Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1892-08-24
RrPrRLIoAN lftss-MEErINa.
A oolored Nan Gets place on tSeTielset.

The Republican party assembled on both
sides of the -line-that useful bounda'
~ being by no means abolished-on Satur-
dsy afternoon at the courthouse. County
Chairman Ray called the convention to or
der. was a mass.meeting Mr. ;. '.
Yantis was called to the chair and DIR. Bor-
der TO the secretaryship. A good sized
white committee was appointed to Tx up
ticket. which was done with heroic disrs-
gard of the fact that four-6fths Of the Re-
publican voters Of the county are negroes.
The committee recommended the following
nominations for county Offices For sheriff.
s. II. Higinbotham; for prosecuting atLoT-
ney, H. s. Mcknight; for aSsessors-hrI'
district Edgar Lee and second district, W.
s. Wagner; for delegate to the Legislature,
J. @. Tabler. The committee seemed con-
tented. 1. had done its work as well as
could be expected with the material at hand,
and looked for the convention to acqulesce.
The expectation was disappointed. The
man and brother constituting majority
Of the mass-meesing under the leadership
of = Youthful colored orator named Braxton,
An ofiee-holder in a humble way in Wash
ipcton. overturned the prscedents of .wen-
tv-five years, Jumped on the slate with both
feet and broke it. Mr.. Braxton arose, and
in an apologize manner and voice choked
with emotion or stage fright reminded the
brethren Of the large proportion of colored
voters in the party in Jefferson county and,
summoning courage, mildly but firmly de-
manded recognition" for his race, since
the nominations we're merely honorary" The
said onery"),-suggesting that if the de-
sired recognition should be withheld part
Of the vote would be missing on election
dav. He concluded by moving that the
name Of VIM. II. Bell, colored, of Harper's
Ferry. be substituted for that Of Mr.. Tsbler,
for the nomination for the legislature, IN
the committees report His remarks we're
received with vigorous applause on the
Africa side of the boundary line, and with
embarrassed sience by the white brethren.
Nc Bell arose and declined the honor, al
though approving Of the efforts to secure
share Of the honors for his race Mr. Brax-
TON then nominated Hamilton Hatter-also
eolored. Mr.. Vickers, white, rather indig-
n.ntlv insisted thar the convention ought to
stand by its committee and adopt the re-
mort withou! amendment. Col. G.. W. i.
BLACK. q member Of the committee, replied
that its function was to recommend, not to
make nominations, and quite logically ar
quad that IL the President could appoint
negro postmasters at Yicksburg and Charles
ton and negro register of wills for the
District Of Columbia, the Republicans OF
Jefferson county could and should recognize
the darkey in making up their ticket
Chairman Yantis submitted some inaudible
remarks. and Hon. j. D. Butt, who wanted
some water, got glass that hadn't been IN
recent use. to drink from. BrsxtOn's mo-
ton was carried by an overwhelming major
itv few dazed and feeble nays COM
ing from the white side Of the house
Braxton again got the floor and thanked the
convention for its liberal acknowledgment
Of the par.y's debt to the negro ,four-ffth'
Of the party being represented by oneffth
Of the ticket. He spoke Of "yOur" con-
yention and your" campaign, with becOm-
ing humility. The ticket recommended by
the committee, amended by the substitution
of Halter for Tabler, was then unanimously
nominated.
Col. Black offered resolution cOndem-
ming the appointments q Democrat as post
master At Halltown. The appointment
seems to have been made in spite Of the
recommendation by party leaders Of a de-
serving Republican. The Colonel declared
with some warmth that if Democrats were
70 have the few federal Offices in Jefferson
county the Republicans might as well go
out Of business and that no was going to
raise "a fragrance about the matter. -
There was plenty Of material in the con-
vention to raise it with, but it will have to
be a very large odor indeed to make any
impression on the atmosphere Of the Post
Office department under present manage
msnt. The resolution was adopted.
The chair was authorized to appoint a
delegation to the senatorial and delegate
and the judicial convention. Messrs. Dan
iel Geszendanner Braxton and Charles
Goens were named.
Mr.. George Koonce, after divers sly ef-
forts to rufile the serenity of the chair, al
leyiatsd for a moment the gloom that had
settled upon the convention by remarking
that there were "two syes and one noes
upon a motion that was adopted 10y one
majority over his solitary opposition
Rev. Sam Jones, who preached to large
audiences at the tsbeynaclein Harrisonburg