Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1890-05-30
To the Republicans Of Augusta County.

L Y.
To the Republicans Of Augusta County.
Alta meeting of your county committee,
held on the 26th of April, 1890, a sub-commit
tee was appointed, composed of nine persons,
to draft call for county convention, in
obedience to our amended plan of organiza
ton, to elect new precinct committees and
new county chairman. Five members of the
committee were called together by VIM. E.
Craig, on Saturday, the 10th inst, and with
out either the knowledge or consent of the
four meeting ESQ called) was
held. your convention put off until the 18th
of July, and a call adopted that puts it in the
Craig, to control your convention, even if nine
out of every ten Republicans in Augusta
county are against him. In the call above
referred to- which was written by Craig him
self, the precinct chairmen who Craig APP
pointed are required to certify to VIM. E.
Craig the names of the permanent chairmen
and Secretaries of the precinct meetings, and
they in turn certify to VIM. E. Craig the dele
gates and alternates appointed, and VIM. r.
Craig, with no man daring to dispute his
power, makes up the roll of your convention,
which is to pass Oh his title to the position of
county chairman.
Now, therefore, we, the undersigned MEM
bers of the committee on reorganization who
were not present at the meeting in question:
because we were not notified OF tin the in
terest of honest dealing and fair-play, and in
order that we may get at fair and honest eX-
preston of a majority of the Republicans Of
Augusta county, determined to make one final
effort to have the delegates to the convention
fairly, and to this end we called another meet
ing of the committee, extending the courtesy
of written notice to each and every member
of it, and the proceedings we give briefly but
accurately.
The members present in the majority were
John d. Rodgers, John A. Noon, John IL.
Council, 7. j. Martin and W. E. Craig. The
undersigned composed the minority. Mr..
Rodgers seemed to be master OF ceremonies,
and called Mr. Martin to the chair, and Craig
moved to make Mr. Cornell secretary, all of
which was done. Then S. Brown Allen arose
and said that the committee had been called
on the part Of the minority for the purpose of
adopting some means whereby we could have
to this end he offered in good faith the olive
branch. He said he believed .he but voiced
the sentiment Of ali overwhelming majority
of the Republicans of Augusta when he asked
that the approaching convention should be
permitted to register the will of the majority
On the nomination of our precinct committees
and the selection OF county chairman. He
represented the minority of the Communicable
represented self-respecting Republicans every
where when he gave assurance OF his willing
ness 10 YlelH DDluiolC6 10 tilc FOlCc VI Gilt
majority, but he not only asked-he demand
ed-that the will OF the majority should be
fully and fairly and honestly expressed. I'm
der the operations of the call already pub
lished over the signatures above given, VIM
E, Craig himself makes up the roll of the
convention from delegates only who are GER
titled by precinct chairmen appointed by VIM.
E. Craig himself, so that VIM. E. Craig has
the power under his call to enroll and COM
pose the convention of fifty one delegates who
are favorable to him, though ffty;,one, dele
gates have been elected by the people who are
opposed to him. Gentlemen of the committee,
such use Of the party machinery was never
contemplated by the party law, 1t is not the
law we complain of, but the unfaithful exc
cution OF it that we fear, and yet we do not
tons I've had with our distinguished county
chairman Oh the subject, an utterance fell
from his lips that bid me 'be of good cheer, -
"a grand, a noble and inspiring declaration
pie We're safe in the hands of a man who had
attained such standard Of fairness. it was
last Monday night, one week ago, in his of
fee; when we had under confederation this
very call, and / objected that it gave him the
power to control the convention if he chose to
he had never in his life done anything that
was unfair, and he never intended to do it.
! repeat it gentlemen, because want to
give peculiar emphasis to the language.
IolL SAFE pn0ll. i locl Sale HOW, DuU WILL Dc
pardoned, if, out of an abundance of caution,
I shall put his sincerity to tho test.
| therefore have suggestion to make, to
the end that we may have plain and fair and
smooth sailing. We all want a tair conven-
ton, with its roll of delegates fairly and hon
estly made up. Mr.. Craig has expressed de-
sire that it shall be SO, and every member OF
this committee, I am confident, applauds the
sentiment, and therefore believe that every
member here will cordially approve the reso
buttons now offer:
I2esalyed, That the call for a Republican
county convention to assemble in Staunton on
July 18th, 1890, which appears in the Valley
Virginian of May 10Th, 1890, be amended so as
to provide that the person who calls the pre-
cinct meetings to order will certify to COM
VIM E. Craig, s. Brown Allen and q. A
Roler-the names of the permanent chairman
and secretary of such meeting, and the said
permanent chairman and secretary viii
Of the delegates and alternates ap-
painted, from which the committee will make
up the roll Of the convention.
ResoLred further. That the committee thus
provided will be required to assemble in the
Court House promptly at 10 O'Clock for the
t tia p''' " ''''''''s S'''' p''''s %
At the conclusion of the reading of the res
olutions, which was done slowly and will
emphasis, the majority seemed to be for the
Clln6 dlulOSI udZeu, duu VdCdutIy SldIcu lIoH
one to another, but to our surprise our evel
ready and active and energetic chairman
VIM. E. Craig, took the floor and nervously
drew from his inside pocket piece OF writing
already prepared, and in tremulOus voice
offered the paper as a substitute for the Aller
Resolutions:
Resoloed. That we hereby re-affirm and re
enact the call for county convention adopted
by this committee on last Saturday, the 10tf
inst.
And on this motion Allen demanded the
ayes and hayes. Mr.. Craig at this juncture
as if to give courage and nerve to his discom
fitted followers, who seemed to be about tx
stampede, said. with violent gesture, that hi
objection to the Allen propositions was, tina
make up the roll Of the convention, and un
der his he would make it up; whereupon VIM
II. Peyton said he thought that was a might
big difference, but he was willing to make any
concession, and would meet the objection b.
asking Allen to strike from the proposed
committee the name of e, 4. Roller and, fnser
that OF John Cornell, MI Craig's friend, thu
giving Craig the majority Of the committee
Mr. Allen accepted the amendment and sale
in conclusion that he only wanted the roll O
our convention made up in the light of opel
day, in the Court House, before the people
and not in the back room OF a private office
by one man. The vote was taken, Craig
Noon, Rodgers, Martin and Cornell, votin!
against, but the minority, whose names ar
signed to this paper, have the privilege, which
they now exercise, OF ali appeal to the homes
instincts of the Republicans OF August;
county.
WIN. McCuE, VIM. H. PEYToN,
G. A. roller, s. BROWN ALLEN.
MARRIED..