Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1886-08-06

Convention Ra1.letEjjaas
HISTORY OF THE BALLoTTING-THE
FIRMNEss OF BUMaARDNER's FRIENDS
WHAT THE EAST DID FOR HIM-LEX-
INGToN AS A PLACE FOR A CONvEN-
TIoN.
&C.. &C., &C.. &C.
Reported for the staunton INDICATOR ]
Turning the leaves of my note book |
find many unused notes. On one page
find scrawled in large hand. the words :
Like rock.'' 1t is written near the close
of the report. and about the seventh bal
lot. 1t was put. there to recall to my memo
ry the way the Allegheny, Bath, Highland
and Augusta delegates behaved. There is
no other smile. except rock, that could
express it. Allegheny stood at the head
of the list, and as regularly as she was
called, came the response ''Seyen votes for
Bumgardner, and the same ''solid for
ties; not county, not even delegate
from any of these counties, faltered from
the beginning of the balloting to its close.
Mr.. Bowler cast the vote of Allegheny;
Mr.. McAlister cast that of Bath; Mr..
l.. 81. Stephenson cast that of Highland,
and Mr.. John w. Todd cast that of Au-
gusta.
THE TIDE OF THE BALLOTS.
The first ballot showed the first dawn
ing of Bumgardner's strength east of the
buckingham. Its other ten votes
were unevenIy distributed between Cole
man and Berry. The next ballot made it
look one vote better for Bumgardner; that
one being a gain from Buckingham, and
being one of thoee that had been given to
Coleman on the first ballot. On the third
ballot the tide raised slightly in two more
votes given for Bumgardner by Rock
bridge delegates, their county candidate.
Anderson, having been temporarily drop
ped. On the fourth ballot Anderson hav-
ing been re-nominated, Bumgardner- lost
these two, but made decided gain from
Fluvanna, which after her candidate
(PowelI was dropped, gave 10 for Bum
gardner, and one each for Coleman and
Berry. This brought him up to 71-only
seven votes short of the nomination. 1t
was about this time that the delegates
from Augusta, Allegheny, Bath and High
land commenced to warm up and stretch
their necks. At this time Rockbridge was
adhering with unbroken steadiness to
Anderson; Amherst was still giving her
is votes to Berry, (which by the by she
continued to do to the last) and Nelson was
casting her II votes solid for c. T. Smith.
On the 9Th ballot he gained two from
Buckingham but lost one from Flu
vanna-but it was still part of his steady
gain, and put him in six of the
nomination. 1t was on this ballot that
Nelson split her vote even, between Cole
man and Berry-84 for each. On the 9Th
ballot, Bumgardner made another jump of
three votes towards the goal, getting three
votes from Rockbridge, Henderson not
being nominated.) and reached rs votes.
On the 18th ballot, for the first time his ad.
vance was checked by loss from Buck
ingham, and he only scored TAI. 1t was on
that ballot that Coleman being tenn
porarily dropped. his strength went to
Anderson, running that gentleman's vote
up TO 46t-its highest point. On the 8th
ballot, by the aid of Buckingham and
Fluvanna, Bumgardner was sent up to 7s.
It was on this ballot that Berry not being
in nomination, Amherst broke and divided
with Ia for Anderson and for Coleman,
and this was the ballot on which Coleman
got his highest vote--41. On the 9th ballot,
Bumgardner got slight check again and
was sent back to "a. On the 10th ballot
1t was plain that the 'situati0n'' was
about to break. Coleman had been drop
ped-his strength had gone to Anderson
Berry, and Nelson her II for Smith. Wher
it was announced, Bumgardner had II
votes-within one of the nomination, q
delegate suggested an adjournment. There
was roar of .'nayes." The Secretary gol
his tabulated statement ready for his 11tt
to answer the roll-call, when Nelson de
legate got up and moved that the nomina
ton of James Bumgardner be made by &C
clamation. AS Nelson had II votes to en-
force the suggestion of her chairman with
and Bumgardner only lacked one of nomi
Eion instantly and tremendous uproar O.
cheers followed, the Anderson, Coleman
and Berry men, who had stood SO firmly
by their friends, huzzahing with fervo
equal to the Bumgardner men.
SOME FEATURES OF THE CONvEN-
TON.
What struck most of the newspape
men in attendance on the convention wa
the entire absence of bad blood or faction
disposition among the delegates
though I don't recollect any nominating
body in which have seen more marked
line of personal preference drawn fo
their own favorites. Taking this side O.
the mountain: not delegate who voted
for Bumgardner on the first ballot, voted
any other way during the whole time
The counties of Amherst for Berry
Rockbridge for Anderson, Appomat
tox and Cumberland for Coleman, att
Nelson for Smith, voted for those sterlln,
Democrats just as long as their name
were up. There was an exchange o
courtesies once or twice between the An
derson and Coleman men and the Ander-
son and Berry. men, but 1t was Away
when their OWE candidate was not up
Fluvanna anG Buckingham had the set
&Iemant of thu matter as to oiuino an,