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The Weather To-Day: FAiR. The News and Observer. VOL. XliVlII. NO. fit). ]L©BUQ.S SL... CONVENTION IN SECOND DISTRICT Four Strong Men Contest For Nomination, 95 BALLOTS ARE TAKEN But Woodard, Kitchin,' Gilliam and Peebles Still Struggle, DARK HORSES SHOW LITTLE STRENGTH No Nomination Probable Before Morning. Meanwhile the Determination That the Whites Will Rule is Shown by the Immense Convention. (Special to News and Observer.) Goldsboro, May 25. —5 a. m.) —The largest and most interesting conven tion ever held in the Second Congres sional District is tonight in se-.sion in Goldsboro. No one who looks in upon it can for a moment doubt that the people of this district are tired of being represented in tin* National Legislature by a negro and that they have sworn to put an end to it. The opera house is crowded to its utmost capacity. The seats on the lloor are occupied by delegates, while the gal leries are filled with spectators. Among these latter there were in the earlier hours a large number of ladies who showed intense inter est in the proceedings. Mi.sic is fur nished for the convention by the Wilson Cornet Hand. lief ore the convention contesting for the nomination are four stiong candidates: Fred A. Woodard, of Wilson. Claude Kitchin of Halifax. Donnell Gilliaih. of Kdgeeombe and lb 15. Peebles, of Northampton That all of them have strong backing and devoted friends is :-!c> -i in tin* fact that at this hour. o'clock a m. 05 ballots ha*, c b en taken and the last ballot shows litle change from Die iirst one taken shortly afler 3 o'clock yesterday afternoon. Three dark horses were brought in. but they did not develop much strength. A- rhe matter now stands there is no pros pect of a nomination before morning. Certainly it will Ik* one of the most memorable convention contest.-, in ihe political history of ihe State. The convention was called to order in the opera house at 4 o'clock in the after noon by \\\ A. Dunn, of Halifax, Chair man of the Congressional Executive Com mittee. In calling the convention together, Mr. Dunn made a short speech in the course of which he said: “I feel somehow that the eyes of North Carolina are upon this convention, and I know that the eyes of the world are upon North Carolina. (Ap plause). It can not he doubted that some great deed is to be born in this State in this closing year of the nineteenth cen tury. (Applause). North Carolina has never before known such a campaign. We have made the issue: we have chosen our ground, and in making that issue the white people of North Carolina are but asserting the principle that is "born in them —(he principle that says the Anglo- Saxon race must dominate the world. (Applause) "The Republicans charge that the amendment is in oppositon to the United States Constitution. Rut what is the Re publican party? It is the party that suspended the writ of habeas corpus and brought on such a condition of affairs that ihe Supreme court declared the judiciary exhausted. This is the party that de clared in 189.") that it would reform the State, and when the reformation was finished it took a revolution to undo the infamous work. Then it was that the people of the State swore a mighty oath that they would no longer allow a negro or his representatives to rule over them. The solution to the problem that they offer you is the amendment. “Who say that it will stand the test of the courts? The best lawyers in North Carolina: the best lawyers in the United States. Who say that it will not? Pritchard and Butler. Whom will you be lieve? But if we should fail in our pur pose we will be none the worse. And I know the white men of North Carolina well enough to know that they will find some other means to assert and preserve White Supremacy. I believe our cause is just and honest. I know it is the only thing that keeps North Carolina in the forefront of the commonwealths.” Mr. Dunn closed by counselling harmony and caution and added, “This convention and this district is going to render it for ever impossible that another negro shall stand up in the halls of Congress and slander the white women of the State, and bv his vote forever disfranchise thou sands of the good people of Western North Carolina. (Applause). Then we are going to elect Wm. J. Bryan as our President. (Cheers and applause). I tell you what I believe when I say that we are going to carry this amendment by a great majority: the people of Eastern North Carolina have not degenerated one whit from the proud standing of their an cestors.” (Applause). Mr. Dunn then named John D. Gold, of Wilson, as secretary, and introduced to convention as its