The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-05-12
THE COUNTY, FIGHT.
The Democratic Executive Conn
mittee Issues Gard.

county explains itself and makes inter
esting reading:
To the Democratic Voters of Roanoke
County:
Two Democrats having announced
themselves as candidates for the Office
of clerk of court, both of them agreeing
with this committee to submit their
claims to the action of the Democratic
party, the Democratic executive com
mittee of Roanoke county determined
that it would be wise under the circum-
stances to have q convention Of the
Democrats of the county. To that end,
q convention was duly and regularly
called by this committee. to be held in
Salem on the 18th day of April, 1893, to
be composed of delegates from the
several magisterial districts Of tho
county. AT that convention Judge w.
Griffin was nominated.
After thorough and searching In
vestigation, we present the following
facts.
Ithas been alleged that certain ir.
regularities were practiced in til Salem
magi,ter.al districs mass meeting CT
April 18Th We have never known
fai,er mass meeting, nor one managed
more nearly along Democratic lint s.
We say this, recognizing that there was
some unuecs ssary heat and smoke in the
discussions, and sharp rivalry between
the friends of the opposing candidates,
because of the rigidity of tain motions
offered and adopted. But we do en-
phatically say that every deliverance OF
that body was the action of a majority
of the Democratic voters present, and
that the Democrats of tho county should
disregard unsubstantiated statements
to the contrary. Gentlemen saying such
things are doubtless sincere, blu. when
it is charged that votes other than
Democratic influenced the &C lion of the
mass meeting, they make statements
for the substaD tiation OF which no evi.
denco has been o1fe red.
The rulings of the presiding officer
weree fair and impartial. and every
motion was decided by majority OF
Democratic voters present, ard from
this, in mass meeting according to
Democratic usage, there is no appeal.
A statement has been made that on
| motion the young me II of Roanoke Col
lege were excluded from participation
in tho me ting. This statement is in.
correct and misleading; only those
students were restricted who were not
residents Of the Salem magisterial dis
trict, and the motion by which 1t was
done was worded in the language Of the
statute of the State of Virginia. So
with the election laws of the State, but
1t was the deliverance of a majority OF
the sovereign Democratic voters as
sembled there. Policy might have sug-
gested that this be not done, yet there
is no doubt of the fact that the mass
meeting had right to restrict the
students, and that they were restricted
in proper and regular way.
And so we may say tnat Democratic
presidents for the adoption Of the
motion that all voters Of Salem magis.
nominee of the convention be allowed
to take part in the meeting" arc over
whelming. This motion was offered as
an amendment to the motion that only
persons who voted for Grover Cleveland
in 1892 be allowed to participate IN the
ass-meeting.
The chairman in putting this motion
clearly and distinctly announced that
only Democrats should vote upon this
motion, as the first motion contested
the right of every person to vote,
| except those who voted for Grover
| Cleveland. The vote was taken, and
testing the right of anyone to vote, or
calling for division by tellers,
whereby persons having no right to
| participate could ard should have been
ce,ignatei.
If others than Democrats voted upon
this motion, we solemnly avow that it
was absolutely unknown to the mem
bers of the county committee who were
present at the meeting. And 80 the
gentlemen who left the meeting were
clearly in the wrong, because it was
their duty to have remained in the maso
meeting and then and there challenged
| no ~ -
participate in the meeting, and allow
them to be heard upon such challenges,
as was done in the case of tho college
students But instead of this, in pur-
suance to the previously outlined plan
of some of their leaders, openly bruited
about be fore the mass meeting Assem-
bled, when convinced that q majority
was against them, left the hall and
chose a contesting delegation to the
convention on Monday.
Such statements IS "the mass meet.
ing was packed and jammed with men
OF all parties" and 1.-The nomination of
Judge Griffin was effected by others
than Democrats" come with poor grace,
for, while the meeting was assembling,
a list of McCauley delegates, one of
whom was and is an avowed Republican,
was distributed by his supporters.
| X
The regularly elected delegates, prop.
erly certified to, had right to seats in
! the convention which the chairman
| could not disregard Let it be known
that the Griffin delegation from Salem
had the same kind of credentials that
the delegates from b Lick, Catawba
and Cave Spring had, which latter dele
cations, 1t is contended by gentlemen
who left the convention, should deter.