Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-07-04
Signs Of Coming Trouble in the Re-
publican Ranks.
TEE NATIONAL CONVENTION OF 1896
Preparations in Progress by Stall
warts Who Want to Go.
HISTORY

There are signs in the political atmos-
phere that hangs over Washington that the
stormy conditions which are characteriZing
other sections of the country will not be
altogether wanting in this vicinity in the
near future. So far the District demo-
Gratis have not given any apparent con-
sderation to the question of who shall rep
resent them at the next national conVen-
tion, but the initiated are well aware that
even at this early date vast amount OF
thinking is being INDUCED in. and many
people are regarding painful sores with
very retentive memories of how they re-
ceived the hurts.
The republicans, however, or at least the
colored members of that party in the Dis
trct, are already showing much animation
over the subject of who shall be their stan
dard bearers in the next convention.
There has been much mutering ana
other evidences of discomfort over the
fact that Messrs. Perry 1t. Carson and An
drew Gleason have frequently been dele
gates and alternates to republican ma
tional conventions from this District, and
this year the same signs of dissatisfaction
are apparent, and some of the opponents
of the two men mentioned go even so FAR
as to say that they will be beaten when the
final tug comes. In this connection 1t Will
not be found uninteresting to review the
conditions which have surrounded the
quadrennial activity of the republican local
legionS
An Interesting beginning.
The first movement of the republicans to
secure representation in the republican ma
tional convention took place after the aboli
ton of the territorial form of government
in the District. A call for a mass meeting
was issued in September, 1875, by Andrew
Gleason and Perry H. Carson, and large
crowd assembled in Lyceum Hail, as it was
then known, Z street between 18th and
18th streets northwest. The object of it
was stated by Mr. Carson to be for the
purpose of getting the several Legislative
districts to elect central committee, which
committee was to have charge of making
arrangements and selecting methods by
which delegates to the national convention
of 1876 were to be elected. A resolution
was adopted that each legislative district
should elect three representatives to a CEN
raj committee
This was carried out and the central
electing Jerome A. Johnson chairman, and
DR.. James l.. Bowen secretary. Thereupon
a resolution was offered by Andrew Glee-.
son empowering and authorizing the DIFF
ferent legislative districts to elect five dele
gates each to a convention to be held at
Lincoln Hall for the purpose of electing
two delegates and two alternates to the
national republican convention to be held
in Cincinnati in the summer of 1876 Not
until this time did the aspirants for polit-
cal preferment OF a national sort commence
TO exhibit their aSplratlcnS.
Hct Fight Wages.
But they quickly became numerous and
many of them were prominent Among
them We're Frederick Douglass, Ex-Governor
Shepherd, ex-Mayor Sayles J. Bowen, Gen.
S. S. Smoot, Prof. A. NJ. Green, DIR. C. b.
Purvis and Mr.. A. NJ Clapp. The heuten-
ants, who were one day to become leaders
themselves were eager in the fray.
Perry Carson espoused the cause of Prof.
A. NJ Green and eX-Mayor Bowen. Bowen
was committed to the interests of James
G.. Blaine, while Prof Green was a devoted
champion of Senator Oliver p. Morton.
Jerome A. johnson led the hosts of Gov.
Shepherd and Frederick Douglass. whose
motto was to die in the last ditch If need
be for President Grant. After a remark
ably spirited contest which lasted all day,
the convention chose ex-Mayor Bowen and
Prof. Green as delegates, with Perry H.
Carson and Andrew H.. Gleason as alter
mates. The Shepherd and Douglass faction
bolted the convention and sent Gov. Shop
herd and Frederick Douglass to the con-
vention at Cincinnati, where they contested
the seats of Bowen and Green, and were
defeated.
Carson and COnEer Fall Out.
In 1880 ex-Mayor Bowen and John F.
Cook were elected to go to the convention
at Chicago. Bowen still swore allegiance
to the plumed knight of Maine, while Mr.
Cook was IN enthusiastic supporter of Gen.
Grant, and now has the distinction of being
one of the memorable three hundred and
SIX In 1884, Robert G. Ingersoll Professor
Gregory A. NJ. Clapp. DIR. Adams, Frank
B. Conger, Professor Greener, John F.
Cook, and others. were in the foreground
of the fight. Henry Lacey. now a detec-
tive. was leading spirit in the interests Of
Mr. Conger George Miller, the eX-detec-
tive. worked INCREASINGLY for his choice,
Col. Ingersoll, and John w. Freeman man
aged the campaign of Col. Perry Carson.
A very interesting scramble was the
suit, and at its conclusion, Messrs. Carson
and Conger were announced the choice of
the body for delegates to Chicago. There
was no contestins delegation in 1884, but
there was a very sad falling out between
the delegates who did go. Messrs. Carson
and Conser could not agree as to which of
them should serve their party as a member
of the national committee, and in the fight
which inevitably followed. Mr. Carson won.
He was appointed on the committee and
has been member ever since.
A Hot Fight Wnsed.
The preliminary campaign of 1888 was
probably the most bitter and vindictive of
any that preceded it. Feeling ran high
and the many candidates and their bench
men were not disposed to give an inch in
the way of compromise if it in any way
threatened to jeopardize the chances of
their leaders for success. The candidates
were Frederick Douglass, Judge Shella-
larger, Frederick A. Dyson, Perry Fl. Car
son and Andrew Gleeson. The convention
did not surprise any when it became
the scene of wild disorder and confusion.
1t was expected that such would be the
case at a meeting of factions, whose rivalry
was SO bitter and whose feeling was SO
intense. The result was that Perry Car
son and Andrew Gleeson were selected as
delegates in the face Of opposition that
seemed almost invincible.
The Last Campaign.
The campaign of 1892 presented a some
what unprecedented feature, inasmuch as
the national republican committee had to
step in and use it's high authority in set
tlirg a contention between the warning
factions of the District republicans. To
settle the difficulty the national body APP
pointed Perry H. Carson and A. II. S. Davis
committee to call a meeting jointly for
the purpose of reorganizing the central
committee and thereby insuring peaceful
and satisfactory election. Carson and
Davis could not agree to the methods
to be followed in carrying out the wishes
of the national committee. Carson fol-