The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1898-07-14
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For The CAUCASIAN
WILMINGTON, N. c., July {. '9s.
The Democratic Congressiona al Con
vention for the 9Th distric. met here
last night at the county court house
and nominated lawyer Jno. D. Bel.
lamy to represent them in Congress
The Convention was called to or.
der 1t $40 o'clock and lawyer ". c.
Maxwell, of Mecklenburg county,
Was invited to preside. The spa
cious court room was elabarately
decorated with American and Cuban
flags, and places were assigned the
respective delegations, designated
by large cards upon which were
printed the names OF tho several
counties. The full complement of
delegates admissible was $50. OF
this number. possibly City per cent.
we're present. A very large crowd
Of citizens also attended. who, with
the delegate s, fairly we'll filed the
court room.
There was nothing remarkable,
whatever, as to the personnel or pro-
ceedings OF the ccavention-it was
simply a conventional Democratic
convention, the splendid "white-shirt
brigade" as dubbed by the Raleigh
Railroad Post. Here and occasion
ally there could be seen the tanned
and withered face of the yeomAn-a
forceful reminder of that passage in
divine writ that tells of those found
at the marriage feast not having on
the Wedding garment-the binding
and casting out, however, were re-
served until after the election. Frock
coats, diamonds and standing col
lars were everywhere in evidence and
constituted the major portion of the
assemblage. Each delegation was
headed with one, two or more law
yers, who monopolized the speech
making and otherwise demonstrated
their importance.
Lawyer Maxwell, after gracefully
accepting the burdensome honor of
presiding over this silk hat emily,
proceeded to interest the convention
with an. antifusion speech. Easily
and with we'll studied caution, the
gentleman approached the precari-
GUS subject, apparently sounding for
terra frma from which to launch a
by-heart roll of monopOlistic elo-
quence. The key note was at last
sounded, it came in a vim of strained,
neck-swelling gesticulation, but,
alack. the effect! The response was
cruelty and conspiciously absent.
When the discomfitted chairman had
finished his anti-fusion sentence and
was innocently waiting for a storm
of applause. some unmannerally(D
fusionist in the rear of the court
room groaned and two lawyers who
were sitting near the speaker clapped
their white chubby hands. At this
juncture the unpleasant subject was
abruptly ended.
After some preliminaries the Pres
ident then announced that nomina.
tons were in order. The counties
were called alphabetically and one
after another was passed without in
cident until the Secretary announced
that it was Mecklenburg's time
to nominate. For Mecklenburg,
lawyer F. l. Osborne rose and
placed the name of lawyer John
D. Bellamy before the convention.
The verbiago and eloquence of
he eminent lawyer were superb.
The great, rich and successful
lawyer of the Cape Fear was pict-
ured and presented in a fashion
fitting the gods. The shades of il
lustrious antecedents were paraded
before the awe-staring delegates;
great imaginary deeds of philanthro-
py, self-abnegation, chivalry, q ma
tons devotion were all passed before
the spell-bound audience in piano.
ramic verse. The rich, pure blue
blood that romped and coursed
through the successful lawyer was
paid lasting tribute-such homage,
did make me- fear and quake. Ref
erence was made to his almost un-
bounded wealth as an evidence of
his unprecedented success and this
fact was submitted as argument on
behalf of his ability to carry the
election. Had been a delegate and
not known the successful lawyer, the
gentleman's brilliant presentation
had made me even the sainted John
D. q child of heaven, whose proper
sphere claimed the realm Of glory,
rather than that contiguous to the
abode of the -, cheer after cheer
precipitated by the lawyers, greeted
the impassioned speaker.
When Arson county was called,
Judge r. T. Bennett came forward
and presented the name of Mr.. Jas.
7. LaGraud. The Judge pointed out
in his preliminary remarks that Mr..
Bellamys prodigious wealth had
been usen as a reason for his nomi-
nation by the convention. Flatiy
and unhesitatingly the logician de-
elared that the Populist vote could
not be bought. "If that is the game"
ne declared with emphasis, "you are
defeated now" "There are as good
Democrats outside this organiza-
tion," he continued, as there are in
side of it, and they can only be
reached and redeemed by reason,
not by money.
"James T. LaGrand" said Mr..
Bennett, "cannot boast of so high q