The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1901-03-22
District Democratic Meeting.

man, DIR w. +. Anderson, the Dem,
n. Gratis of Farmvile magi-terial di
trict assembled i'm the courthouse Tue
day night for The purpose Of eectin
delegates to the county convention
10 which meets here April Bird, and vls
To nominate candidates for the severa
st district offices. The courthouse wa
well filled with interested members O
the party, and each question discussed
was pleasantly and agreeably passed
upon
DIR. Anderson presided with his usua
grace and dignity and all his rulings
I were made with absolute impair.
TALLY and with strict fairness. Judge
= Crule was chosen as secretary.
The first work of the meeting was
the nomination of district officers.
They were as follows: For Supervisor
Capt. h. NJ. Burton; for Justices of the
Peace-Col. h. a. Booker, J. K. Noel
and }. l.. Hart; for Constable-T. f.
Noel; for Overseer of the Poor-W. II.
Burger.
Nominations of delegates to attend
the county convention were next in
order The district is entitled to four
delegates, and just that number were
placed in nomination. They were
Messrs. Eugene A. Richardson, DR..
Winston, j. +. Walton and A. w.
Drumeler
Mr.. w. p. Gillian suggested that
the nominees should first express their
views as to who they favor for dele
gates to the Constitutional Convention.
The suggestion was accepted and each
nominee present expressed himself,
and they were all elected.
Major A. r. Venable, Jr, who has
been a candidate for representative to
the Constitutional Convention. made
remarks. Among other things he said
he was opposed to the judicial and ed
ucatiOnal system Of the State, and de-
manded reform i'm the expenses Of
the one and appropriating less money
for the education of negroes. He fa-
vored any constitutional way to rid us
OF the illiterate negro vote and was OPP
posed to dual Office holding. He ia |
vored DR.. Richard McIlwaine As a can
didate for the Constitutional Conyen- |
ton. Major Venable offered set of |
resolutions covering fully his views ex-
pressed above, and the convention vo-
ted them to be the sense Of the meeting.
The delegates were not instructed,
but those present expressed themselves
as favoring DR.. McIlwaine for repre-
sentative from this county. DR.. Nell
waine's views were clearly set forth i'm
letter read by DR.. Winston before the
meeting. For the information of our
voting readers we append the letter.
HAMPDEN-SIDNEY, VA,
March Is, 1901. !
DR.. Peter Winston,
Farmville, Va.
My Dear DOctor:-Your esteemed
favor of this date has been received. In
reply beg to say that soon after the
Legislature called the convention. |
was I'm Farmville aud was asked by
two old friends, whether in the event
that the people of Prince Edward chose
me as member of the convention, ,
would accept? to which | replied, Eyes,
but cannot do anything to secure the
nomination" This is my position to-
day. | should esteem ii great honor
thus to be chosen by my fellow citizens.
and If so chosen will do everything i'm
my power to promote the welfare of {
the commonwealth and Of the portion ,
of 1t in which we reside. You know
that | am sOuthside man by birth. q
More than four-ffths of my life has
been spent in il and nearly half of II i'm \
Prince Edward county, as student, pas J.
tor and President of Hampden-Sdney. ,.
| think | know our people and J.
sympathlze with their {
wants and aspirations. Indeed, i'm Y
these respects, | am as one with them o.
and | believe that can fully represent
their intelligent sentiments. ] recOg-
nize the fact that the convention will n
have some delicate questions before 1t
and do not feel like committing myself :,
before hand to any specific line of ac-
ion, which ought to be taken only af- Il
er mature deliberatiOn and discussion. Z
In regard to franchise think it ought n
% be limited, so as to exclude, as far
As possible, the ignorant negro vote. /
have always thought The enfranchise-
nent Of the negro en- mass was a crime.
It ought to be remedied as far as it q
IAN be done. In regard 10 negro Il
chOOls | do not know what to say. q
For several years | have been of the L
opinion that the taxes paid by white
leOple ought to 20 to white schools and a.
he taxes paid by negroes to negro b
chOOls. But on mature thought and c,
wider reading, | find that the question ~
: not so simple as | once thought it. -,
)ne thing am thoroughly settled on L
nd that is the white children of the ju
tate in our country districts ought to
lave longer school sessiOns-Of at least
light and if practicable nine months.
also think that some means ought to
e found, whether by poll tax or other NJ
wise, to secure that the negroes have
anger relative share of the burden of W
heir schools.
| am sorry that | cannot be more
pecific but these are questions which
an be specifically settled only at the l.
nd Of much thought aud conference.
With great respect, | am, dear doctor,
Very truly yours,