The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1895-06-18
WORK OF THE FORTY"

ing to be held for the purpose Of
devising some plan whereby a hall
and half delegation might be sent to
the Constitutional Convention, there
were present in the Court House here
on Saturday last about seventy-fVe or
eighty persons. At first there was
only about forty or forty-five present,
and those mostly Of the Reform faction.
At this point il may be we'll to state
that in Fairfield county we are differ
entity situated from any other county
in the State. During the last cam
paign some Of the s;raightout clubs
disbauded and refused to be bound by
the ruling OF the Irby committee.
They dill not participate in the primary
and were not bound By it. There are
others of the straishtout faction who
did not jpin The "League Democrats"
aud are at present not connected with
any political organization. While the
meeting was in progress the League
Democrats was in session at The Town
Hall.
Mr.. F. B. Rsgsdsle WAS elected
chairman of the "Forty" body and
Mr.. R. 4. Meares secretary. Mr..
Ragsdale explained that the purpose
of the meeting was to devise some
plan to elect four non-partisan dele
gates to the Constitutional Convention
in keeping with the Spirit Of the Forty
movement.
Mr.. T. II. ke,hin read the address
published by the working committee
of the Forty with which we are all
familiar; the main points of which are
that there shall! be an equal division al
the State Convention as far as practical
and that the manner of choosing these
delegatesi is matter which each coanty
shall settle for itself.
Mr.. J. r. Curlee then read the fol-
lowing resolutions:
RESOLVED, 1st, That it is the sense of
this meeting that the delegation te the
Constitutional Convention from Fair
field County shall be composed Of two
Reformers and two Conservatives.
Resolved, End, That we recommend
that they be nominated by primary on
The plurality plan. The two candi-
dates from each faction receiving the
highest number of votes to be declared
the nominees of The Democratic party.
Mr.. Curlce said that it would be
necessary to submit these resolutions
to the County Democratic Executive
Committee for its approval at the next
meeting Of that committee.
Mr.. Curlee's resolutions brought
forth discussion on both sides, and
then Mr.. C. S. Ford offered a re'olu-
ton to the effect that preliminary
primary be held on the 10th of July
at which two Reformers AMI two
Conservatives be elected who would
be voted for at the general
primary ordered by the State Com
mittee. This brought forth more dis
cussion.
Mr.. Ford raised the point that at the
general primary the three highest
might be three of one faction or three
of the other, aud if so, they were
legally elected and could not be d;s-
placed. He wanted the choice to be
made ata preliminary primary when
the two highest of both factions would
only run at the general primary.
Hon T. S. Brice, in speaking to
Mr.. Curlee'3 resolution, said that the
frs: step was concession, that they had
come here in good faith and proposed
to act in good faith, and that 10 such
would arise because every
man would only vote for two IF each
faction.
Mr.. W. S Hall explained, tina. in
Chester o"unty formerly tn; rules
governing such matters was: lh-t no
candidate could run over who did not
get maj ni'y Of the votes and should
withdraw.
Mr. Morrison thea offered thu fol.
10 wing resolutions:
Resolced, That each faction elect
two men by primary to go b"fsre the
regular Democratic primary.
This brought forth more discuss
pro and c,n. Mr.. Thomas Boulware
moved that each faction elect two tl:lc-
gates in any manner they choose.
Mr.. L. II. Krichiu endorsed Mr.
Cur:ae's resolutions, and in his re-
marks said that the only way 10 gel
together was to get together. He said
there Was lack of confidence on both
sides, ard that before any permanent
arrangement: would hold that both
factions must be mere Trusting toward
each other.
Msj Woodward then took III floor,
anl sail he woul voc for two Con-
serva:iers *nI tau Re:urmers, i,ui that