temporary presiding ofl'icor, Mr. W. T. Dortch, of Goldsboro. On taking the chair Mr. Dortch made a splendid short speech in favor of White Supremacy, saying: ”1 sec before me the militant Democracy of the Second district. North Carolina Dailies in News Circulation I assert that in you we have before us the grandest body of political fighters that is known in the present age.” The ground and the issue are chosen and the time has come when the white race must assert its supremacy.” He depicted the condition of ihe towns and counties in Eastern North Carolina two years ago, and added amid great ap plause: "We stood it as long as we could. Patience was no longer a virtue. It was a question of whether we should stand by home and wife and child or be run over by a horde of ignorant vicious ne groes. Do you ask which w'e chosf ? Are you surprised at the action of the people of Wilmington? When I tell you that the amendment will deprive no white man of the right to vote, but that it will take the ballot from eighty thousand ne groes, can you doubt the desirabilty of its adoption?” (Applause and shouts of No," "No).” When the speaker referred to Mr. Av cock his words were greeted by a thund er of applause. He said: "I tell you the honor was worthily bestowed. He is a great and gallant leader, and if you half way do your duty he will in August car ry the Democratic hosts to victory.” (Ap plause). The temporary organization was on motion of Capt Thos. L. Emery, made permanent. The following Committee on Credentials was appointed, one from each county: Bertie. A. T. Eason; Edgecombe. J. E. Cobb; Greene. T. E. Barrow: Halifax, John O. Burton; Lenoir. H. W. Davis; Northampton, B. M. Pugh; Warren, D. M. Collins; Wayne, J. T. Hooks; Wilson, John R. Dildy. Committee on Platform and Resolutions: Bertie, C. W. Mitcheli; Edgecombe, D. E. Cobb: Greene. Swift Galloway; Halifax, David Bell; Lenoir, W. D. Pollock; Northampton, C. G. Peebles; Warren, Dr. L. J. Picot: Wayne, W. R. Allen; Wilson, Dennis Worthington. These committees having retired for consultation. Capt. Thos. W. Mason, was called on for a speech. Coming forward amid great applause, he thanked the con vention for the honor done him and ad ded: “When we were assembled in Ral eigh looking for a leader the searching eye of Democracy found that man in this town. I know he will be the next Gover nor. I believe as the years go by and our children and our children's children read the history we are here making, they will say that day’s work was one o»’ the best we have done in a quarter of a c n tury. (Applause). We must stand by him. There must be no faltering or sulk ing in the Second district we have h> Id the first convention, and we must set the pace.” Speaking of the amendment, he said" “It's not a question of party politics. It’s a question born of the heart-beats of jhe white men of a proud State. (Applause). Talk about disfranchising people. We don't want to disfranchise anybody, but we are determined that the Second dis trict shall no longer be misrepresented in the halls of Congress.” “it is coming, I can hear it; you can see it. it has spread to other States, and even now Virginia, the mother of states men. is preparing for it. (Applause.) “We are not going to be laggards. We have taken up this tight because the voice of the people of North Carolina denial d if, and the votes of the people of North Carolina will carry it through in August, whoever this convention says shall bear the standard we'll wear his colors from our head to our heels. Aycock I regard as practically elected. The man we nomi nate today we'll elect. “.Good by, George White; you declared two years ago that the negro must hold oft ice. How about it, George? You in vited the issue of White Supremacy tw > years ago, George; now you've got it. and you. too. Marion and Jeter. George, Jeter and Marion, go together, stay together and sleep together if you want to." At this point the Committee on Creden tials came in and Mr. Eason for the com mittee reported that all the counties in the district were represented and no con test. The number of votes given ir. the convention to the various counties were: Bertie 27, Edgecombe 36, Greene 20, Hali fax 40, Lenoir 32. Northampton 33. War ren 18. Wayne fit and Wilson 31; ’ *»»a 1 291. This vote was apportioned on a bard? of one vote for every fifty cast iri the last gubernatorial election. The question of allowing proxies being raised, the Chair ruled that under the Democratic rules and laws of organization proxies were not permitted. The Committee on Platforms not being ready to report, the convention on motion of Capt. Thos. L. Emory, proceeded to the nomination