The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-05-16

AA@t @DLiSF@iN S$NSlNH6t iStN
Thad Stevens, was the only question
the delegates cared to ask
George il. Smathers, of Haywood,
vino had presented a minority report
t. the convention, made several pleas to
his party to be ordinarily fair and hon
est.
He declared that in several counties
there had been sharp tactics and dis
honest methods-methods which he
declared ought not TO be tolerated. In
one Of his short speeches, he grew elo-
quent in denunciation of the men who
had brought up some contests, wholly
fraudulent, to this convention, and
appealed to Hhe delegates to do Justice
At this iuncture, Cook, of Warren,
having in mind the wholesale frauds
perpetrated by the Russell rooters,
rose to point of order, and demanded
that Mr.. Smathers confine himself to
the particular case in hand. Mr.. Smath-
ers finished his lashing of the primary
and convention thieves, while Cooks
mob yelled and jeered at him. ut is
the hit dog that hollers."
THE ROW OVER FRANKLIN.
The Franklin county case caused the
most feeling. John Williamson led
the Dockery forces and was doomed
ti5 destruction Richmond Pearson
and VirgiIius Semper Lusk denounced
John, and asked Chairman Reynolds:
"Didn't John vote the Democratic
ticket In 1894?" Pearson reflected in
severe terms upon the committee on
credentials. John tried to talk and
was hOwled down. Twenty men were
on the floor at one time demanding
recognition. Richmond Pearson, or
some dusky hoWler (they were so mix
ed up that you couldn't tell one from
The other), asked the chairman if he
hadn't turned down John i'm 1894, and
the chairman got up and tried to
speak, and was very severe on. Moore,
Johns competitor, and criticized the
whole Franklin county Republican
outfit. The Wrangle grew, and after
much elimination and recrimination,
the vote was reached and John fell
with all the other Dockery men into
the pit digged for them by the ''com-
bine."
Chairman Reynolds, smarting under
the aspersions of Richmond Pearson,
and with yehemence, denounced the
aspersions upon him as false and out
rageotls. II will stay silent no longer F"
said he, and permit men here on this
floor to speak Of me as an migrate and
o traitor"
Another scene of confusion during
which Holton fractured the gavel and
beat in vain for order. As he took his
seat Reynolds said: 81 will be id if
can stand this thing any longer
After he could wedge his way
through the mass of intermingled
whites, negroes and mulattos, Pearson
got the platform and said: II rise to
La question of personal privilege" and
said he apologized to Mr.. Reynolds be-
cause he is IAN old Princetonian and
gentleman" the inference being that
If Mr.. Reynolds had been educated i'm
the old field school, the apology would
not have been forthcoming. REYNOLDS
accepted, and blood-spilling was hap
PLY averted.
5. NJ. Hobton, of Durham, upon the
several ballots, made himself conspicu-
Gus, by announcing the local row be-
tween himself and his colleague, DIR.
Shepherd (col), the colored man and
brother declining apparently to stay
~ 1ADl tDh NteSb pOckeb permanently.
During one of the roll calls, a dele
gate from Forsyth shouted out TO the
chairman, II want TO know what I
stand for?" and thus got even with
the man who said, ''AIr. Speaker.
where am / at?"
MOTT PERMANENT CHAIRMAN.
John c. Dancy, amidst some confu-
sion, nominated for Permanent
Chairman Senator Pritchard. but this
movement was promptly chol1ed by the
Senator who stepping forward on the
stage said he absolutely declined to
have anything to do with it. Then
followed the nominations in the order
named respectively of Messrs. G.. z.
French, Marshal l.. Mott and Virgil S. /
Lusk. There was considerable enthu-
siasm created by the nominations of
Alessrs. Mott and Lusk and the vote
was followed with interest, resulting
in a vote of 141 for Mott and 81 for
Lusk. The vote, on the motion of S.
nj. Holton, was made unanimous and
in the midst Of great applause Perma-
nent Chairman Mott was escorted to
the chair by Messrs. Richmond Pear
son and G. Y. French.
After the applause had subsidized Mr..
Mott having taken the gavel said: