The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-05-13
FIFTH DISTRICT CONVENTION.
Settle Re-Nominated by No instruc-
tions Given to Delegates

Durham, n. c. May 12.-(Special)-
Between 12 and / o'clock to-day the
Republican Congressional convention
was convened in the court house in
Durham. 1t was motley crowd.
The convention was called to order
by A. #. Wray, Settles man Friday,
from Reidsville. A committe on Gre
dentials was appointed and was out
some time when they reported that
there were no contests from any OF
the counties. The report could have
been written certainly in three min
utes, yet the committee was out much
over half hour.
The report of the committee was
adopted, whereupon a Mr. Waller, a
young man with a red head, from Ala
nance. moved that the convention pro-
ceed to a permanent organization by
the election of Hon. S. nj. Holton as
permanent chairman. Upon taking the
chair, Mr.. Holton spoke line or two
telling what the convention was and
what it was not expected to do, show
ing thus early that it had been cut and
dried that he was to be chairman,
and that he had learned his lesson
well.
The first and most important object
of Holton and his crowd was to get
Settle into what they conceived the
life-boat. Holton therefore ruled,
and that quickly without giving time
for any speech-making that the tlrst
and prime object of the convention
was the naming of a Congressman
they named candidate, but
Democrats, many Republicans
and All Populists swear that Thomas
Settle viii not wear the annex OF NJ. Y.
to his name after the Attn OF March,Io9I'
There was no opposition tothe nomlna-
tjon of Mr.. Settle, and he was nomina-
ted by acclamation. But it was the
trickery and unfairness of the proceed
inps that followed which made many
Of the delegates hot under the collar.
When the selection of delegates To
the st. Louis convention was reached,
the fight began in earnest. The conven-
lion was composed Of more than half
coIored men, and they decided that
enc of the delegates to the National
convention should be a colored man.
But the Settle forces, manipulated by
Holtoa and Corbett, Settles private
secretary, showed the colored delegates
a thing or two, and both the delegates
are white. Mr.. w. L. O'Brien, OF Dur
ham. and Col. James II. Holt, of Ala
nance, represent the Fifth district. A.
g. TiIIy. d wonderfully bright and in
tellecbual coIored man from Granville,
was in nomination, but defeated
Clerk of the Court Skies, from Gram
vile, who is indebted to the colored
men of that county, and who looked
and talked like ne had a severe case OF
collie. voted and worked against his
oountyman, Tilly.
But the meanest, dirtiest work of the
convention, was the action Of the chair
nran and a few others, in regard to a
resolution endorsing VIM. Mckinley
for President. This fight began IN the
| court house, and while they were IN the
midst of preliminary motion, Judge
Cobie walked into the court room, and
while Chairman HoIton was on his
| feet explaining some abstruse question,
the clear voice OF the crier rang out,
| "Oh, yes. Oh, yes! this honorable court
has met according to adjournment.
| God save the State and this honorable
| court" Whereupon HOlton and his
crowd got out. They afterwards met
| in the Mayors office, but the motion
| under consideration when Judge Coble
scattered them, was lost and was heard
Of no more.
a number Of times during the pro
| ceedings Of the convention Mr. James
| A. Cheek Of Orange, attempted to IN
| trodnce a resolution Of instruction for
| VIM Mckinley, Of Ohio, but the chair
man would rap Justify and declare
| that resolutions were not IN order, eYl-
IDENTIFY dominated by Settle and
| through him by Reed. Finally, after
all other business was disposed OF and
when Cheek was on his feet trying 70
| introduce his resolution, Petree, OF
| Stokes, moved to adjourn. Cheek IN
sisted that his resolution Of Mckinney
| for President should be heard and
voted for, but j. A. Waller and 4. W.
| Vincent, of Alamance, and X. j. Petree
| and Gordon, Of Stokes, who had been
sent to the convention under positive
instructions for Mckinley, fought
| Cheeks resolution to the bitter end
and finally succeeded in adjourning
| the convention without permitting a
vote. The work Of these men, 1T IS
| understood was at the instance OF
| Thos. Settle There was much bitter
ness manifested after the adjournment
Of the convention, and it is universally
the opinion that the young man from
Burlington has ended his political
career.