of a candidate tor Congress. The following names were placed before the convention: R. B. Peebles, by Dr. D. B. Zollicoffer, of Northampton, seconded by C. W. Mitchell, of Bertie: Donnell Gil liam, by L. V. Bassett, of Edgecombe, J. M. Wood of Wayne; Claude Kitr.hin, by Walter E. Daniel, of Halifax, 11. A. Boyd, of Warren; Fred A. Woodard, by Judge H. G. Connor, of Wilson: by L. V. Merrill, of Greene, Dr. E. G. Moore, of Wilson. This completed the nominations and the Committee on Platforms made its report which was read by Capt. Swift Galloway. Following is the platform adopted by the convention: “Resolved. That we pledge our allegiance and devotion to the prin ciples enunciated in the platform adopt ed by the Democratic national convention I at Chicago in 1896, ami in the platform adopted by the Democratic State conven tion at Raleigh, on the 11th day of April, 1900. “Resolved, That we see in the recent unseating of the Hon. William I. Craw ford, the duly elected representative of the Ninth Congressional District by the vote of George H. White, the negro repre sentative from the Second District a new illustration of the dangerous power of the negro vote in North Carolina, and we hereby pledge the people of our Star that we will do our full duty toward righting that wrong to the Ninth District and that disgrace to the Second.” Roll call for the first ballot commenced at 6:50 o'clock. It resulted: Bertie, 27 for Peebles; Edgecombe, 36 for Gilliam: Greene, 6 2-3 each for Woodard, Gilliam 1 and Kitchin; Halifax, forty for Kitehin; (Conti lined on Second I’nyi*.] RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA, FRIDAY MORNING, MAY 2!5. 1900. ON TO PRETORIAA MERE PROMENADE British Again Look For a Very Soft Thing. RETREATING ON THE VAAL Boers Fall Back Before French Now at Prospect Station. GEN. BULLER INVADES THE TRANSVAAL His Forces, However, Are Held at Bay by the Boers at Laing's Nek, Where Burgh ers Are Entrenching. Boer Reports of Fighting. (By the Associated Press.) London. May '.’4. (2:05 |>. in. Geit tral French lias reached Prospect Station, about five miles north oi Rhenoster River. Ihe lloers are re treat ini’ on the Vaal. A dispatch from Rhenoster dated Wednesday, May 2 3rd. ]>. in., says: “The general opinion is (hat we will arrive at Pretoria a* last as we can nvarch, though the Doers an nounced to all tin* country that they inlended to light to the death. “General lan Hamilton is co-operat in'*' iii 1 lit* advance on the right. Thus Lord Roberts, who presumably is a few miles behind General French, "ill reach the Vaal before the end ol the week.’' Natives report that the Doers have buried two gains in the Rhenoster River. In Xalal General P.uller's forces have crossed into the TraiisMi.fi ttersr I ng'ogo. but are still held at bay at Laing's \<*k. where the I’.oers are en trenching themselves. With the ex ception of this pass. Natal i> clear ol lloers. They have a big' gun posted, but i! is doubt fill if they will be able to hold the position when threatened by a flanking - movement fi >,n ihe force that crossed the liiffeyo River. A dispatch from Pretoria announced that the first train north entered Mafeking- May 2:2nd and that the first train south is expected next week, it is said that the relief of Matching' was due to a blunder of one of the Federal officers, by which General Uelnrey was foiled in his plan lo cut off the relief force, after clririii" them away from the Molopo Tliver. It is added 1 lint the Federals have resolved to make a determined de fense of the city of .lohanneshnri’'. Klitnke. the Stale minin'*" engineer, has been given six mouths* lone of absence, presumably for protesting" against the proposition to blow up the mines. A special dispatch from Newcastle. Natal, says the Russian Ambulance Corps with the lloers is disgusted with their conduct and has" requested the Czar to recall it. At a “Stop-1 hewn i" Meeling" in London ibis afternoon, William Stead remarked that the Itoer delegates now in the United States told him they were prepared to accept peace on any terms computable with indepen dence smd asked if it was any _*ood attempting - to see Lord Ksilisbiirv. to which Mr. Stead ssiiil that lu* repliesl it was useless to do so. unless they proceeded 'to America, where they "have met with such coldness in of ficialdom sis lists excited the exulta tion of those who are determined to throttle the little Staites to death.” ROBERTS HELD BY THE SWOLLEN RIVER A Refrecnduin on Continuing the War Going on Among the Boers. (By the AsSociatert Press.) London. May 25.—(3:30 A. M., Fri day.)