The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-04-08
REPUBLIcANs IN A HUBUB.
TWO SETS OF DELEGATES ELECT
ED AT THE GUYTON CONVEN-
TION.

ChOice-The Residents of EmnE-
hams Metropolis Treated to "A Po-
IiticaI Comedy That Came Near
Ending in Broken Heads.
The republican convention Of the First
Congressional district. which COM
prises the counties Of Chatham. Burke,
ScreveH. TattnaH, Emanuel Bulloch. Eff
hncham, Bryan. Mcintosh and LioaT-y,
was held at Guyton yesterday, for the
purpose Of selecting two delegates and two
alternates 10 the national convention.
ventiOn
The convention attended to this duty
not wisely, but too wei. selecting four
delegates and TWO alternates. All the
counties were fully represented, with con-
testing delega tions from Chatham. Burke
ana BuIoeh The convention was
noisy, turbulent and exciting from the
moment 1t was called to order by Capt
l. NJ. Peasants chairman, until he de-
clared It adjourned. when another faction
took hold where Peasants had left or
and continued the excitement.
Col. Bill PIedger Of Atlanta, and his law
partner. Frank johnson. who is candi-
date az delegate-a. large, were on hand.
Col John Il. Deveaux and Mr..
A l.. Shoales Of savannah
and other interested spectators,
Wee presnt Had the delegates
been left TO their own resources II is
probable the convention would not have
lasted one hour; as u was. ABOUT nVs
hours We're consumed, four hours OF which
surpassed the most graphic stories OF
Douny brook Fair. All told there were
eighty-four delegates and alternates, ana
as each one considered himself an orator
the rafters of the barren theater in which
the affair took place were shattered by
pyrOtechnical displays. turg.d rhetoric ana
gro,esque imagery. one OF the delegates
from Burke county held the floor for more
than two hours, occasionally condescenu-
ing to give il up to allow some delegate
TO inter1ect question. For more tnah
three hours il was impossible for anyone
to tell even remotely the status OF aualrs-
But amid the chaos there doomed up the
smiling cOuntenance of Chairman Pleas
ants, with the roll of delegates in one
hand and a hickory club four feet long
and one and One-half inches in diameter IN
the other not for any hosule purpose,
but simply as an insignia of office. When
a delegate became too unruly, or showed
a disposition to gOuge out the chairman
eve, the hickory limb, graSped nrmly IN
both hands and held high above the left
shoulder, was all that was necessary TO
induce the obstreperous delegate 10 sub
Chairman Peasants and Secretary
Morse took their seats at a plain pine
table in front of the stage at noon. Inc
delegates, contestants. alternates, visiting
statesmen and villagers ensconsing them
selves on the pine benches, window sills,
hat racks, stoves, and other less aValla-
BILE spots. 1t was apparent even 10 the
simplest rustic negro, who just dropped
in en- PEASANT that there was trouble IN
the air. The chairman read the call, ana
directed Secretary Morse to call the roll
of delegates. accompanying the command
by handing the secretary the list, for
which the secretary, IT was charged by a
piece of legerdemain, tried to substitute
another Then the trouble began TO brew,
Chairman Peasants declaring that the
delegates named on the list would organ
a-rg ~ rH.ars Hon hafn
properly accredited delegates This they
proceeded to do. Richard w. White of
Chatham moved that L. NJ. Peasants be
selected for temporary CHAIRMAN Whlch
was put and carried. but not after consid-
cradle discussion Delegall of Liberty
was also nominated for temporary chalr-
man, and when Peasants was declared
elected, DelegalPs friends insisted that
he take the chair, which he did not do,
but took another chair and drew II up
close to the chairman's desk and an
nounced his readiness to do business in
the most approved style, his emblem OF
office and authority being a formidable
looking walking cane, with vicious look
ing handle, but inferior as a weapon of de-
tense TO Chairman Peasants hickory
stick.
Deiegan took his seat, but was calmly,
quietly and persistently ignored by Pleas
ants, who proceeded with the business
though not rapidly, as may be surmised.
For three hours there was pandemonium
let loose, but Peasants, from his impro-
Vised throne, and safe in the confidence
with the name blown in on the bottle,
looked down upon the crowd and smiled.
Eighty-three colored delegates shouted,
cheered, jeered and threatened him by
turns, while at frequent intervals the
only lone white delegate In that throng in
terjected incoherent remarks and added
mirth to the symposium by his comicali-
ties. His jolly rubcund face cast a genial
glow over the gathering, glow that COM
municated itself to every one present, hav-
ing, without doubt, the effect of prevent
WiOlnnrn
number Of personal encounters, not more
than two taking place at the same time
There were no fatalities, but the alb
sence of "hurry-up'' wagon was much
regretted by the youthful marshal of the
town and his three assistants. These
young men had their hands full from the
beginning and are to be commended for
resisting the opportunities made upon
them to take more active partisan in
terest in the proceeding by carrying the
chairman off to jail which little piece of
pleasantly on the part of the opposition
was quietly ignored.
At the end of the three hours discus
sion, which was participated in to a large
extent by Joe Williams, Rev E. K Love
j. Fl. Kinckle, Capt M. J. Doyle, r. N
Rutledge and j. c. Simmons of Chatham
Richard w. White of Chatham and S. o.
Cherry of Burke, were nominated for dele
gates to st. Louis, which motion was put
and carried. White moved that Peasants
be reelected chairman for the next four
years, which motion was put and also car
RED. The convention then adjourned sine
When Capt. Peasants departed the
-Doyle-Morse men took possession.
and with Delegall of Liberty in the chair
started business anew. They put in nomi-
nation Rev. F. K. Love. S. Is. Morse and
Capt. NJ ]. Doyle as delegates the first
named being elected to stay at home.
though there was some irregularity in the
tabulation, the revival of hostilities being
only prevented by Rev Love who mag
unanimously refused to make another con-
test or ask recount. P. E. Majors of
burke and Rev. F. r. Sims of Liberty were
elected alternates. Resolutions indorsins
Mckinley and the Blair educational bin
We're passed.
This is one side Of the story. Another
from the ant-Pleasants side is to the ef-
tect that after calling the convention to or
DER Peasants attempted, without parley
10 seat his delegat es When the oppositiOn
faction protested there was a row Sims
OF Liberty moved that the contesting dele
cations from Chatham and Bullock be ad-
mltted with half a vote each. Peasants
refused to entertain the motion. Majors
OF Burke appealed to the convention and
his appeal was sustained by vote of 26 TO
]. At this juncture White moved the elec-
ton of himself and Cheny of Burke as del
egates to st. Louis. but he was howle1
feaa &c .Nsv.s-