Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1886-08-26
SECOND IOWA DISTRICT.
Republican Congressional Convention
Divides and Makes Two Nominations.
Three Counties support Hon. 3. J.
kirkwood and Three Indorso
the Nomination OF O'Meara.

The Republican convention Of the Second
District which met at Davenport, Ang 10th, as
the call stated to take action relative to the
nomination Of candidate for Congress and
to transact such business, as may DO deemed
advisable in view OF the present political
situation, resulted In the nomination Of two
candidates.
At IL o'clock j. G. Root, OF Clinton, Chair
man of the Congressional Committee, called
the convention to order and named Col, Milo
Smith, also Of Clinton, for Temporary Chair
man. Smith, with n brief acknowledgment
of the honor, proceeded directly to business.
Capt. Ben Van Stienberg, OF Jackson, was
chosen Secretary, and J. ID. Fegan, Of Clinton,
assistant, this organization afterward being
declared the permanent organization. The
Committee on Credentials reported eighty
four delegates as entitled to seats, and all
were present No sooner had the report been
| disposed of, than Mr.. Van Horne, OF Mus.
| catine, in a speech of some length proposed
the following:
WHEREAS, We are assembled In convention
under the call of the Republican Congressional
| Committee of the Second District OF Iowa, TO
| take action in relation to the nomination OF a
candidate for Congress, be 1t
ReSoleed, That, as members OF the conven-
| ton, we sincerely pledge ourselves, In the Ian
| guage of the johnson County Republicans, TO
| abide by such action as this convention shat!
deem best subservient of the interests Of the
| party and the people Of District.
The resolution was greeted by earnest APP
| plause from the Muscatine, Clinton and Jack
| son delegates, who had been seated together
| on one side Of the hall Hon. John G. Bills,
al for anpnnI
reading of Van Horne's resolution, and offered
| as an amendment the following:
Provided the convention shall nominate a
| Republican as candidate for congress.
The amendment heIng seconded, Mr.. Bill
| spoke at great length in advocacy Of 1t. Mr.
| Bills speech was followed by another motion
to adjourn, resulting exactly as before. lows
| county was then heard from In the person o.
Hon. J. N. W. Rumple, who held that the Var
| Horne resolution was insulting to Republl
cans. He pleaded for the nomination Of Gov
| Kirkwood, whose nomination would be follow
| ed by his election. Mr.. Van Horne replied
that he had no thought Of creating such dis
| turbance as he had witnessed, advocated the
nomination Of Mr.. OMeara, and withdrew his
resolution. The convention then adjourned
| till 2p. IN.
| On reassembling, Mr.. McNutt of Muscatine,
offered resolution, which was adopted limit
ing speeches to ten minutes. Mr.. Remley, Of
johnson, moved that Samuel j. Kirkwood be
nominated for Congress, and Mr.. Allen, OF
| Clinton, offered the following substitute:
| ResolUei, BY the Republicans Of the Second
| Congressional District In convention assem-
| bled, that we reaffrm our allegiance to the Re
| publican party and its principles, and here
| pledge ourselves TO faithfully support the
| State ticket when nominated:
| Resolged, That In the present situation in
| the Second Congressional district we endorse
| the nomination of L. J. O'Meara, and instruct
| the Republican county committees to place
| the name of 4. j. O'Meara on the regular
| Republican tickets In the district for member
| of Congress.
| For nearly two hours the friends Of the two
candidates vigorously presented their claims
at times the convention becoming scene OF
| disorder and turbulence. Senator Bills moved
that a new candidate, John Coleman, o
| Clinton, a Republican Knight Of Labor, be
| substituted for O'Meara, but this was voted
| down by the inevitable AZ TO 81, each side
| standing as solid as when the first vote was
taken. The division, long expected, then
came. Senator Bills asked all delegates In
favor Of nominating a Republican for Con
| gress to withdraw. Amidst clamorous cheer.
ing the delegates from Scott, Iowa and John
son counties proceeded to another room. Or
assembling, the straight Republicans, as they
called themselves, elected DIR. Scraeder, Of
johnson, Chairman and nominated Governor
Krkwood by reclamation. This was followed
by three times three cheers given with will.
| The delegates from Muscatine, Clinton and
johnson, forty-seven in number, remained In
| Turner Hall and continued their session. Mr..
| O'Meara was nominated and a committee ap
| pointed to conduct him to the hall. He ap
| peared and thanked this wing Of the origina
| convention for the honor conferred, pleading
| If elected, to act and vote independently OF
| political parties.
L A WalarY Grave.