The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1890-10-23

taken dangerously Ill on the Gay Iue JUL
vention met and he had to leave tor his
home.) The convention assembled IN the
hall over Gardeners store. The Bookings
delegates secured the organization,
being in the majority had everything their
own way. Moody, seeing the convention
would nominate Judge Brookings whether
he liked it or not, withdrew from the con-
y~ention, taking his following with him.
This small handful of 'kickers" met at
the school house in Canton, and put
Gideon @. Moody in nomination, He &C.
copied the nomination and worked to de-
feat the regular nominee of the republican
convention, Judge Bookings. The result
of Moody's bolt was that Moses X.
Armstrong, the democratic candidate, was
elected delegate to congress. These are
the facts and positive proof of their truth
fitness can be given "Old Republican" at
any time, There are at present several
men in the Black Hills who we're members
of that convention, and all remember the
circumstances we'll, and without exception
denounce the course pursued by Moody.
and declare that he was fairly and honestly
defeated for ths republican nomination"
The writer was q delegate to the Canton
convention in 1872, and the record OF the
: convention, or of the two conventions, Is
now before him.
There were two conventions held al
Canton at that time; but they we're two
distinct bodies, assembling at different
places. Judge Moody's supporters die
not at any time unite with The adherents Of
Judge Bookings. On the morning OF
convention day, which was a rainy morn
ing, the convention to which the writer
adhered met at the store of S. II. Stafford
and nominated Judge Brookings for con
gress. This convention was called to order
BY L. H, Litchfeld. (since died) a member
of the central committee.
The other body wendell their way through
the rain and mud to the school house 1--WE
saw them on the march) where they were
called to order by E. LeGro, a member OF
the central committee, and there nom
mated Colonel Moody FOR congress.
There was no bolt from either convention
A few words more that the Journal may
better understand this matter. The re-
publican party was split in twain at the
rVerrnillion convention, in September, 1870.
Here DR.. W. A. Burleigh was nominated by
one faction and S. l.. Sphinx by the other,
and the result of that split gave the election
to the democracy, Hon. NJ. X. Armstrong
being chosen delegate.
The feeling between the factions was
very bitter and had not been healed when
the time came for the convention in 1872,
but through The efforts Of wise councillors
the central committees of the two factions
had united in a call for the republican
at Canton; but this was as far
as the union extended; for when the day
came for the convention to assemble,
aeither faction was represented by dele-
gates from every county, and double dele-t
or a delegation for each faction,
from several counties.
There conld be no compromise so the
%:actional war continued. Mr.. Armstrong
vas again elected, and his democratic
supporters felt very jubilant over the fact
he had beaten two republicans.
Finally ,&the Rapid City Journal is clearly
imaginative in its positive. assertion about
"facts." 1t is also purely fictitious in stat
ing that "there are several men in the Black
Hills who we're member of that conven-
ton, and that Moody was fairly and hon.
orably defeated for the nomination."
because, as will be seen from the above,
there were two conventions and two dis
tinct factions that had not united and die
not pretend to unite, so that Moody coulc
not have been beaten,
We do not believe thsre are severa
AL IhO ION 111llo lllU WSI'
members of that convention or were i,
Canton on the 21st of May, 1872, which wa
the day of the convention, and not in Jun,
as the Journal has it. There are two mel
IN the Black Hills, three including Senate
Moody, who we're there, to-wit: Fred j
Cross of Pennington county then a delegat
from Clay county, and Capt. J. w. Garland
OF Deadwood, then a delegate from Boz
Homme county. There may be others bu
there is not one who will sustain tn
Journals story for it is built on a falls
foundation.
Will the Journal kindly show this articl
to its correspondent Gan Old Republican
Press and Dakotian, October 10, 1890.
The Yankton Press sunga very differ
ent song in 1872, and here it is, show
ing Col. Moody a fullledged bolter.
:. In 1870 the republican party of Da
kota split and placed two tickets in tn
field-thc congressional candidates bein,
S. L. Sphinx and w. A. Burleigh. Eacl
faction appointed a territorial centra
( committee, the chairman OF the Spinl
committee being George H. Hand and o
the Burleigh committee L. H. Litchfeld
The democrats nominated NJ. K. Arm
strong and elected him.
: In 1872 the two republican commit
tees joined a call for 81 territorial con
v~ention to be held at Canton, May FL
1872. On the day OF the meeting OF tn,
) convention, the two territorial commit
tees had a meeting and organized b,
e~lecting H. J.. Austin, of Vermillion
chairman, and W. E. Phillips, secretary
> Among other arrangements. it was de
cided to hold the convention at J. H
, Stafford's storeroom.
at two o'clock p. m. the convention
, met at the place designated and wa,
/ called to order by L. H. Litchfield as tn,
chairman and representative OF the two
committees. The call provided for fifty
eight delegates. ,Forty-three were pres
ent in this convention. The informal
ballot for candidate for congress gave
W, W. Brookings, 20; w. H. H. Beadle
i; J. P. Kidder, 5; N. j. Wallace, 1; J. L
Jolley, 6.
On the formal ballot Brookings re
celved all the votes-3-and was de
clared the nominee.
On the same day portion OF the reg
ularly elected delegates and a number o.
contesting delegates met in another
building in Canton and nominated q. C
Moody for congress.
At that time George w. Kingsbury
was editor OF the Yankton Press and
was a delegate from Yankton county to
the Canton convention. The papersup.
ported Brookings, and the editorial az
ticles which appeared in it's columns
during the campaign were in the main
written by Kingsbury. The same Kings
bury is at present one OF the editors of
the Yankton Press and Dakotian, and
is the author of the article in that paper
OF the 10th instant, in reply to one in
the Rapid City Journal OF a recent date.
I .N v~ - ---EsgEf