Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1899-08-11

for q county convention that The
committee meeting IN the morning
had not been conducted according TO
parliamentary law. They assigned
only two irregularities. The first
was that after the substitute WAS dc
feated, no vote WAS taken on the org
inal motion. The facts are, when the
substitute was defeated the chair said,
"If there be no objection 1t will be-
taken as the sense OF the meeting that
district conventions he ordered" No
objection WAS offered. There were
only two plans before the meeting,
and when one was defeated it was ev-
ident that the other prevailed At
this juncture the secretary of your
committee, then the secretary ot the
regular committee, excused himself
to the chairman, offering as n reason.
that he had ~ engagement ut his Of
flee at that hour. But before leaving
he had recorded in his own hand
writing that district conventions had
been ordered. As a further proof
that the proceedings of the committee
were regular Mr.. n. VI. Rhodes, now
the chairman of your committee, was
present, participating in the proceed
ings and selected Saumsville rs the
point for the district convention for
his district. The meeting was har-
moniOuS and not n single protest was
heard from any member that there
were any irregularities. The other
irregularity behind which these gen
tlemcn sought t. hide themselves was
when the committee met the roll was
not called. These gentlemen well
knew that it had not been customary
10 call the roll Of the committee.
But to show the righteousness Of this
objection an to prove that these
gentlemen were taking refuge behind
the flimsiest tcchniclitieS 1t is only
Necessary 10 refer 10 the published
minutes Of their meeting which called
county convention. The very
meeting which charged rs with the
irregularity ofnot calling the roll, the
minutes OF whichthey published shows
that they were guilty OF the same II
regularity, for there Is no record OF
roll call. This was the birth of your
committee and the reasons asst gned
for lis birth, H. given by the gentle
men who are the fathers of the move
mcnt. 1t has been customary in this
county to allow TWO issues OF the
county papers between the call ofthe
committee and the primaries in order
To give the people ample notice.
Those gentlemen gave put four inter-
ycnmg days between the cal and the
primaries. The necessity for such hasty
acton, contrary to all precedent was, to
say the least, very significant. The
County Convention called by these gen
tlemen. met on the Dist Ot June and elect
ed "a delegation 70 the Congressional Con
ventiOn. also a county committee and
chairman. Only twelve precincts of the
twenly-six precincts in the county were
represented IN that convention. Up u
the date OF this convention, the only OBJ
LECTION ever urged by the promulgators
ofvour faction. was that Mr.. Brenaman
was Objectionable 10 them as chairman.
They further said that ifhe was removed,
the trouble would be eliminated and that
then they would pull of their coats for
- H. Dr.s M IN,
view of these objections, and in the inter-
est of harmony, wrote letter 10 your
convention, stating that II he was the OBJ
stacle to peace he would resign as chair
man. provided your convention would
disband, and thus prevent contest at
the Charlottesville Convention This let
ter was tabled by your convention. Con-
sequently two delegations from Shenan-
doah county appeared at Charlottesville
on the 9th Of July, claiming seats IN the
convention. The convention referred
the contest to the committee an creden-
tials. While the evidence was being
taken by the committee on credentials,
Mr. Brenaman sought one of the leaders
of your delegation. and said TO him, 81
will vet agree to resign the craftsmanship,
if YOU will withdraw your contest before
the committee makes decision. and al
low the regular deega ties % be seated.
The committee will certainly decide
against you, but if you will accept my
proposition you will be saved the chagrin
of defeat" Your delegation refused to
accept his proposition.
The committee on credentials was COM
posed of eleven members. They sat for
hours and weighed the evidence adduced
n, bnth delegations. Two members of