The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1885-07-23


| kids" They downed the '.MossEacks, y
and carried away all the honors and tro-
phies, and will doubtless seize the county
organization at the August Court, when
it is to be reformed, and new chairman
elected, and candidates for the Legislature
selected.
The Democratic Conventions
TIE LITTLE BOSSES RUN AGAINST THE
MACHINE AND GET MAsHED.-A COLD
DAY FOR CIVIL SERVICE REFORMERs.
On Saturday last, upon the recommends
tion OF Hon. Jno. r. Tucker, the Presi-
dent appointed Mr.. VIM. A. Burke post
master at Staunton, the present incum-
bent being suspended for offensive parti-
zanism." And, on Saturday last too, the
Democrats of Augusta and Staun ton held
conventions in the various wards and dis
tricts, to nominate delegates to the State
Convention which meets in Richmond on
the 10Th. So far as the city and Beverley
Manor district (which Immediately sur
rounds the city, were concerned, the OPP
portunity was favorable one for endors-
ing the action of Mr.. Tucker in recon-
mending MI. Burke. In furtherance of
this laudable purpose Mr.. Burke and his
little coterie were busy all day long drum
ming up voters for the city meetings, the
object being to select delegates who would
advocate the claims of Mr.. H. st. Geo.
Tucker, the son of his father, before the
State Convention, for be it known that the
aforesaid Harry's budding ambition runs
in the direction of the nomination for the
misunderstanding. 1t would be fun
for Frank Blair if Harry should secure the
coveted prize, but unless the balance of the
State comes up better Than his own ward,
city and district, Harry will be out before
the first round, much to the regret of Re-
publicans generally.
But to return to the story. When Rob-
ert W., the brother of William A., had
placed the First Ward las he supposedly
snugly in his pocket, the whole influence
Of the king-makers was concentrated on
the Second Ward, and under the leader
ship Of the sanity civil service reformer,
VIM. A.. it was thought the Second Ward
was solid. So matters stood at O'Clock
Saturday night, and then the fun COM
menced. To lead the Tucker and Burke
forces two popular gentlemen were
selected, in their respective wards to dead
the ticket-Judge Sheffey in the 1st, and
G. M. Harrison, Esq, in the Second.
Mr.. Ro. W. Burke called the meeting
to order in the First Ward, and N. M
Warner was called to the chair and H. c.
Tinsley appointed secretary. When NOM
nations were announced, Maj Elder pre-
sented the name of Judge Sheffey in set
speech, the Burke-Tucker ticket deter
mined upon being Messrs. Sheffey and
Echols, and the opposition being Messrs.
Carter Berkeley and M. Oberdorfer. Di-
rectly after the nominations a question
arose as to the manner of taking the vote,
the Burke-Tuckerites wanting it viva-voce
and the boys preferring the ballot.
When Messrs. Elder, Echols and Robert
son had made able speeches in favor of
their plan, the opposition quietly called for
the vote and smothered them. The vote
on delegates resulted for Berkeley 81, for
Oberdorfer 50 for Sheffey, 81 for Echols,
"A. Messrs Berkeley and Oberdorfer were
Authorized to appoint their own alternates.
In the Second Ward a livelier time was
had. Win. A, Burke, whose appointment
to succeed an offensive partizan" had
just been signed, showed his understand
ing of civil service reform, by trying to
! manipulate a ward meeting. He called
the convention to order, and A. c..
BraXton, ESQ.,, was elected chairman with
S. S. Shelter as secretary. MI. Braxton,
after explaining the object of the meeting,
announced that nominations were in order.
The BurkeT uckerites presented the names
of G.. M. Harrison and Charles Grattan as
delegates and the opposition named w.
III. FoWle and p. III. Trout. The ballots
were taken, but before the count was COM
pleted complaint was made that new ar
rivals had come in and wanted chance to
exercise the right preventative. Amo-
tion was made to reopen the box, which
the chair, on vote, decided lost. An APP
peal from the decision was taken and after
various efforts to determine whether or
not the chair had been sustained, and the
expenditure Of much eloquence, it was de-
cided to take a ballot on the question.
When the vote was counted the result
showed IS for and "a against sustaining
the chair. Each side commended that part
of their adherents had left and that the re-
suit was not a fair expression of the sense
of the meeting-that the issue WASH It
square all round-but it stood, and on
count of the ballots for delegates it was
found that another victory for the ''ma-
chine" had been scored and the Civil Ser
vice reformers were left. The vote stood.
Trout, IS; Fowle, 54 Harrison, 20 Graf
tan. q. Messrs. Trout and Fowle were
authorized to appoint their own alternates.
And that's the kind of Endorsement
Messrs. Tucker and Burke received from
the Democrats of Staunton. and it was
emphasized by the Beverley Manor meet
| ing.