National Republican., 1886-08-27
1T SHOULD nE"1rr OR DEATH.
Not Able to Rule the Convention the
Lee Men Closed It,


The Democratic convention at Alexandria
TO nominate candidate for Congress for
the eighth district Of Virginia was in session
all night Wednesday and until about
o'clock yesterday morning. At1 o'clock In
the morning Mr.. Nicol, Of Prince William
county, made a motion, which was adopted,
that the four candldates--Lee, Hume, Fos-
ter, and Meredlth-be requested to confer
with four persons to be selected by the
chairman Of the convention, aud to agree
unanimously upon plan Of action to be re-
ported to the convention. The chairman
appointed Messrs. Scott, OF Fauquier: Brent,
OF Alexandria; Nieol, of Prince. William,
and Alexander, Of Loudoun, as the four to
confer with the candidates. Inc convention
then took a recess for one hour to allow
time for the conferees TO meet the candi-
dates.
After the hour had expired Mr.. r. Taylor
Scott, chairman of the committee, came
into the convention and asked for further
time, which was granted. AT $3.50 o., IN.
the committee returned and reported That
they had, after a lengthy conference with
the four candidates, been unable to unani-
mously agree upon any plan OF action to
be recommended to the convention. Mr..
Scott, the chairman, reported that their
plans had been considered: 1st, That Lee
and Foster should both run before the
people, and In case q Republican or inde-
pendent was put In the field they should
draw lots as to which should withdraw.
ID, Nessrs. Hume, Foster, and Meredith
offered TO withdraw In favor OF Hon. John
&. Barbour, but Lee and his friends would
not agree to anything but that Lee should
be nominated, otherwise the convention
should adjourn sine die.
After this report to the convention Judge
Ashton again placed the name Of John s.
Ia Haf
Mr.. X. Taylor Scott then arose and re-
peated what he had said in the morning,
that he had o letter from Mr.. Barbour posi-.
lively declining to allow his name TO be
placed before the convention, and he
begged that the convention would not use
Mr.. Barbour's name. As In the morning
session, the mention Of Mr.. Barbour's name
was received with perfect storm Of Kisses
and with but faint applause. The 203d
ballot was then taken, which resulted as
follows: Lee, S,404; Barbour, 1901. Three
other ballots were then taken, resulting,
Lee, $3.50; Foster, 1895; Lee, S,693; Hume,
7,572; Lee, 1872, Meredith, 1906 The last
ballot, the 207th, was taken as follows:
A Lee, $3.50; Foster, 1879.
Then at d;30 o'clock in the morning, a
motion was made to adjourn sine die; the
vote was taken by counties. For the mo-
ton, $3.50; against 1t, 1875; but before the
result was formally announced motion
was made by A. ID. Payne, Of Fauquler
county, to suspend the rules so as to allow
him to offer a resolution indorsing the adj
ministration Of President Cleveland. Mr..
Brent, Of Alexandria, opposed this warmly,
saying he did not indorse the administra-
tion, that he Lad not asked any favors Of
10, and that he did not do anything for eX-
pediency or policy. The rules were, how
ever, suspended by vote of 3,662 to 2,473
against, and the resolution was adopted
by vote Of ii, 4,149 TO 2,110 against. The
vote on the motion to adjourn sine die was
then announced, and at o'clock the con-
vention was declared adjourned.
The convention was, In many respects,
one Of the most remarkable ever held in
Virginia. From the first the supporters of
Lee determined, as they said, that It should
be "Lee or death"--and they met the death
of their candidate on Wednesday night.
The opposition to Lee was ably led by
Brent, OF Alexandria; Alexander, of Lou
doun, and G. Il. Nicol, Of Prince William.
The management Of the Lee party was
changed q little. On Wednesday the i'm
pulsive and indiscreet Scott was held II
check and Maj. A. G. Smith, the principal
of a small school for boys in Fauquiei
Smith amused the convention by
some OF his remarks, but his man
agement was the acme OF stupidity. f
I. Winston, Of Louisa, also took an actiy,
part for Lee, but in every motion he mad
he was met by Mr.. Nlcol, of Prince WIN
lam, and roundly scored. Mr.. Brent wa
also very severe on Winston when b,
showed up the manner In which the dele
Two OF the officers OF the convention wer,
heavily loaded with genuine "old bourbo
spirit" and created great morriment and Il
times considerable confusion.