The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1896-05-06
TUFTS Pills
Cure All
Liver Ills.
THE CONVENTION.
A Rich and Breezy Time Among
County Politicians.

Z
Democratic party Of the county and
the election of delegates to the
State convention. The proceedings
from beginning to end were rich and
spicy in wit and repartee which al
forded much amusement to many OF
the delegates and all Of the lockers
on, and at times, particularly when
some hard blows were delivered
straight from the shoulder with tell
ing effect, the applause was deafen-
ing and long continued. At other
lines great excitement prevailed and
the chairman, losing control of the
meeting in the confusion, pandemo-
mum reigned supreme, the continu-
Gus rapping Of the Chairman on the
desk before him and the voices OF
half dozen or more delegates as they
stood clamoring for recognition at the
same time made confusion worse con-
founded much to the enjoyment OF
the spectators. Cool heads and wise
counsels, after many failures, at last
succeeded in restoring order and the
convention settled down to the con-
sideration of the business before it.
The meeting of this convention
developed many lesson which itwould
be we'll for the voters to study care
fully before the day for the primary
election for the nomination of county
officers is upon them. Prospective
candidates were out in full force,
working like beavers in the interest
of their candidacy, by. sounding dele
gates as to the sentiment of their
communities, shaking hands with the
'dear people, and anxiously, even
pathetically, inquiring as to the state
of the health of their families. To
disinterested person, who had
no axe to grind, no friend to reward
no enemy to punish, the convention
had the appearance Of being a tenn
pie of justice wherein the votes OF a
free and sovereign people were barter
ed, sold or exchanged, and the gifts Of
the people divided out as the spoils OF
cliques, rings and combinations.
1t was clearly apparent to the obser-
yer of the maneuvers of some of the
delegates, both in and out Of the
convention, that it was divided into
numerous small factions of more or
less strength, each striving with
might and main for the control of
the convention, shaping its work and
directing it's action. At any rate this
was openly charged by delegate on
the floor of the convention and the
charge remains unanswered and un-
contradicted to the present time. If
this be true, the plans of some GER
tainly most woefulIy miscarried as
the result was a surprise to some
and was not all that was desired by
others.
The convention was composed OF
men representing many shades OF
political opinion, Tillman, Reformers,
demanding the free coinage of silver
or burst; Irby Democrats, raising the
cry for free silver and party integ-
rity, Reformers taking no stock in
either faction further than demanding
the coinage of silver at the ratio OF
16 to /; there were Democrats claim
ing to be such no further than the
limit of the State, who wanted plenty
of money if it was nothing but a
piece of white paper with the Ameri-
can eagle stamped upon; free silver
Conservatives, all working harmo-
niously together in the interest Of
the white metal. About the only
shade not represented was that Of
yellow, representing the color Of the
goldbugs.
Promptly at the hour named the
convention was called to order by
County Chairman Seibles, who was
made Chairman pro tenn, and Messrs.
D. Frank E6rd and Samuel r.
George were elected temporary Sec
retary and Assistant Secretary re-
spectively.
The enrolment of delegates was
the next business in order, and the
Secretary proceed to call the names
of the clubs and had gotten as far
as Peak club, when DR.. j. L. Shuler
moved that the Chairman of each
delegation make out list of his del
egates and hand it to the Secretary
for enrolment. Carried.
There was some confusion as to
the purpose of the resolution and a
debate ensued participated in by W.
H. Sharpe, ". B. Seay, J. F. Lyles, j.
L. Sbuler and perhaps others.