Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1880-04-27
STATE REPUBLICAN CONVENTION.


The State Republican Convention assembled
in the Opera House on last Wednesday morn
Ing and after most stormy session adjourned
about o'clock Saturday morning, having fl
nally succeeded in appointing az Electoral
ticket and in electing delegates to the Chicago
Convention.
The proceedings as they dragged their slow
length along were only interesting because OF
the hard fight made by the Mahonites to cap
ture the Convention and ad journ without max
ing an electoral ticket. 1t was seen from TIE
very first day, when the fight was made over
the election of temporary chairman, that the
contest would be an animated one, and so
proved to the very end. Nearly every PROPOSE
ton made by the 'straight-outS' except the
endorsation Of Gen. Grant tor President was
bitterly fought by the "fusionists, as the Ma
honites were called.
The first victory for the "straight-outs' was
the election of Peter ]. Carter (coloredD of
Northampton as temporary chairman over j.
H. Hill (colored) of Petersburg by vote of a to
As. This, however, turned out afterwards not
to be true test of the relative strength of the
two wings of the Convention, for 1t was lound
that they were very nearly equal.
The whole of the first day was consumed III
listening to speeches from Pophanl, Rives, and
Lester, discussing the report of the Committee
on Credentials, and trying to elect permanent
| chairman, for which the contest was between
Gen. Wickham, supported by the straight
out" and Hon. Jno. f. Lewis, the candidate OF
the "fusioniSts." This contest was kept up I'M
til o'clock A. NJ, when the vote taken result
| ed in a tie-62 for Lewis and 81 for Wickham,
and the Convention adjourned amidst the
greatest confusion.
We have neither the space nor the incllna-
ton to give the details of the proceedings of
this Convention, which were at times lud1-
! crous at others disgusting, and again simply
stupid and boring, but amidstit all we cannot
refrain from complimenting the great GOODNESS
and parliamentary skill, displayed by Peter D.
Carter in the management OF an as unruly
body of men we have ever seen together. He
was firm, quick, and decisive, and barring dis
cursiveness in delivering his opinions is most
excellent officer for such body as he presided
over-we say presided over, for even after the
election of Gen. Wickham as permanent chair
man on the second day, he was for the greater
portion of the time III the chair
The second day after the election Of Gen.
Wickham by vote of 6S to 63, the contest
ragged over a resolution offered by L. L. Lewis,
favoring the postponement of naming an Elec-
toral ticket and empowering the State Central
Committee to call Convention on the 2Sth of
July to make the Electoral ticket. The dis
cussion on this resolution was very animated,
varied, as were all the proceedings of the Con-
vention, by innumerablo 'ponts of ORDER"
and resulted in an adjournment at l O'Clock,
a. NJ. without any progress having been made
Friday morning, the 3rd day Of the session,
the discussion was resumed and kept up until
| o'clock, when by mutual agreement of both
factions motion was passed appointing
committee of ten to report a plan for forming
an Electoral ticket, the vote upon which should
be a test one
AS was anticipated the committee were una
BILE to agree and reported. j. H. Rives
wanted then to offer minority report, which
was violently opposed by Dezendorf the chair
man of the committee, and Il scene of great
confusion ensued, and the chairman called on
| the police and the mayor of Stanton to enforce
order, and, without much difficulty, they soon
succeeded in smoothing down "the wrinkled
| front of war;" hands were shaken across the
| impending 'bloody chasm" and Peace once
more spread her white and sable wings over
the factions.
| Further discussion followed, but finally j. II.
Rives offered the following resolutions which
were signed by w. C. Wick ham, E. w. Early,
W. H Peasants, and Ross Hamilton members
OF thc.cOmmlttee: -
Resolved That no Elector shall be placed
upon the Republican Electoral ticket who is
not pledged to support the Republican nomi-
nation made at Chicago.
ReSOtre0 That the Convention now proceed
to nominate anu elect our full electoral ticket.
Mr.. Rives advocated the resolutions earnest
ly, and was followed by L. L. Lewis in opposi-
tion to the last resolution, but had no objection
to the nrst. HIS speech was enthusiastically
received, but whatever effect it might have
had was done away with by the speech of w.
H. Peasants (colored), who followed him, and
who of the the best, if not the best
speaker in the Convention.
The pending question being called was carried
against the protest OF Robert Norton (coPd,D
the leader of the fusiOnists, who, with his fol-
lowers, refused to take any part in the further
proceedings of the convention but did not bolt,
| as they had threatened to do.
Gen. Wickham, amidst great excitement and
confusion, appealed to them Republicans to
stand by the action CT the convention, and not
resort to measure which could do no good.
This appeal quieted Norton. and the first reso
luton having been adopted unanimously, the
ayes and noes were called on the second, and
it was adopted by vote of GO to 81.
This defeat death-knell to the hopes OF
the Mahonites, and they did not vote at all up
on the resolution next offered to go into the
election of electors to the Chicago convention.
w. C. Wickham, of Hanover, and Rev. ]. NJ.
Dawson (cold,) Of Williamsburg, were chosen
as electors at large. DR.. Norton (cold) was
urged to run, but declined to do so, saying that
if nominated by this convention he would not,
if elected, meet with the Electoral College.
The following collectors were then NOM
mated and elected:
First District-L. R. Stuart, of Richmond
county.
Second-Declines to report.
Third-John W. PoindeXter, of Louisa.
Fourth-William p. Austin, of Lunenburg.
Fifth-Asa r. Whitlock, of Floyd.
Sixth-Samuel Collier, Of Amherst
Seventh-E. w. Early, of Albemarle
Eighth-A. w. Harris, of Alexandria county.
&ipth-H. H. Flanagan.
The secession OF the Second district elector
was by a resolution ccpitted to a Congressional
convention of that district. subject TO ths con-
ditions imposed by the convention.
The following are the district delegates elect
ed to the Chicago convention:
First District-L. A. Stewart John W. Wolff.
second-Rob't Norton, Geo. E. Bowden.
Third-Otis H. Russell, Josiah Crump.
FouT1i1-W. L. Fernald Jas. T. Brady.
Fifth-H. Gag Harris. W; III a. Peasants.
Seventh-F. T. Ware, John DonasaL.
Eighth-William Brown, L. L. Lewis. ,
Ninth-W o. Austin, c. c. Tompkins.
The convention then went into the election by
ballot OF delegates at large to the Chicago con-
vention. The following were put in nomina-
ton: J. w. Poindexter, D. Sneney Lewis j.
H. Rives, S. NJ. Yost, P J. Carter, j. F. Dezen-
dorf, D. W. Hoxey, and Joseph Jorgensen. The
election resulted il; the choice of d. S. Lewis,
Peter j. Carter, J. W. PoingeEter, and Joseph
JOrgensen.
John +, Lewis was elected chairman OF the
State Central Committee, and the Convention
adjourned sine die at O. clock Saturday morn
ing.
Something fine, Mocha and Java. Choice
cd i z. GRAHAM.