Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-12-04
BUTTON TO BE CLERK
Nominated Over PendIetOn in the Senate
Caucus by One Vote.
WATKINS FOR SERGEANT At ARMS
Doorkeepcr Gunter and All the
House officers Chosen Again-Mr.
Ioxe,s,ein us President Pro Tenn
Views on the walton Law.

The General Assembly OF Virginia VIII
convene in biennial session to-day al
noon. and will organize by electine the
officers Of the two houses VINO were
nominated I'm the Democratic caucuses
held last night.
The only important change In the Off
cial CORPS OF either branch Will be the
election OF Mr. Joseph Button TO the
clerkship Of the Senate. which DR.. j. Dud-
Low Pendleton has filled for so many
years. The only other new officer VIII
be Mr.. Frank b. watkins. who sue
ceeds n. T. Weaver. Esq, as Sergeant
alarms OF the Senate.
The attendance upon the Democratic
caucuses last night shows that pretty
nearly all of the lawmakers will answer
~ their names when the rolls are called
to-day. OF the 81 Democrats in the Sen
ate 81 were present. while only out of
the eS Democratic members Of the House
failed to put in an appearance.
The Capitol pres.pted a more animated
scene last night than IT has done since
the adjournment OF the General Assembly
I'm March, 1884, The rotunda was
thronaed with the candidates and their
friends. and the deepest interest was
manifested in what was going on in the
two halls The anti-Democratic or op-
position members OF the Legislature will
hold a conference at 10 o'clock this morn
ing I'm Room No. Of the old Auditor 3
office to organize and decide as TO making
complimentary nominations for officers
Of the two houses.
The senate Caucus.
As a result of the caucus Of the men,
bers of the Senate last night, Hon.
William Lovenstein was elected Presi-
dent pro TEN. Of that body; Mr.. Joseph
Button. Of AppOmattoX. Clerk; Mr..
Frank Watkins. Of Charlotte, Ser
geant-at-Arms. and Mr.. l.. J. Gunter,
of Accomac Doorkeeper The contest
between Or. Pendleton the former Clerk
of the Senate. and Mr.. Button was
very close and the latter only won by
a single vote 1t is rather singular CO.
Incidence that Mr.. Button was defeated
two years ago by the same majority.
Mr.. Lovenstein. Of Richmond. few
minutes after O'Clock, called the caucus
to order. as chairman Of the last Demo
cratic caucus, and requested Mr.. William
Wilson to act as sergeant-at-arms.
The first business before the body was
the election of the chairman Of the eau
Gus. and Mr.. Echols nominated Sena-
tor H. T. Wickham, Of Hanover for
that position, and he was unanimously
elected. and in taking the chair, In a
few words thanked the body for its ac-
tion i'm selecting him TO temporarily pre-
side over its deliberations. and stated
-. In cfrfrfIV fmng rff4l iU his
rulings.
Mr.. IOvenstein then nominated Mr..
Fchols as secretary. and the latter was
unanimously elected. and thereafter re-
corded the proceedings.
The next business Was tbe nomination
OF President pro tenn, ana Mr.. Stubs,
Of Gloucester, presented the name OF
Mr.. Iovenstein. Mr.. Stubbs referred 10
the fact that he and Air. Lovenstein.
twenty-six years ago, entered the politl-
cal arena together. and that he and
Richmond's senior senator We're the only
members Of either house who started
their political life I'm 1863. eve all know"
said Mr.. Stubbe that If he is elected we
will have an impartial presiding officer,
one who will hold the scales Of Justice
Alright. 7 hope il will be the pleasure OF
this body to pay him the compliment
and do itself the honor to make him the
President pro TEN. Of the Senate for the
session 1SgJ-'96' Mr.. Lovensteln was
unanimously elected.
BUTTON THE LUCKY ONE.
The election Of Clerk OF the Senate
was the next business 10 be considered.
and in which more interest was mani
tested than in any other matter before
the caucus as ii was known that the
contest between Dr. Pendleton and Mr..
Button would be exceedingly close. Mr..
Hoy Of Madison. placed the name of
Or Pendleton i'm nomination. and refer
red TO the latters faithful service as
Clerk Of the Senate for the last twelve
years. which service. he said, Dr Pendle-
ton had performed in the most accepta-
ble manner.
Mr.. Flood nominated Mr. Button. The
Appomattox Senator said Mr.. Button was
thoroughly capable OF performing every
duty Of that office. and that within thirty
days he would have mastered every de-
tail Of the work. Tie then spoke OF Mr..
Buttons faithful work for the Democratic
marty. and his claims in this behalf He
said Mr. Button came from a section OF
the state that for years had been bat
tling 10 keep down negro supremacy.
while his opponent came from Orange.
where its white supremacy made IL easy
for its Democratic majority 10 succeed.
The vote was then taken. and stood
16 to Is in favor Of Mr.. Button. and was
recorded as follows:
For Mr.. Button-Messrs. BOykin,
Brown. Buchanan. Clement. Echos
Flood. Jones. Kane. Keezell. Mason. May
nard. McIllwane. Sands. Southall, Turn
bull. and Williams.
For DR.. Pendleton-Messrs Barnes.
Fairfax. Hoy. Jackson. Jordan. LeCatO.
Little. Lovenstein. Morris. Mushbach.
Snead. Stubbs Tredway. Wlckham, and
Withers.
THE OTHER OFFICES.
The next position was that Of Sergeant
alarms. and five names were presented
} 20 the body 70 fill it-Messrs. w. r. Wood
son. of Buena Vista; T. B. Waring, OF
King william: James B. Price. OF Rock
inebam: +. b. Watkins. OF Charlotte. and
Michael Burke. Of this city They were
piaced in nomination by Messrs. Jones,
Barnes. Keezell, Williams and Sands, re-
snectivelv. Upon the first ballot the
vo.s was as follows: WOOdson. 6: Warlng.
7. Price. g. Watkins, 10: Burke getting
TWO or three votes, which We're transferred
before the record was verified. Sixteen
votes being requisite to nominate, a Sc
cond ballot was taken, and this time.
according TO rule, the name OF Price. who
received the lowest number Of votes. was
dropped. This ballot stood as follows
Woodson, S; Warng. S, and Watkins, -.
one vote was then transferred 10 Wat
klns. and he was declared the nominee.
Nominations for the position Of Door
keeper was the next business in order.
and the following names were presented
Messrs l.. G. Gunter. OF ADDomattOx:
/ w. Richardson, OF Marion. and j. T..
barrett. Of Pittsylvania, the nominations
being made. respectively, by Senators
TeCato. Buchanan, and Tredway. Mr..
cunter was elected by vote OF t. and
tn votes for the other nominees were
transferred before the record had been
verified. His election was then made
unanimous.
MIR. Lovenstein at this juncture offered