Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1882-07-05
THE LoUDON COUNTY CONVENTION.
A Large Atte endsnce From LOudon and
Surrounding Counties.


Surrounding Counties.
The Friends of Houk Refuse to Act With
the Regular Organization.
But Fail 20 Bull doze the Other Side by
Their Peculiar Tactics.
The Regularly Appointed Delegates In
struct for Rule.
The biggest event in the history of the
place, in the way of a political convention,
occurred at Lcudon Monday, it being the
occasion of the county convention for
the selection of delegates to the
Congressional, senatorial and foate-
rial conventions. At an early hour in
the morning the clans began to gather from
all sections, and the streets were thronged,
and it was scene of unusual life and stir,
for the quiet town of Loudon. Among
other things which had been advertised was
that 800 horsemen were to ride into
town for Houk. When the time
came for that arrival there
turned out to be % horsemen, by actual
count, and about as many on foot, led by
Than. Bacon, notorious Democrat. They
came from still-house, whooping and yell
ing for Houk, and marched through the
town with great gusto From an early
hour in the morning up to noon, drunken
men were to be seen making demonstrations
Oh all corners, and the universal
veil from that source was for Houk. From
one of the Houk headquarters there was
constant congregation, and coming and
going of men and boys, of all shades and
colors, and but few seemed to come cut as
sober as they entered.
All these things were looked upon and
regarded by the sober, substantial and bet
county as extremely disgraceful, and
the effect was very demoralizing.
After numerous caucuses and consulta-
tions, it was considered as an absolute i'm
possibility to congregate such crowd III
the courthouse, where the convention was
to be held, and the speaking was to take
place. Consequently the prehminaries
were arranged between the friends of the
two contestants, and the crowd was re-
quested to repair to the grove
on college hill. When all
were gathered there, it was an immense
throng, perhaps 500 or 900 men, but they
did not al belong in Loudon County, but
there were mustered in the Houk interest,
hundreds of voters from the adjoining coun-
ties of Roane, Blount and Knox. There was
also strong force of government officials,
congregrated from all parts of the district,
many of whom had been riding the county
for weeks, assisting the good citizens in
making up their minds as to what should be
their course in the convention.
called to order by Capt. d. r. Nelson He
hoped all had met as one COM
mon brotherhood to transact the
business of the convention. He desired to
see harmony, but not of the Democratic
kind. He asked a patient hearing for the
speakers, and introduced as the first, VIM.
Rule, Esq, who briefly announced himself
Us candidate for the nomination for Con-
gress. 1t was unnecessary, he said, to ex-
plain his politics. He was known to
be Republican, as well as
his competitor. But his competitor
had been in political life, and, as a repre-
which is public property, and the speaker
has right to criticise it. He first called at
tention to the notorious absenteism of
Congressman Houk, during the Forty sixth
Congress, and his failure to vote Oh impor-
tant pension bills recently, proven from the
Congressional Record and dared Houk
to deny the charge. 1t may be, he
said that he excused himself as to the lat
ter, on the ground that he is a pensioner
himself. He looked out for himself as he
went along, and it is understood has pro-
cured himself a pension, drawing about
So, 900 at draw.
There had been frequent disturbances by
the Houk element of the crowd, and at
this juncture, after the speaker had occu-
pied only about 20 minutes, a
fight was brought on by a
drunken Houk man, which created
such confusion as to cause suspension of
about ten minutes. Quiet was again par
TALLY rest red, but it was impossible to fill
out the allotted time, and he closed with a
few remarks, giving way to his competitor
Judge Houk took the stand, and in labor
ed effort of not exceeding five minutes,
made remarkably lame excuse of reply
to the charges. He didn't deny
for an instant the charge of absenetism, but
only asked if his competitors had shown an
instance where any bill failed to pass be-
cause he didn't vote ON it.
Capt. d. r. Nelson, chairman of the
Loudon County Republican executive COM
mittee, proceeding, by authority, and in reg
ular order, to cal the convention, asked to
be heard by the Republicans of Loudon
County for few minutes, proclaiming that
| justice and right should be done to all on
this occasion, at all hazards, and he desired
harmony. 1t was impossible, though, he
said, to take vote with satisfaction, in such
an assembly, and asked the crowd to divide,
the Rule men on one side of him and the
| Houk men on the other
About this time, according to preconcerted
arrangement, two or three of the Houk men
sprung up in front of Captain Nelson, de-
claring they would call the convention to
order, proceeding instantaneously to nomi-
nate and declare elected as chairman DR.. j.
L. Shipley, who was ready, with the ''slate"
OF committees, delegates and resolutions in
his hands, by understanding. The strikers
and howlers chimed in and created great
| confusion.