The Orangeburg democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1879-1881, 1880-04-30
A Radical Precinct Meeting.


met in mass meeting on the 23d in
slant TO elect sixteen delegates TO the
County Convention. The meeting
was held in the open air for the pur-
pose, We suppose, of keeping the
members cool and thereby preventing
a recurrance Of scene which trans
pired at the Independent Engine
Hall the night previous, where pri-
yate caucus, held by the faithful,
broke up in q general row, amid the
brandishiDg Of knives and clubs, and,
on the approach of a policeman, in
rather disorderly stampede in which
the stalwarts led the race. If the
cooling and soothing effects Of the
gentle zephyrs was the object of the
open air project, it proved signal
failure as the sequel will show. About
twelve o'clock the chairman, j. nj.
Thompson, read the instructions of
the County Chairman and announced
that the meeting was ready for bust
ness. Some dusky patriot, not salts.
fed with his surroundings moved that
tile meeting adjourn to a vacant
lot ON the other side Of the street
which was adopted without q dissent
irg voice. There being nothing in
the shape Of table, desk or chair at
hand for the use of the Chairman, an
other patriot suggested that cart
near by, be pressed into service. The
wisdom Of this being apparent the
su2gcs ton was Immediately carried
into execution by rolling the cart to
u more convenient location and the
Chairman mounted upon it. On mo-
ton, d. i. Bradwcll was elected tenn
porary and afte: ward permanent Sec
rclary without opposition. The Chair
man or cartman here announced that
nominations for Precinct Chairman
were in order. ID. A. Strakcr, +. A.
Webster and j. NJ. Thompson were
put in nomination for that position.
j. NJ. Thompson having declined, the
contest was between SLraker and
Webster. Two tellcrs were appointed
10 conduct the election and all hands
were requested 10 sit or lie down on
the grass which was done very rcad-
ly as the brethren seemed to be in an
accommodating mood. The Chair
man or cartman, requested all those
in favor of StraLcr to stand up and
the tellcrs reported after count that
SO had voted for him. All hands be-
ing seated again, those in favor OF
Webster were invited 10 stand up and
the tellers reported the result as Al
votes :or Webster. Right here came
the tug Of war when Greek met
Greek and brazen spear on bossy
hucklcr struck. 1t did not seem TO
suit the cut and dried programme OF
certain leaders to have Straker elect
Chairman Of the meeting no matter
iow many votes he might have re-
ceived and TO prevent it Thompson,
who had declined previously, and was
presiding, announced his determine.
ton to run and requested friend to
put his name before the meeting.
This was certainly the vcriesJ farce
we ever saw but being no funeral of
ours, we were considerably amused
at the way in which they proposed to
beat Strakcr anyhow. Strakcr pro-
tested earnestly against the injustice
of such all unusual proceeding, but
being promptly ruled out of order by
Thompson, the vote was taken and
the tcllcrs announced 81 votes in fa-
vor of the candidate. Thompson
then in Il C magnanimity of his gcncr-
GUS soul said he would turn over his
CITY oHo woes TO Webster thus max
ing, by the addition, his vote 90, and
declared him elected Chairman.
When it is taken into consideration
that the same parties who voted for
Webster also voted for Thompson
the generosity Of this honest Radical
can hardly be over estimated. When
Webster stepped up TO take the
chair, Or more properly the cart,
SLrakcr approached and asked in the
name of deccncy and fair dealing if
he would take position to which lie
had not been elected. Straker appeal
ed to his manhood, his Intelligence,
and his sense of light with the hope
Of shaming Webster out of accepting
the Office, but it was no use. 1t would