The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1896-04-22
THE LILLY WHITES"
THE M MELTO ON. BRAYTON REPUBLi
CANS IN CONVENTION.

THE MELTok.BRAYT REPUBLi-
CANS IN CONVENTION.
Fall Representation from all Counties, Re-
fused to Endorse II Presidential Candl..
siate-Two Wlato aud Two Oolored Dole
gates to st. Louis.
COLUMBIA, April 15 Leaders claim
that for the first time in many years
the convention Of Republicans that
met in tho State house yesterday was
full representation, with every town
ship and every precinct represented.
It was the first State convention held
! blythe wing of the Republican party
which recognizes Capt. u p. Melton
of Columbia as tho State chairman,
and which is generally known as the
sLilly Whites, being the faction TO
which many white men,, VINO nave
heretofore been recognized as Demo'
Gratis, have cast their lot. In the con-
yention. of about 24O delegates, there
were between 60 and 70 white men,
but these. with few exceptions, were
not recognized as prominent in poll
tics. The white men present who
hayofor some time taken prominent
par6in the affairs Of the Republican
party in this State, were Ellery NJ.
Brayton, Lawson D. Melton, 3. Odell
Duncan, ". 2. Clayt ton, r. M. Wal
lace, Louis Jacobs and w. w. Rus
sell. but conspicuous among those
new aud prominent men who have
Joined the party recently were Dr..
Sampson POPE Of Newberry and D. j..
Knots Of Lexington, old Reformers,
and Clarence s. Nettles of Darlington,
Conservative in days gone by.
There was O strong negro representa-
ton.
When. the convention was called to
order 8 large lithograph OF Tom Reed
adorned the rostrum, just behind the
reporters table; but later, not to be
partial, likenesses of Morton and Nc
Kinley were tackled up by Brayton.
During the day thore was large
crowd Of spectators on the tioor and
in the gallery, and among them wore
many handsomely dressed cOlOred
women, relatives and friends of dele
gates. At go p. IN. State Chairman
Melton called the convention to order
and asked the Rev. w. M. ThoMas, q
colored preacher, to open the proceed
ings with prayer. The divine asked
that all distractions be removed from
the path Of the delegates, and that
what they did should be for the good
Of the State.
Mr.. Melton addressed the conven-
ton as follows;
Friends and Fellow Republicans:
In opening the convention as your
State chairman. it behOOves me to
make few brief remarks as to the
purpose for which this convention
was called, the circumstances under
which it arose and its final object
which is the building up Of the Re-
publican party in South Carolina. In
the fall of 1894 an issue was presented
to the people of South Carolina, which
threatened the disfranchisement Of
more than one half the Republican
voters of the State, and finding moth
ing being done to frustrate such an
attempt against the liberties Of the
people, we determined to do some
thing to stem the tide Of calamity
which threatened the rights of the citi-
zens, We earnestly went to work to
]. try and persuade the old committee to
take the lead and prevent this calam.
ity. But for reasons not necessary to
state hero, that committee refused to
call the people of South Carolina to.
gether to attempt to avert that mis-
fortune. After that there was moth
ing for us but revolution and we dc.
termined to appeal 10 the people of
South Carolina to rise up from their
sleep and save their rights. On the
9th day of February, 1895, conven.
.tion OF representative men was held.
: Out of that convention has grown
what will be recognized as the Repub.
lican party of South Carolina. The
result is this convention here assem-
T, bled, and a better one the God of re-
publics never looked down upon in
this country. It has not been filled by
going into the highways and byways
for delegates, as our friends the enc
my did last week, but here every pre-
einct in South Carolina is represented.
(Cheers.) This organization reminds
me of the story Of the wonderful isle
where the little infant of today is a
grown man tomorrow. It recognizes
no obstacles and is going to succeed.
(Cheers.) In the near future it's voice
will be heard in the legislative halls
of South Carolina, and it is going
with such sweep that Tillman, with
all his power, can't keep down. Go
back to your homes, stand shoulder to
shoulder; the white people are with
you; do your duty; 60 and try and
register and stand there all summer.
When you get the certificate even the
Constitution of South Carolina can't
prevent you casting vote. (Cheers.)
At the close Of Mr.. Notions speech,
the call for the convention was read.
n Chairman Melton announced that
theexecutive committee had suggested
as temporary chairman Clarence s..
Ilettles Of Clarendon, and Clarence
Holmes of Columbia as temporary
secretary. The convention was evil
IDENTIFY heartily in favor of the selec.
( tion of Mr.. Nettles, his name being
greeted with applause.
On motion Of Prof. Morris. q com
mittee was appointed to conduct Mr..
Nettles to the rOstrum.
i On this committee Mr., Melton ap-
pointed Prof. J. w. Morris, Mr.. E. M.
Brayton and Congressman Murray.
Mr.. Nettles, on taking the gavel,
said: II thank you for the distinction
Of calling me to preside over this con.
vention of Republicans of South Car.
olina. I believe that this gathering
marks an epoch in the politics Of this
State. This is not the resurrection Of
a corpse, but the growth and develop
ment of q healthy Republican party
in South Carolina. 1t is rot based on
prejudice, race issues or greed for
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