Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1882-01-31


ton The week hns been almost wholly
thrown away, Nor is this all. The Il
to-day adjourned the Senate until next
Wednesday. Numbers Of the Senators
have gone home. On Thursday the II
passed a resolution which took from The
President pro tenn of the Senate, Gen.
Wyatt NJ. Elliott, the appointment of
The investigation committee, to investi-
gate charges made by Senator Riddle
berger against San officer of the Senate"
as TO having attempted bribery in one
of the pending elections. Gen. Elliott
promptly rendered his resignation as
President pro ten Of the Senate. lie
was promptly reelected, but at once
arose aud said that as the offensive reso-
tuition remained mrcpealed, lac could
not accept. Senator ID. +. Bailey had
been called by Gen. Elliott to the Chair,
and as Lieut.. Gov. Lewis was absent,
the Senate was without any presiding
officer, except Senator Bailey, who could
hold the position no longer than three
days. For one day, at least, Washing
ton county mc1 presided over both
branches of the General Assembly. In
storm Of excitement the Senate adj
io,Irned. Friday morning, Mr.. Bailey
IN the chair, Mr.. Lybrook, one of the
four Rcadjusirrs who were acting with
the Funders, was elected President Pro
tenn, but he ut once declined to accept,
and Senator Wood was then unanimous
ly elected, and he accepted the position.
There seems no probability that Lieut..
Gov. Lewis will return, and if this prove
true Senator Wood, of Scott county will
be Tie permanent President Of the Sen
ate for this session. For three days the
very widest excitement has prevailed
IN the Senate, and to-day it adjourned
for two days, after which, shall come
what, | know not,
The whole secret Of all this trouble ia
this: In 1879 the Rcadiuster caucus
decrecd that those gentlemen who should
receive its nomination for the various
State offices should do so OH the cOndi-
ton that the caucus should designate
their employees by selecting them equal
ly from the Nine Congressional Districts
of the State. This was to break up the
ring rule, by which the patronage of
these offices had been selected from 4
few central points, while most of the
great country districts were totally ig-
nored In NIL matters save the privilege of
voting at the polls. IL seems that Mr..
Massey alone, declined to carry out this
engagement, or regulation Of the cau-
Gus. At the opening Of this session the
caucus again adopted this same process
Of distributing among all the people Of
the State the vast patronage Of these
State offices. 1t went one step further
by decrccing that before any man could
be placed IN nomination he should pre-
sent TO the caucus letter, in his own
handwriting, and over his own sigma
ture, In which he should pledge himself
to conform to this caucus rcgnlation.-
This was tying the knot with firm
hand, but experience had shown 1t to be
necessary. All went along smoothly
until the caucus came to nominate the
First Auditor. Mr.. Massey rcmonstrat-
Cd. He desired to be Auditor again.
Every member of the caucus desired
him to be Auditor again. Mr.. Massey
wanted the Office on his own terms
that IL without making the Pledge
The caucus wanted TO give him the nom
ination OH is own terms. These terms,
| shout have said, allowed him to select
hia chief clerk. AMI ii any Of those sc.
lected by the cnjlcns should be unsllilcn
to the duties Of the position he was al
lowed to discharge him, aud allow the
Caucus 10 nalnp smother. He dcrlin
ed 10 make any such pledge, be-
cause he meant "a select all his
clerks, without consulting The eau
Gus. Having thus declined 10 accept
the caucus nomination, The caucus nom
mated Mr.. s. Brown Allen, Of lllc same
District. Mr.. Massey nj once appealed
to the whole Legislature, aud asked It
without regard TO the RradjuStcr party
TO form II combination 10 elect him over
the nominee { the Rcaliusicr c0urua,
Many OF the RHdlll4tcrs appealed pri-
va;cly 10 him 10 refrain from tldsartion.
and To- abide ly his own party caucus.
Tie caurul waited from day 10 day, and
time 10 time. to allow him time to re-
consider. lie Mas apprlscd Of the dam
ger 10 the party organization In any
coalltloh between oN the Fundcrs and
"a few of The Rcadiueters. The office of
Auditor was the largest aud the best
ut the disposal Of the General Assembly.
II hnd the largest and best corps, of
employees. Mr. Massey jumped
ont Of the RcalIuslcr boat and
went to a"f. lie carried with him four
Senators aud was welcomed and embrace
cd by everyone of the seventeen Finder
Senators. These make the q aud they
ARE now holding the alr-bukc on the
General Assembly. These four Scna.
tora protest that ~ all else they will go
with AMI support The caucus, hut Mas-
scy shall he elected or nnbody shall.
believe their prolcsln,lons of loyalty on
other r0lnta, hut ! cannot for one mo-
mcni admit III proper their proposition
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