee, and was it not published in the
village papers? No postponement will
improve that report. It Is the best re-
port that we can got. Every man In this
house has heard 1t read twice. What
more do you want?
Col. F. A. Conner---Let each article
come up separately, and every man here
can tell at once the import Of That article:
Members cannot fail to understand, II
this plan is adopted. The report is not
80 large that it il beyond our comprehen-