The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1899-06-15
No Democratic State Convention ana
No Democratic Primaries.

der convention for the nomination oi
United States Senator
The result of the meeting was com
plete victory for Senator Martin.
The only resolution adopted, that Of
Senator James. OF DAnvillo. declining
TO order convention, il rs follows
UNNECESSARY AND UNwIsE.
The committee has heard with in
terest and has considered carefully the
request submitted that It should order
primary or call state Convention To
nominate Democratic candidate for
Senator in the Congress of the United
States Looking to the plan of oTgani-
cation of the Democratic party and TO
the action taken by the last state Con
vention. held at Roanoke, on the lth
day of August. 1897. 10y which the com
mittee WAS appointed. the committee
il Of the opinion that il has not the
right to grant this reque.t IL the
committee felt that 1t could IN Its DIS
erection, rightfully grant the request. It
would consider such action Mt present
unnecessary, unwise, and not promo
tive OF the best interests Of the Demo
cratic party of the State The commit
tee is satisfied that there IL not such
general demand from the body OF the
Democratic voters Of the state Tor TINS
departure from the established usage OF
the party as in any event to Justify II
in making change so radical as the
one proposed The people in the sew
eral legislative districts OF the state
have always had and still have the
power to control the election OF United
States Senators. either by leaving 1t to
the sound judgment aud discretion OF
the representatives chosen 10y them, or
by seeing that the representatives
Oh, sen are in accord with them on the
subject. or by instructing Thorn where
il seemed necessary.
Therefore. be it
Resolved, That the request submit
ted be not granted. -
LARGE REPRESENTATIONS OF DEMO
GRATIS.
The meeting Of the committee
brought to Richmond many prominent
Democrats Of the State Throughout
the day the lobby at Murphy's. where
Senator Martin had his headquarters,
presented somewhat the scenes that
precede meeting of the General As
sembly or Of a Democratic convention.
Among those in the lobby were
Representatives Epes. Swanson, Hay
and Rhea, Speaker John +. Ryan. of
the House Of Delegates Hon. I. G..
Pitcher, Judge O. NJ White, and Com
monwealth's Attorney j. + Jeiiries, of
Fauquier Mr. X. L. Ailsworth, Of
Northampton Judge W O. Gooch, Of
Louisa Hon Marshall Mccormick. Of
Clark
Hon. I. c. Pitcher brought down a
delegation Of influential Democrats
from Fauquier With him were Judge
@. NJ. White, Comm0nwealth's Attor
ney j. + Jeffries. Messrs. Lucicn T.
Smith. W Golden Davis NJ. L. Mar.
shall, j w Timberlnke Or K O St
Clair, II V Glackcock and G y Ash
by. all Martin men and opposed to the
convention.
SENATOR MARTIN MASTER or slTIA-
TloN.
Senator Martin fully realized that ne
was master OF the situation, and smiled
serenely. There were few men about
the hotels who were not Martin men
| There was a full attendance OF the
committee Every member was present
or represented by proxy, sayetwo There
were many prominent Democrats IN at
tendance. All the members of Congress
were present except Young, Of the See
ond Lamb, of the Third Otcy. OF the
Sixth, and Quarles, Of the Tenth. Hay.
Swanson. Epcs and Rhea were among
Senator Martins leaders, though they
had no occasion to display their talent.
Jones and Rixey favored calling a con-
vention. The latter had no vote. Hon.
W. A. Jones held a proxy for Hon ".
| A. Anderson, who was called from
Washington 10 Stanton by the serious
illness of his niece Mr.. Jones did not
take any active part in the proceedings,
further than TO object to making the
| committees action unanimous.
PRESENTING THE CONFERENCE's RE
QUEST.
Hon j. O. Parker Of SOuthamT ton
made an earnest but fruitless speech in
presenting the request Of the May con.
ference for a convention. THE mem.
bers of the May conference, said Mr..
Parker. do not claim to constitute the
Democratic party Of Virginia, but they
do claim to constitute a respectable por'
ton of that party, and believe that they
advocate views held by nine.tenths OF
the voters in It, Whether those views
be in accord with the views Of those III
authority in the party or not, we come
| to you tonight with naught but the
Il
good Of the Democratic party in heart,
and we hope that you gentlemen will
consider our request in the same spirit.
May 1 be permitted to say that nc
thought OF candidates or OF personal
| wishes should enter into your delibera-
tions tonight, but that the question
should be considered in the light of the
wishes of the voters whom you repre-
sent and the good of the whole party
should be your highest aim. This
should not only be true of the delibera-
tions Of this committee at this time,
bat true Of the work Of all parts of the
Democratic organization.
Mr.. Parker said he valued party OF
ganization, or machinery. and it is
often called when used solely for the
| advancement OF the good of the party IS