The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-10-03
THE LATE CAUCUS
PUT DOWN AS ONE OF THE GREAT
EST POLITICAL FARc5S

| EV6r thtb Va tuo
sore Spots Lefc Bshind-.Republican
Leaders on the Watch. but Get Cold
| Comfort.
COLUMBIA, S. e., Sept. 26.-One of
the greatest political farces ever enact.
ed in South Carolina was the late eau
| Gus of the anti-Tillman Democrats,
which was held In this city last Tues
day night. The Register says it was the
most gigantic farce Of modern times
and the worst demoraltzed body Of
men which ever assembled for political
purposes In the State of south Caro-
lima. As much soreness was engender-
ed In that unharmonious organization
as was ever known and one Of the last
things attempted was the offering Of
a resolution severely condemning the
men who had withdrawn from the
body when 1t had been decided to
make nominations. The resolution Of
condemnation was defeated by few
votes. How the caucus could have
passed the resolution is not known,
when many of ths delegations had
served express notice early In the eve
ming that they would desert In body
| If nominations were attempted. Some
of them further served notice that In
| addition to leaving the caucus they
would fight whatever ticket was put
out.
As an illustration of the number Of
bruised spots left behind 1t may be
stated that as some of the delegates
who withdrew were leaving the hall
| they were guyed and sharply reproved
| by those who remained. This caused q
personal feeling between many and 1t
has not abated. Another specimen OF
the feeling engendered against those
who left the hall Is found In the follow
ing uttersnces of Col. N. G. Gonzales,
in which the boilers are put down as
deserters:
1t was the sense Of the convention
that they were outrageously deserted
by men who had submitted their
claims to the judgment Of that con-
vention and after having the fullest
and freest discussion had been beaten
by a decisive majority. That when
they went out they threatened not only
to desert the ticket but that they
would fight 1t and put us In the posi-
tion of breaking up the Conservative
party. We refused to rescind the reso-
tion, but concluded after appointing
the committee on platform and reso.
lutiors to place the responsibility
where it belongs and abandon the
whole thing In disgust"
It Is learned tnat early In the eve-
ming A. B. Williams offered practically
o. 4 1,,f{ x,h{nh tho
passed just as it adjourned. They were
rejected. He also submitted plan for
the appointment of an Executive Com
mittee which should have the power OF
nominating full State ticket. This
committee was to spring q ticket on
the public two weeks before the cleo.
tion and the Independents were to try
| to carry 1t with q rush. 1t was to keep
the matter dead secret until the time
fixed. The plan did not meet the ap.
probation of the caucus. One stumb-
ling block In the way of the caucus
was that great many were doubtful
if there was anything undemocratic In
the platform adopted by the regular
Democratic convention last week.
They could not see the point In the ar
guments of some Of their opponents
that the platform was undemocratic,
full of Ocalism, etc.
The secret has leaked out that during
the evening j. G. Hemphill, OF the
News and Courier, telegraphed to the
caucus that he had direct information
from Chairman Harrity, Of the Nation
al Democratic Committee, and from
Chairman Faulkner, Of the National
Democratic Congressional Committee,
that these committees would not recog.
nizs the Independents as Democrats.
This did not have much effect on the
hotheads, and they did not pay any at.
tention to 1t, but the sober minded
men needed it.
A summary of the reports made to the
caucus by counties showed that there
was no chance of carrying the State.
Representatives of the following eigh-
teen counties reported that their coun-
| ties could not be carried: Aiken, Abbe-
vile, Anderson, Barnwell, Charleston,
Clarendon, Colleton, Edge6eld, Hamp.
ton, Lancaster, Laurens, Lexington,
Marion, Newberry, Orangeburg, Pick
ems, Union and Williamsburg.
The following ten counties were re-
ported as solid for the Independents:
Beaufort, Chester, Darlington, Fair
field, Florence, Georgetown, GreenVille,
Oconee, Richland and York, although
there was some doubt about York.
The opinion about Berkeley, Horny
and Spartanburg was divided. Four
counties, Sumter, Chesterfield, Kershaw
and Marlboro, had no representative
| in the caucus and this betokened that
those counties were solidly against In
| dependentism.
The reorganization called for In the
| resolutions adopted has net begun.
The symptoms are more Of decomposi.
tion with probabilities of an early de-
cline and an inglorious death. What
the verdict of the coroner's Jury WILL
be Is wholly q matter Of speculation.
One of the Independent papers is al
| ready calling for reorganization to
start. It is now believed that the men
who favored nominations will refuse
to have anything to do with reorgani.
zation.
The last resolution of those adopted
Is regarded by some as bid for the
negro vote In 1890. 1t opposes the call.
Ing of constitutional convention and
tells the negroes, without using the
word, that the aid Of the Independent
organization will be given them to
fight this ubiquitous, undemocratic,
| tyrannical and dangerous proposition"
A gentleman said yesterday that If the
negroes and Independents Join In fight
| ing the call Tor a convention the Inde.
pendents can say to the negroes In
1895: "We helped to save you from los.