The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1900-03-24
STAFFORD DEMOCRATS.
A stormy Meeting W j. Jacobs Reelected
Chairman New Committee Selected.

OF the county were out In large NUMBERS
and Fredericksburg was well-repre'
sented Judge Chichester had but
little 10 do in court as there was not
single case tried The display OF fine
horses was smaller than usual but there
was much trading among dealers IN
farm horses and cattle.
POLITICAL MEETING.
IL was the vernal equinox and there
was no storm from the heavens, the day
being bright and crisp But there was
a storm among the Democrats when
Chairman w. Jacobs called the meet
ing to order for the purpose OF Ieorgan-
izing the county committee for the
coming year. The members OF the
press were elected secretaries.
IL commenced when Mr.. Z. o. l..
MOncure moved that the election be
made in mass meeting This motion
was amended by Mr.. Andrew Briggs to
an election of the committee by dis
tricts
Before any motion was put, Capt ID,
NJ Lee arose and said he believed In
tho Old time method Of selecting the
committee by district meetings The
first thing however. he wanted. was 10
nave every member Of the pgesent COM
mittee resign Said he, Il am opposed
20 the present committee. | want "a new
cut. shunls and deal There are men,
hers on the committee who vote the
Democratic ticket when 1t suits them
and when it does not they vote the
Republican ticket | am tired Of this
ana want none but Democrats on
guard -
Hon r Weldon Berrey was opposed
20 any body resiguing lis did not sup
pose that any man who was a member
If the com nIttce would vote tho Re-
publican ticket and If there was such
case be had no business on the commit
tee and should not be reelected. lie
should have resigned long ago CHAIR
man JACOBS, whose rJtuud form had
been d'steudirg since Cipt Lee sat
down aud whose ire seemed To have
been raised by his remarks. said Capt
Lees remarks seem o. have been al.
rected at me | VIII willingly resign
defy any m4a 60 cAall uge my DE
nocracy RiiDg Ia his seat he said
Il desire TO ask Capt Lee who he sup
ported last spring flr sherlH Of the
county when there were TWO Republ
~aus and me Democrat running for the
III e.:
Il vas at the poll, working for the
-uly Dem lcrat In the heli, was be doing
Likewise OF supporting ere Of the Re-
puhlics1,: e. this Capt Lee did Mt
frply
Ont Loe-.I have said nothipg
lb,u, you did nov imp1Pn your De-
mCcracr slv this. that there are
men on the Democratic county com.
.alttee wAJ vote fJr Republicans when
70 suits them and they should not b3
there VINO are they came from
several pats II the hall Il DO not IL
tend G. name them 80 said Capt Lee
Chairman Jacobs ,xc.tedly replied 4
tender my resignation as ch lIman.
"Th.t Is unCalled FIR, said Capt
Lee "Your ID mDcraoy has not been
impugred
Glmm1nwellrh's Attorney G b
Wallace an opposed 20 designations.
Let e ahead aud elect our county
committee
Jnire Chichester-' consider the
whole oil cussi0n cut f order Elect
the committee, either I'm mass meeting
or By districts hs you may prefer, and
let Us g ahead and do II
Caps. Lee The committee has been
elected heretofore by district meetings
and ratified in mass. M citing, and am
opposed 10 aoY other method. | say
there is great dissatisfaction with the
present committee and | stick 70 Is.
Pat none but Democrats on guard.
Mes-rs Lee. Chichester and Ashby
then resigned. and Jacobs resigned
again
Mr. > r C1oper-' think the chair
man and the committee ought % resign
and give Us new deal | resign now
Chairman obs-'l am wiling
have resigned twice; amt that
enough:
JuIge Chichester-'' again appeal
that the whole thing Is out Of order We
have a motion and substitute before
the lneelng, and Let Us decide on our
method Of election " This seemed 10
mollify all parties, aud Mr. Briggs
motion to elect by districts was carried
Mr. Wallace then moved that Chair
man Jacobs be made permanent chair
man Of the mass meeting. Then came
another scene Aqua District being the
largest. and with a full delegation
present the main hall Of the building
was accorded them to meet in Hon. L
Weldon BerIey was made Oh ilrman
Several gentlemen were put in nOmina'
ton. The first one voted on was Mr.
5. B Dabnoy. Of Brooke. The ayes and
noes were taken by the chairman, ard
he decided II votes for and II against
Mr. d The chairman had the deciding
vote. bat before he cast it OBJ
lection was made TO the count
and il was taken over again. II re-
suited 10 for and Is against. Again
objection was made This exasperated
Chairman Berrey and he made a speech
in which be said that his personal enc
mics had not only ende IvOred 10 defeat
him in the party, but now they were
endeavoring to impugn his honesty in
the count and ne would not rem Yin a
moment longer in the chair. he paid
a high tribute TO Mr. Dabney's Democ-
racy and vacated the chair. Confusion
reigned and Hon A. T Embrey of this
city, successfully poured oil on the
troubled waters Mr.. b. was induced
to again preside and Mr. Dabney was
elected by vote Of II to IL. After
wards, on motion Of Mr.. r o. l.. Mon
cure, his election was made unanimous.
By this time the several districts had
selected their committees and were
ready to report to the assmeeting.
They are as follows: County Chair
man-W. J. Jacobs; Aquia-S. b Dab
ney, f. D Moncure, r. A Dnval
Falmouth-Capt S o Peyton, E 7.
Rollins. Capt d NJ Lee; Rock Hill
Nelson Shacklett, X NJ Jones, L. 5.
Briggs Hartwood-O ]. Henry, Thos
Wallace and Jodg' R H l. Ohiches-
ter.
1t was suggested that delegates be
elected TO the Norfolk convention but
it was opposed by Mr. q NJ Weldon,
Capt. d. NJ Lee and Mr.. q B Wallace
aud deferred to April court when 1t will
be done in mass-meeting. Capt Lee
then made a humorous speech in which
he said the Republicans had smiling
faces over the events OF the day, but
they need take no comfort from it as
i l. Tparrfl md