—Lord Roberts’ infantry advance is delayed at (he Rhenoster River for a day or two by the depth of the stream, which is not fordable. The banks, which are precipitious, are forty feet high. A pon toon and temporary bridge construction are under way. The railway has not been damaged to any great extent between Kroons tad and Rhenoster. The Transvaalers have of fended the Free Staters by destroying their splendid bridges when retiring to Kroonstad. They refrained from doing this on the retreat to Rhenoster, but now they are destroying the railroad and bridges almost completely north of the Rhenoster. The British troops are in the form of a crescent, with horns thirty miles apart, with Genera) French's cavalry on the left within twenty-three miles of (he Vaal, and General lan Hamilton's mount ed men on the right, within thirty miles of the Vaal. The center of the crescent is about forty miles from the Vaal. Boer telegrams say 3,000 British with guns, are now near Vredefort which is close to the Vaal and close to Parys. One correspondent refers to the advance as a “promenade.” Another describes it as a “Boer hunt.” The Free Staters are pic tured as "bolting like hares" at the first sight of the British. The latter, accord ing to one writer, do not even find wo men and children, as the tleeing farmers take their families with them, in conse quence of the reports current among the Transvaalers ihat the British kidnap all children over twelve years of age. The Boer rear guard was of Russians to whom was committed the task of de- Holton, A Jams, Thompson & Co.’s Last Serenade. stroying the bridges. They also looted freed \. What the Boers are doing is an abso lute mystery. The embargo of news out of Pretoria for the last 24 hours lias been complete. The movement toward Lydenhurg. however, continues and a referendum on the question of continuing the war is going on among the Boer fighting men. It may be a fortnight be fore the results cf this singular vote are fully before tlie Transvaal Government. If the English view of Boer discourage ment is one-half right the Boers will vote to quit. In Natal General Hartnell's volunteers occupied Mount Prospect Monday. Lord Dunflenald's cavalry is at Firmstone near Ingogo. His infantry rests at Schoen shoegte. The names are all of fateful memory in the first Boer war. The Brit ish face Laing's Nek where the Boers, through the range glasses of the British are occasionally visible. In the march across the Biggarsberg all the farms ex cept one were found vacant. A tempor ary bridge has been finished at Wasch bank. Trains now go to Dundee. General Duller said the best way to celebrate the Queen's birthday was to repair the rail way to Newcastle and every man was nut to work. BUBONIC PLAGUE APPEARED. South Africa has another infliction. An extraordinary issue of the gazette at Durban anonunces the death of an East Indian front the bubonic plague. The Government lias put into force the most stringent preventive measures, but fears are expressed that the pestilence may get among the troops. FIGHT AT SLEEPERS NECK. Pretoria, Wednesday. May 23. —An official bulletin issued here today says: “Sixty British cavalry came into collision on May 20th with eighty of the Swaziland commando at Selieep er’s Nek. The fig’ll ting" lasted an hour. The British lost 27 killed. .25 wounded and II were taken prison ers. Twenty-five horses, two Max ims and a quantity of ammunition were also captured. ’The Federals lost one killed and one injured. They assisted to remove the wounded ami bury the dead. “The advance guard at Heilbron re tired on the main body at the north ern border. “According to Free State advice, the British yesterday were at Grey ling's Drift, on the Vasil River. 25 miles from Wolinsiranstad. with a large force. “On Sunday Kalbe engaged the British between Heilbron and land lev. The Federals had to retire before an overwhelming force, losing one killed and seven wounded." PROCLAMATION BY KRUGER. Cape Town, May 24.—President Kruger, it is announced here, has issued a pro clamation saying he will defend Johannes burg and calling upon all the Boers to fight to the bitter end. Stephen Baptist to Hang July 10th. (By the Associated Press.) Richmond, Va., May 24.—At Roydton today the jury in the ease of Ste.phen Baptist lor the murder of Mr. Peter Jones brought in a verdict of guilty and Baptist was sentenced to be hanged on July 10th next. VOTE EOR CALLING TRE CONVENTION Such Seems to be the Re sult in Virginia. THEVOTEWAS VERY LIGHT Returns Come in Slowly. Republicans Vote Against Proposition, AT 10 P. M. THE ISSUE WAS IN DOUBT At 2:30 Richmond Telegraphed That it Appear ed Certain the Convention to Fram? the Ntw Constitution Had Been Carried. (By the Associated Press.) Richmond. Va., May 24.