The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1882-07-12
The Congressional Convention.

The Congressional Convention.
On the morning of Thursday, last week
two car loads of delegates and visitors
from Lorain County, accompanied by q
like number from Huron County, left the
w. s. L. E. Depot for Ashland to attend
the Congressional Convention. A quick
and pleasant trip to Creston, and from
there on the N. Y, p s. o. R. r. to Ash
land was made.
Leaving the train, the delegation from
this county, preceded by the 5th Regiment
Band and accompanied by that of Huron
County, marched to headquarters at the
McNulty House Ashland and Richland
had equally large delegations. The Con
yention assembled in the Opera building
Just before 12 O'Clock, effected temporary
organization with R. A. Horr as Chairman
appointed committees for arranging the
preliminaries for a permanent organiza
ton, and adjourned till IL P. NJ.
On reassembling Hon. John A. William
son, late member of the Legislature
from Huron and Speaker Of the House
was made permanent chairman and made
an excellent speech on taking the chair
Rules of procedure were adopted, and
nomination and presentation of candidate:
called for. the counties being called in
alphabetical order.
p. S. Grosscup was nominated by the
Ashland delegation, and his claims advo
Gated in an excellently well conceived an6
finely delivered speech of ten minutes by
Rev ]. E. Stubbs.
Col. Seth NJ. Barber, the candidate ol
the Huron County delegation, was repre-
sented by Rev. T. r. Hildreth in one o.
the most stirring, eloquent addresses we
have ever listened to on such an occasion
He completely captured the audience
which, on his conclusion, went wild with
excitement and prolonged applause.
Hon James Monroe presented the can
didate of Lorain- County, Hon. S. S. War
ner, with calm, dispassionate, truthful
statement Of his qualifications that did nc
more than justice to the abilities and the
many excellent qualities of the man who
without exaggeration, was the peer of any
candidate before the convention.
Judge Dirlam, of Richland, was pre-
sented by his law partner, Mr.. N. N
Lehman, who is a pleasant and forcible
speaker, and is regarded as among the
ablest OF the young lawyers of the State.
Judge Hedges was also a candidate
nominated by o. III. Booth. Mr. Hedges
carried the city of Mansfield, where he is
best known, by large majorities, while his
competitor, earlier in the field, succeeded
in gaining the rural districts. We have
no personal acquaintance with either, bui
hear Judge Hedges spoken of as strong
large-minded, Christian gentleman, while
his competitor, quite his equal in mos
respects, was less fayorably regarded by
many on account of his peculiar religious
sentiments
Taken altogether, the candidates could
hardly have been more ably presented
This part of the exercises over, ballotine
was in order. Ashland gave her candidate
solid vote, "a in number; Huron, 81 fol
Barber, 2 for Warner and blank; Lorain
42 for Warner and for Barber, and Rich
land % for Dirlam and 12 for Hedges
which vote, with some trifiing variations
by the Richland delegation, was unchanged
up to II o'clock P. NJ, at which time 40(
ballots were taken. The convention ther
adjourned till O'Clock the next day.
1t was hoped that partisan feeling nigh
cool over night and some compromise b,
effected, but on resuming the balloting tn,
vote was practically unchanged. AT th,
opening of the session Friday morning
was agreed, on motion, that after each 25tl
ballot if no choice was made, recess O
ten minutes should be taken to allow tn
members opportunity for consultation
Toward the close of each series of ballot
the votes would become somewhat scat
tered, and it would appear probable tha
by means of the recess and consultation
an end of the contest would soon be made
but on reassembling the vote would stan'
as on the first ballot of the previous day
This continued all through the forenoon
and after dinner We heard only the sam
old monotonous announcement till we fel
that the convention would never be abl
to reach conclusion, and we hoped the,
would adjourn and turn the whole matte
over-to the hands of the people. Fac
delegation seemed determined to stand b.
its nominee, and if unable to elect him
equally determined that no other delegation
should elect theirs, and it finally was con
cluded that it would be better to go oul
side and take a new candidate Tn
Hedges delegates had all along expresses
a willingness to cast their votes FOR MI
Warner when it would elect him, an'
when some of the Ashland delegates begal
to cast their votes for Mr.. Horr, and
seemed possible to unite on him, they con
sented to. transfer their votes to him
Finally Ashland gave Mr.. Horr 10 votes
Mr.. Warmers two votes from Huron wen
to Horr, which, with the Warner vote
from Lorain and Richland would make q
votes-th the bare majority necessary t
elect. After Ashland and Huron had an
nounced their votes Lorain asked leave Il
retire for consultation, and soon afte
Huron and Richland preferred simila
request, all of which were granted; Lorail
10 deterrnine whether it was advisable h
transfer its vote to Horr, and the latter Il
try to devise means to defeat the threat
ened result. They were unable, however
to control the Warner VOTE and so "er'