The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1888-06-07
THE STATE CONVENTION.
THE CLOSING SCENES OF THE
GUBERNATORlAL FIGHT.

GUBERNATORlAL FIGHT.
Speeches BY Stedman and Fowle. AL
exander Wfthdrayvs and Is Replaced
by Holt. Other Nominations and In
cfdents.
Thursday morning at 10 o'clock
the convention assembled and ballot
ing began again. The votes varied
all the candidates alternately gaining
and loosing until about the Goth bal
lot, when Fowle began to gain rapid
ly.
On the 21st ballot Judge Fowle
rose to the highest vote he had ever
received, scoring 437. Stedman re-
ceived 317, while Alexander fell
back to 2O5.
When the roll was being called, as
some new changes were made from
one column to the other, the excite
ment increased and occasionally there
was fervor of applause. When the
result was announced it was realized
that on the twenty second ballot that
Fowle had risen still higher and
Stedman as well, while Alexander
had fallen away. 1t stood Fowle AS,
Stedman $50, Alexander $50.
AS the long continued cheering for
Fowle reverberated through the hall,
while the clerks were casting up the
count, telegram was handed to Mr..
f. b. Mcdowell, Mayor of Charlotte,
chairman of the Mecklenburg delega-
ton, which was from Capt. Alexander,
and expectation was high when he
asked leave for the Mecklenburg del
egation to retire for consultation.
1t was now apparent to all that the
end was nigh, and that the protracted
struggle was near its close-but no
one could predict ON whom the good
fortune would fall Beth the sup
porters OF Stedman and Fowle were
hopeful and anxious.
At length the Mecklenburg delega-
tion returned and Mr.. Mcdowell tax
ing his place on the stand announced
a telegram from Alexander, under
the direction of which he withdrew
his name from the consideration of the
convention in connection with the
nomination for Governor. In the
breathless suspense of the moment, a
delegate shouted out, GLOW about
Lieutenant Governor?
Gas to that, replied Mr.. Mcdowell,
'I say nothing now And The con
vention was gratified *ith the hope
that Capt. Alexander would still De 81
the ticket, aiding to secure the Success
all so ardentiy desired.
On the 53rd ballot, changes fag9r-
able TO Fowle continued to be made.
Anson, Buncombe, Davidson and
TraEsylvania as they were reached in
the roll call asked to be pasaed over,
and Wayne was not ready. But the
ballot proceeded so favorably to
Fowle that when Wake cast her 80
votes solid, the convention realized
that the contest was closed in his favor
and the building shook with cheers
When the counties that had asked to
be passed over had voted, Melville E
Carter, Esq, of Buncombe, obtained
the floor and said: Gas friend o1
Mai. Stedman, / move in his name to
make the nomination of Judge Fowle
unanimous" The motion was at once
put and carried with great applause
The final vote was then announced a.
follows: Fowle, 523 1-10; Stedman
439 9-10; Alexander, 2.
Upon the announcement Of the
vote the convention rose bodily to it.
feet and the scene which followed wa
grand to behold. Thousands of mel
leaped into the chairs and thousand
of hats waved in the air while cheer.
went up long, loud and destening.
When quiet was restored motion
was made by r. S. Huske, Esq, tina
a committee be appointed to wait OIL
Judge Fowle and and inform him o
his nomination and invite him to ad
dress the convention. The hair ap
pointed as the committee Iessrs. r
S. Huske, F. b. Mcdowell and Gee
III. Brown.
A motion was made by D. c
Winston, Esq, that committee b
appointed to wait on Lieut.. Govern
or Stedman and invite him to addres
the convention. the chair appoint
ed Messrs j. B. Sawyer, r. B. Pee
bles and j. S. Carr.
The committees retired.
Maj. Stedman came in under escor
of the committee and as he entere
the hall was greeted with applaus
that rang and rang again through tn
immense auditorium and continue
until the distinguished gentlema
stood upon the platform. Then ther
was a hush of respectful attention
and Chairman Cox introduced th
favorite SO long stoutly supported an
hotly battled for by ballot. HI
face was male with the emotion tbs
was but natural under the trying Gil
cumstances of the occasion but hi
bearing was was admirable in tn
highest degree, proving the posseseio
of the true pluck he has alway
shown. His speech was unfalterin
clear as bell, and his words wei
distinctly heard in the farthest .eol
ner, of the building He began b
saying he was for the nominees
the convention whoever they migl
be. and pledged his faithful servit
in their behalf He said he coul
not find words to express his thanl
for the hearty, enthusiastic and loI
sustained support he had receives
while at the same time he had 1
unkind feeling and no thought of r.
proach for any who had preferred a
other to him.
1t mattered not who the Democr.
CIV nominated so he was Democri
tried and true. He charged the NJ
ble array of the grand old Denocr,
ic party Of North Carolina before hir