—From a sum mary at 1:40 a. m., it appears that the convention has carried in ihe Second, Third, Fourth, Sixth and Tenth Congres sional districts. In these districts arc the cities of Norfolk. Portsmouth. New port News, Richmond, Lynchburg and Staunton, which gave good convention majorities. The result in these districts with scattering majorities in counties in the other districts, and the majorities in their cities and some of their larger towns indicate that the convention move ment has succeeded. Figures, however, are impossible at present. MAJORITY FOR CONVENTION 1.124. Danville, Va., May 24. —Danville, the cradle of the movement for a new State Constitution, gave a majority of 1,124 for convention out of 1,406 votes cast, indi cations are that Pittsylvania and Ilcnry counties have gone for convention by small majorities. Harry Wooding was re elected to his fourth term as mayor with little opposition. LYNCHBURG FOR CONVENTION. Lynchburg, Va., May 24. —In Lynchburg ♦odav there was a majority of 565 for the Constitutional Amendment out of a total vote of 2,207. PETERSBURG IS FOR IT. V Petersburg, Va.. May 24. —Owing to in clement weather the vote here was small today. Democratic municipal ticket had no opposition. The vote in favor of calling a constitutional convention 921 to 239 against it. NEGROES SOLIDLY OPPOSE IT. Lexington. Va., May 2-I. —ln Rockbridge county twelve precincts out of twenty two give 623 votes for and 625 against calling a constitutional convention. A rain storm prevailed all day. There was a general apathy among Democrats. Ne groes voted solidly against a convention. °i 0 , J\S/? OENIS. *A - ‘ About one-third vote will bo polled in tho county. RICHMOND’S EARLIER REPORTS. Richmond, Va., May 24.—An election was held today in this State on the cptestion of calling a convention to frame a new constitution. At 10 o’clock tonight returns wore coming in slow and tin* issue was very much in doubt. The volt! was light and the Republicans gener ally voted against the measure. At midnight the returns are still coming in slowly but the indications are more favorable for tlie calling of a Convention. At 1 a. m. it appears probable that the convention proposition lias been carried liy a small majority. C AST A LARGE VOTE FOR IT. Newport News, Va.. May 24.—This city voted for the constitutional convention by a majority of over 1.400 out of a total vote < f about 2.300. Warwick and Elizabeth Citv counties went against the conven tion by small majorities. York county returns indicates a ma jority for the convention. The entire Democratic city ticket was elected. Wards heretofore Republican, went Democratic today. ‘ BOXERS ’ DRILLING AT PEKIN. Threat That the Powers Will Land Troops in China. (By the Associated Press.) Shanghai, May 24. —The members of the Chinese secret society, known as tho “boxers” are now openly drilling at Pe kin, and many high Manchus. including members of the Imperial Clan, are join ing the movement, which is becoming so threatening that diplomatic represen tatives are about to take action. B. .1. DeCclogan. the Spanish Minister, and Doyen, of the diplomatic corps, have made a demand upon the Tsung Li Yamen. (Chinese Foreign Office) couched in the strongest terms, for the immediate sup pression of the “bdxers” threatening that otherwise all the powers concerned would land troops in China. RACE QUESTION IN M. F. CONFERENCE Agents of the Eastern and Western Book Con cerns Named. (By the Associated Press.) Chicago, 1115.,. May 24. —This was a day of elections in the Methodist General Conference. Agents of the Eastern and Western Book Concerns were named. Samuel H. Pye and A. 0. Jennings were the su e1 candidates to” ni** '.'l.ivago and Cincinnati offices and Ilomer Eaton and George B. Mains were re-elected to the New York office. The Conference abolished the office of Secretary of Epworth League and refused to allow another secretary for the Sun day School Union. It reconsidered its action of a week ago in abolishing addi tional secretaries of the various church benevolences so far as the Freeman’s Aid and Southern Education Society was con cerned. The debate resulting in this ac tion was quite bitter at times, the race question being brought out prominently. The General Conference voted to adjourn sine die at 1:30 p. m. Tuesday next. Richmond. Va.. May 24.—The Penin sula Bank at Williamsburg was entered by robbers last night, the safe blown open and about SIO,OOO of money taken. Ther® is no clue to the robbers.
The News & Observer (Raleigh, N.C.)
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May 25, 1900, edition 1
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