The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1888-05-24


After some little discussion the resolu-
lions were adopted and the convention
took a recess to allow the District Con-
VenJiOn to act.
THE TENTH DISTRICT.
The delegates for the Tenth District
assem- bled III the Gem Theatre, and were
called to order by Mr.. }. A. Frazer, chair.
man of the Congressional Committee. In
taking the chair Mr.. Frazier stated that
District Delegates TO Chicago had alread y
been elected al Il District Convention held
in accordance-with the call OF the National
Committee; and that thus e delegates who
had attended the former convention OF
were in sympathy with its action, would
not participate in any other Lection of
delegates to Chicago.
However, those who disagreed with that
action could proceed in their own way land
the whole question would be settled at the
National Republican Convention. In the
selection OF electors. committee
men. &C., the two Wigs could unite.
He desired harmony, and as an evidence
of it called Mr.. Craig to the Chair.
Mr.. Craig took the chair. A. A. Arnold
was appointed secretary.
The only contesting delegation was that
from Augusta. Mr., HUBBARD, OF Bucking
ham, moved that committee on creden-
tials consisting of three members be ap.
pointed, and moved that S. G. Allen, of
Amherst; e. Perkins, of Buckingham and
W. Statham, OF AppOmattox, constitute
the committee. AS every member sug-
gested was Mahonite, the opposition PRO
tested. and finally the committee was en-
larged to five and IL. p. Higgins and Jno.
w. Barrett anti MahOnites, added.
The committee retired to examine the
respective credentials.
The only credentials submitted to them
was from the contested delegations from
Augusta, and the certificate of Hon. J.
lost as proxy for Highland.
YosTs STATEMENT.
Before the committee Hon. ]. Yost APP
peared in behalf of the contestants. He
stated that at the meeting held for the
county of Augusta, there were present be-
tween 800 and 400 Republicans. w. D..
Craig, chairman, for the county, called the
meeting to order, and designated Col. w i.
H. Peyton as temporary chairman. Mr..
Peyton was gentleman respected by all
classes. but his health was such as to rem
der him unfit to discharge the duties of
the position. His eyesight was so defec-
tive that he could scarcely recognize a
face at the distance of five feet and other
wise his physical condition was such as to
make it almost impossible to comprehend
| what was going on, much less control Il
turbulent body of men. Immediately
after he assumed the chair, S. Brown Al
| len moved that the temporary organization
| IL. w. Davis in the meantime having ittn
appointed secretary be made permanent.
| and called for the ayes and nays. 1t would
have been impossible to say which side pre-
vailed, but Mr.. Allen declared the resolu-
ton adopted. This arbitrary action threw
| the convention into the utmost confusion.
and protests were poured in thick and fast,
Mr.. Parkins in the meantime nominating
Dr., G.. T. Robson for the position. A
second vote was then called for with pre-
cisely the same result. The confusion
that ensued was pandemonic. When par.
tial order was restored, Mr.. Parkins, out
of sympathy for Mr.. Peytou's condition,
withdrew the nomination Of DR.. Robson.
Mr.. Craig then offered list of names,
and moved hat the same be elected as the
delegates. At the head of the list APP
peared the name Of Hon. j. YOst, the
mover stating that inasmuch as there was
some division of sentiment in the county.
he desired delegation representative of
both wings. Further down the names of
c. S. Roller, VIM. McCue and two or three
| other anti MahonelteS were sandwched
| between the names Of about four times DIS
many Mahoneltes. Mr.. Y ost objected to
any such list, and stated that before any
delegates were elected at all. he desired to
know what the will of the constituent
body was. To ascertain this, he offered
| as a substitute, series OF resolutions IN
structing against the unit rule. and pres
ent plan of organization, and in favor of a
plan of organization permitting the Re-
! nf hni n
own county chairman, instead OF having
| that chairman appointed. as under the
present plan, by the State Executive Com
mittee, or really ry the chairman of the
State Committee. Mr.. Craig moved to
| lay these resolutions on the table. After
considerable confusion it was decided to
take the vote by tellers. Mr. Yost and
Mr.. Allen were appointed tellers. The
former stated to the latter that after the
rush on either side was over, then the
tardy electors who desired to vote would
pass between the tellers and indicate with
which side they desired to be counted.
The motion being to table the resolutions
an affirmative majority had the effect of
defeating the resolutions. The opponents
of the resolutions therefore voted first.
When IS voters had passed between the
tellers, the count of the other side was
commenced, and had proceeded to 65
when Mr.. Allen, without the knowledge
or consent of his co-teler, left his position
and reported to the chairman that the res
olutions had been defeated by vote of 76
to 65. Whilst he was passing over dis
lance of scarcely ten feet from the point
where the tellers stood, TO point in front
of the chairman, Y ost, who had continued
the count, had Tailed four more voters. sc
that really at the instant that Allen an
| If 80 n TG vi h q
number of the friends of the resolutions
pressing up the aisle to reach the tellers
The Chair, however. announced the result
as reported by Allen. Yost at once pro-
tested against such all outrage, and a
scene of wild confusion ensued. During
the uprOar a motion was made by Mr.
Roller to adjourn. but the chair refused
to entertain it, and in the uprOar that en-
sued, Allen held up the same list CT dele
gates previously proposed by Craig, moved
their adoption and the Chair declared the
| motion carried ard the meeting adjourned
without the formality of vote, the Ma
honites leaving the Court House.
Another meeting was Immediately calleC
by Yost, a regular organization effected, {
full quota of delegates elected, and the of
fetal proceedings properly certified. This
certificate was presented to the committee
After the two county meetings were
over. the city meeting was held. Craig
who is also chairman of the city commit
tee, called this meeting to order, and APP
pointed the temporary officers. Imme
diately the anti MahOneites elected one Of
their number as permanent chairman anC
another as permanent secretary. CRAIG
then moved that the delegation for 'eact
Ward be doubled and given half vote
each. saying that he desired to see Mr.
Chas Curry elected as one of the delegates
for the I'd Ward. This motion was voted
down, and after the meeting adjourned
Curry in a conversation with lost, stated
that he (Yost) had prevented his (C's
being elected as a delegate, and seemed
angry about it.
After all three of these meetings Craig
certified list of delegates with Iost's
name stricken out and Cnrry's name in
serted. and with other names substituted
for those of the anti Malone delegates.
Such was substantially the statement
made by YOst before the committee OF
credentials, after which he (Yost) pro
pounded the following heterogeneous tt
S. Brown Allen. one of the contestees;
O, Was not the list of delegates proposed
by YOU the same as that first introduced by
Craig?
Ans.-I so understood it.
O. Was there any other list ever rea(
before the meeting.
Ans-NOt that | heard.
Q-Was it not your understanding tina
| Yost, % name headed The list?