Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-10-08
THE SOUTHAMPTON SITUATION.
Dissent from the Action of the STATE
Committee-MaSs-M Called.


| Democratic Executive Committee OF
Southampton county held a meeting at
CORTLAND to-day to consider the ques-
ton of whom the said committee shOuiu
support for the state Senate from lIls
senatorial district. j. c. Parker county
chairman, presided. out OF COMMITTEES
of thirty tWcnty-One members were pres
ent. Colonel X. T. BOykin and Hon. VII
liam Stands, the two Democratic candl-
dates for the Senate I'm this district. We're
invited to seats In the committeeman,
and accorded the privilege OF making
statements before the committee. II they
desired 10 do so. This privilege they Doth
availed themselves Of, and after nearing
their respective statements the commit
tee took the matter under consideration,
and upon motion of Judge j. b. Prince
adopted the following resolutions:
Whereas the Democratic party or
Southampton county, in mass-meeths
assembled. on the 18th day Of August,
1883 sent thirty delegates TO represent
said county I'm the senatorial convention
which met in Suffolk on August =, lSs5;
and.
Whereas. the thirty Democratic repre-
sentatives. I'm the exercise Of their dis
erection aided as q unit i'm placing the
Hon William Stands I'm nomination 10
represent the " hirty-second senatorial
District i'm the Senate of Virginia; and,
Whereas, the minority Of the said sena-
torial convention placed in nomination
Colonel r. J.. Boyldn, Of Isle of Wight
county. who claims TO be the regular
nominee for the Senate; and,
Whereas. The State Central Committee
and the Executive Committee of the
Democratic party Of Virginia, in JOINT
session ass smbled NJ the request Of Col
ouel Boykin and without the consent and
against the protest of Hon. William
Stands. attempted 10 take into conside-
ration the contest between said Stands
and BOyldn; end.
Whereas. the said committees upon OK
f..af frrn| Dfn lTT
have declared the said Colonel r. T..
E0ykin 10 be the regular nominee for
the Senate for this senatorial district.
and have called on all county chairman
and committeeman in the district TO
render him loyal support; and,
Whereas. I'm view OF such action on the
part of the committees We deem 10 TO DE
our duty TO let our position be known:
Resolved. ]. That it is our duty and
privilege TO obey first The voice Of the
Democracy that created this committee,
which Democracy Is that Of southampton
county, and believing this. we feel COM
uellcd 90 support the action OF the rep
resentatives of that Democracy I'm the Sut-
folk Convention until the action of those
representatives. is repudiated by the same
Democracy that sent them there.
2 We do not admit any authority IN
the state Central and Executive commit
tees to consider and decide which side
IS regular I'm a contest such as we now
have. unless both sides TO the controversy
are willing TO submit to the arbltrdment
of the committees.
g. We believe that the said committees
are thoroughly partisan in their advocacy
Of q particular candidate Tor the Jhl-cd
States Senate, so much so, indeed, as 10
render them totally unfit TO adjudicate
any matter in which he is personally ir-
terested; and we further believe tnat TINS
partisan feeling that exists i'm said COM
mittees, together with the attempted usur-
90 In n
tests in the State has seriously impaired,
if not entirely destroyed, their influence
with the masses OF the Democratic party
throughout the state
4 We are always ready and willing 10
Weld loyal obedience TO party authority,
given by party law, and based upon the
fundamental principle OF Democracy, mat
the people shall be heard on every ques-
ti0n and that the majority shall RUE
but we are not willing to obey the die
tates of any part OF tho party organize
ton when il attempts l. irpatl0n OF pow
or or attempts 10 enforce law or us
own creation which denies TO the ma
ioritv Of the Democratic voters IN any
section the right to decide for themselves
who shall be their representative IN any
position. $780,.
Of Southampton county 10 stand by the
action Of their representative az the ouI-
folk Convention, and render loyal ana
enthusiastic support to the Hon Niilldh
SndnQg. ana III luIlutldiNt VI inns i''t
nose we call upon the Democratic voters
of Southampton county 10 assemble to-
gether in the courthouse on the 10Th day
of october, 1899 (cOurt-daY, and take ms
matter into consideration and endorse, "
thew wish to do so, the action of their
representative in the Suffolk Convention
i'm nominating Hon. William Stands Tor
the Senate or take such other action as
| they shall deem proper
The county chairman was instructed
10 prepare and circulate an address 70
! the Democratic voters Of the county call
! ING on them to assemble in mass-meetins'
! i'm accordance with the above resolutions.
or the twenty-one members OF the COM
mittee present twenty voted for the above
resolutions and one voted against them.
OF the nine members of the committee
who were absent, eight are known 40
favor the action Of the committee ana
one opposes il. Thus the total commit
tee of thirty stands twenty-eight In FAVOR
of Stands and disregard for the action OF
| the State Committee, while only two en-
dorse the action OF the state Commit
tee and favor BOykin.
I'VE publish this letter as matter or
news. and with the lingering nope mat
the controversy I'm Southampton IS not
Vet beyond the hope OF compromise. But
we hold that # the contestants cannot
come 10 an understanding among them
sclves-as the Charlotte Democrats nave
done-the action Of the State Committee
should control. In this matter We occupy
me position we have held invariably since
the organization Of our party.-Ihe DIS
81