The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1899-10-17
FREDERICKSBURG

are willing to support any man VIII IN
you declare regular, provided he be
Democrat, but we solemnly insist that
no nomination was made. Wewill not
have put on us a cindiiat whohas not
been nominated -
Sir. Chinn told his story in straight
forward manner. often growing 20 hu.
morous that his hearers were forced to
break into laughter.
MR.. LEES STATEMENT.
Mr.. W. Mcdonald Lee. chairman OF
the Lancaster County Committee, fol-
lowed Mr.. Cninu. He took up the
story Of the selection Of delegates In
Lancaster. He said Senator Martin
carried every precinct, save Litwalton
some unanimou ly, some by two %
one. Litwalton was for Tyler. Oorot-
toman, he thought. was undoubtedly
for Mr.. Martin, though the delegation
was contested. He read the official
record Of the precinct meeting. show
,ng that the vote. twice counted, was
81 to 81, and that the casting vote OF
the meeting was given by the chairman,
who voted for the Martin delegates.
Mr. Lee said he aud his friends, as
politicians. knew the contest was for
purpose.
Mr.. Lees story OF the Downing's
convention. TO certain point. was
practically the same as that OF Mr..
Ohinn. He said that while he knew
the Richmond delegation had been put
under the unit rule when chosen. ye:
it was known that the delegation had
met that morning and decided to vote
together upon everything. Therefore,
the Lancaster delega gates held q caucus
and decided to do the same thing The
Litwalton delegates protested They
were released. The latter voted as they
chose
INSISTED OF A NOMINATION..
However, Mr.. Lee insisted that the
convention made a nomination He
said things " ere somewhat chaotic, and
in hubbub during the session. but
that selection was made. There was
a spurious contest for a purpose.
Mr.. Wexford here interrupted Mr.
Lee TO say that his name had not gone
before the convention with his wish,
and that he had insisted always that
no nomination was made
Mr.. Lee said he had had no intention
Of casting any aspersions upon Mr..
Wexford. He then read the minutes
of the proceedings Of the Downing $
meeting. The record shows that II was
M. Saunders, of the Litwalton Pre-
cinct, Of Richmond, who nominated
Mr.. Thomas A Pinkard, Martin man.
The record says Mr.. Pinkard was
unanimously chosen.
DR.. F. W. Lewis, of Richmond
county. arose, and said emphatically
Il wish the committee TO know that
Mr.. Saunders was not delegate TO that
convention. "
Mr.. Lee said he was regarded as such
prior to his having nominated Mr..
Pinkard. Mr.. Lee then stated that Mr..
NewbilI, after the nomination OF Mr..
| Pinkard, moved that it be made unani-
mously. Pinkard was again nomi'
mated.
Mr.. Lee concluded by saying that
spurious contest was at the bottom OF
the whole trouble. The people in Rich
mond county had been fettered In
mass.meeting. The people in Lancaster
had expressed themselves in precinct
meeting. 1t was full, fair, and free
expression Of opinion. 1t should be al
lowed to stand.
AT COROTT0MAN PRECINCT.
Mr.. o. S. Towles then testified as tC
the contest at Oorottomsn He said the
vote was 81 to 81. This, he said, in
cluded the chairman, who voted foi
Martin instructions. Mr.. Towles sale
he protested against the chairman cast
ing two votes, as he would do II h'
cast the deciding vote, but in spite O.
the protest, Mr.. Shackelford, the chair
man, voted to break the tie. The Ohai
refused to entertain the appeal from hi
decision, taken by Mr.. Towles. As
result, Mr.. Towles, and his friend
withdrew, with forty.two others. ant
the same afternoon held meeting ant
chose a delegation. The contest was II
no sense spurious lit was bona-fde from
beginning to end
Mr.. Chin then read an affidavit from
Mr.. Virginius Towles, one Of the teller
at the Corottoman meeting. and also 81
affidavit signed by large number o
men present at the meeting. The affi
dayit confirmed the statement made I
the committee by Mr. o. r. Towles
Mr.. Ohinn rsplied with much ear
nestness and some warmth to tn
charge that the contesting delegatio
from Corottoman was spurious, dc
claring that those delegates were q
honest and as true men, ss loyal an
, faithful Democrats. as were In thi
State. Mr.. Ohinn then said he too
il as good good party law that a ma
jority of a delegation had no right
bind the minority by unit rule. Th'
preoipated discussion, which We
right lively, but resulted in nothing
Mr.. Ohinn then resumed his argS
mens, his chief point being that Ohail
man Lee had no right to cast the vol
of Oorrottoman Precinct, whose deli
CATION was contested and that ther'
fore no organization was effected. an
therefore no nomination was ever mad'
SUPPORTED Mr.. PINKARD.