Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1884-08-30
LEGAL MATTERS.
street :.

LEGAL MATTERS
For The Middle Atlantic States clearing
weather except in the extreme northern por.
ton. local showers and partly cloudy wea-
Their. soutwesterly winds fresh on the coast,
slight fall in the temperature, higher oaro-
meter. For Sunday slightly cooler, gener-
ally fair weather is indicated.
THE 'REruRLICAN" CoNvENTIoN.-Ih
GAZETrE's report Of the Mahone-r republican
convention, which met at the Y. >. custom
House in this city yesterday, closed before
that disordered body had made its nomlna'
ton for Congressman from this district. As
stated in that report Messrs. Duff Green, OF
Stafford; Edmund Burke, Of this city, and
F.. Nichol, of Loudoun, were put in nomi-
nation by their respective friends, and the
speeches made in presenting their names
created great dissatisfaction. They were III
the main threats of what would happen and
who would "kick" in case somebody should
get the nomination and somebody should
not. The reasons ssigned as to why each
of the candidates should be selected or not
were novel. 1t was stated that Mr.. Nichol
alway ''shouliered his gun and marched to
the polls; that Mr.. Green was fighter;
WAS the "noblcst Roman of them all &" and
having left the democratic party, was to-
day fighting the Bourbon legislature in
Richmond; that "Mr. Burke had the best
blood of Virginia in his veins"-though the
speaker, Il colorrd man, said he would have
thought us much of him if his blood was not
so good The reasons why one candidate
should not he chosen over the other were
also dwelt on Mr.. Burke had friends
among the democratic leaders, which
looked suspicious. Mr.. Nichol had done
nothing for the party and only wanted
the nomination to get all Office hereafter;
while Mr.. Green was too old, and the
chances of the party ought not to he thrown
away simply to compliment him, &C. &c
One colorcd delegate wanted TO know how
the candidates stood on the civil rights
question, aud would support neither if he did
not recognize both the spirit and the letter OF
the law of perfect equality among the races.
The confusion which prevailed during the
early part of the session increased as the
hours dragged along, and many of the dele
gates admitted that il was the most disor-
derly convention they had ever attended.
The Green Burke, and Nichol factions
each thought the one intended playing
some trick on the other, SO each delegation
,listrusted its neighbOr, making the conven-
ton very homogeneous one and its action
ANYTHING but harmonious. The colored del
erates seemed to be thoroughly imbued
with the knowledge that the nominee
would have to look to the negro vote for
almost his entire support, which knowledge
seemed TO inspire them with boldness, and,
as several of the disgruntled white delegates
said, with impudence. In the convention
all stood on the same plane politically. So
cially, and otherwise, and in debate, when
colored man would get the advantage of
white delegate and handle him without
gloves, the latter could only grind his
teeth, curse inwardly and swallow what
had been said to him. r. L.Mitchell and J. B.
Syphax, of the Alexandria delegation, were
decidedly the best speakers on the floor,
and though they were in the minority, they
were feared. Pattie, of Warrentou, and
Holmes, of Leesburg, were both told by Sy-
phax TO "recollct that they were talking to
a gentleman" and that he would permit no
discourtesy from either of them.
While the confusion was at its height
balloting was begun. Although it was
known that orders had been issued from
headquarters in Richmond to nominate
Green, yet there was a decided spir-
it of opposition manifested aud Col
lector of this Port Gray, Postmaster
of Leesburg, Holmes, Hawxhurst and few
others tried to juggle in Nichols, but it was
no 60. Burke's friends held the balance OF
power and after keeping Nichols on string
for some time cast their votes for Green
Gray s party's attempts at legerdemaln were
so apparent that Alexandria county refused
to vote and SyphaX sarcastically moved that
Judge Gray, the Collector of the Port OF
Alexandria be directed to cast the vote OF
Alexandria county and the rest of the coun-
ties in the eighth district to suit himself, as
he was doing it anyhow" This created
some excitement when Holmes called out
to Syphax to ''Shut up" Syphax replied
you had better learn to be a gentleman"
The first ballot was then announced as fol-
lows Necessary to q choice 35; Green 81
Burke 8, Nichol IS
Alexandria county was then ask ed to vote
when SyphaX again refused, and in short
speech presented the following, which, after
much excitement We're laid on the table
Resolved, That the method and policy of
this convention strictly following ustruc-
lions of its common head in the state are,
in the Judgment Of the delegates from the
county of Alexandria, hostile to the right Of
free speech, disgrace to the name of Amer
lean citizenship and unworthy the support
of Republicans anywhere.
Resoired, That the delegates from Alex
audria county-respectfully withdraw from
this,aSsemblage.
The county delegation then withdrew.
The voting proceeded amid great confl-
sion, when, on the fourth ballot, Green was
nominated, he receiving 36 votes to Nichols
81 90 this ballot Alexandria city when
called asked to be passed by for short
time The other delegations voted and the
ballot stood Green 81, Nichol so. Alexan-
dria CITY then Gave Green D votes nominal.