Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1904-03-04
VIRGINIA REPUBLICANS.

VentlOn met IN NOfiOiA yOoVciu0y anu
as anticipated, the organization won.
The widest disorder characterized the
opening session of the convention.
State Chairman Agnew defeated Judge
Lewis for temporary chairman after
three hours session.
Amid scenes of the utmost confusion,
which d. /. Groner, acting as chairman,
had the greatest difficulty in controlling,
the speeches of seconding were made by
the orators of the party, and amid still
greater confusion the ballots of the vari-
Gus districts polledby counties was taken.
The Third, Ninth, and First were prac-
tically solid in the support OF Judge
Lewis. The Fifth split. The other dis
tricts were almost solid for Agnew, and
he won the temporary chairmanship by
the vote of 94Os to 1929, and by ma
jority OF III.
Mr.. Lgnew then thanked the party
for the honors rendered him in the past,
and announced that the first business OF
the convention was the selection OF a
temporary chairman. As he made the
announcement he turned to recognize
Col. Slemp rising to his feet to make a
nomination.
Col. Slemp was greeted with cheers
and announced his advocacy OF Judge
L. L. Lewis as the temporary chairman
of the body. During his speech OF nomi-
nation, be stated that if the organization
is at present in healthy state, growing
to meet new conditions of possible VIC
tory, no change is necessary, but if there
are any objections or defects the place TO
bring about better condition is at the
present convention. Col. Slemp then
nominated L. l.. Lewis.
R.T. Thorp followed Immediately up
on Col. Slemp, and the Agnew followers,
diyining his intention to nominate
their fayorite, cheered even longer than
had the delegations that greeted Col.
Slemp.
c. A. Heermans, of Montgomery,
member of the House of Delegates,
seconded the nomination of Judge
Lewis, and stated during his speech
that change in the State organization
is necessary because of the fact that Mr.
Agnew has not been aggressive enough.
Senator G. A, Revercomb, of Allie
ghany, followed, seconding the nomi'
nation of Mr.. Agnew, who was elected.
At the close of the afternoon session
Chairman Agnew announced the ap-
pointment of the committee on creden-
tials. The committee had nearly thirty
contests to hear, and did not complete
their hearing until after 10 O'Clock
at night. The convention was recon
vened at ten minutes past 10 O'Clock,
when the following report was submitted
by Chairman r. A. Fulwilder.
The committee begs leave to report
the list of delegates as made up by the
secretary, Asa Rogers, as the roll Of the
convention, except that both delegations
from the county of Amelia be excluded
and that the contestants in the county Of
New Kent be seated.
L. O. Davis, of Amelia, submitted a
minority report, dissenting to the report
OF the credentials commtteein the Anne
liza contest, and this started the second
exciting fight of the convention and the
first of the night session. The effort OF
the minority to seat the four delegates
named on the temporary roll of the con-
vention, on which action the seat of Gen.
Stith Boiling on the State executive COM
mittee depended, was ultimately success
full. A. w. Harris, the first negro dele
gate to speak in the State convention,
made an appeal for the convention to
seat the delegates. Finally, after a bitter
struggle, the report, except that part re-
ferring to the Amelia contest, was adopt
ed, and the fight was resumed on this
point with increased vigor. During the
discussion a negro delegate in the balcony
shouted:
eff you don't do justice now, we levi
IDENTIFY meaning the race must part COM
pany, and when we go we take the back
bone and sinew of the republican party
with us.
S. Brown Allen moved to seat the
Amelia delegation named on the rolls,
and when this motion was adopted the
negro delegates showed their approval
by applause because of the victory for
Gen. Stith Boiling.
1t was impossible to keep any SEM
blance of order after the convention pro-
ceeded to the nomination of delegates to
the national convention, and the organ
ization, at 1890 o'clock, forced an adj
iournment in the midst of speech Con-
gresham Slenp was making, declining
election as delegate at large. The dele
gates at large selected by the conven-
ton are Park Agnew, S. Brown Allen,
d. Lawrence Groner, and Congressman
Slemp. The latter declined because
Judge L. L. Lewis was not also elected,
but the convention ignored the decli-
nation.
George E. Bowden, of Norfolk, was
reelected member of the republican ma
tional committee.
With comparatively slight opposition,
Mr.. Park Agnew was reelected State
chairman for term of four years, and
j. B. Stovall, of Halifax A. G. Peachy,
of Newport News G. NJ. Keezell, of
Rockingham, and Stuart F. LINDSAY, of
Bristol, were elected alternates-at-large