Rensselaer Republican, Volume 18, Number 40, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 June 1886 — THE DEMOCRATS' DAY. [ARTICLE]

THE DEMOCRATS' DAY.

The fate of Mrs. Kate Harley, of Delphi is no longer a mystery. A skeleton identified as hers, was found in a sandbar in the M abash river, near the * mouth of Deer Creek, Tuesday. She disappeared a year ago last March. * ■■■MMBIMMMMMMMMBBMMIM Lafayette Journal:- In the Logansport district (10th) the present able and popular incumbent, William D. Owen, will beyond all doubt, be renominated and succeed himself. He is a clergyman of the Christian persuasian, a hard worker, an industrious member and an open hearted, frank gentleman extremely popular with all. The Democratic candidates are Thomas J. Wood, D. D. Dykemaaand DeFoe Skinner.”

The Republican has so often expressed its high opinions of the Hou. I. D. Dunn’s qualifications for a member of the Legislature, : aud of his great services while serving in that capacity, that it scarely seems necessary for us to Estate now that we heartily favor his renomination. He was one of the most useful and faithful members of the lower house, and it would be the hight of folly and ingratitude for the Republicans of this Legislative district not to avail themselves of his services for a second term. The Hon. W. D. Owen has nobly earned his second term in Congress, and there will not be the slightest opposition to his renominatim by the Republicans of the district. Of the various can‘didates for the Democratic nomination, it is probably that Thomas J. Wood, their candidate of two years ago, will be selected. He is no good as, a Congressman, and iiis political brethren are well aware of that fact, but being a remarkably shrewd “mixer” in they think he will run better than anyone else they could Select; which is probably a correct conclusion.

( The Rensselaer Message, Horace E. James’ new Republican paper, opposes Hon. Simon P. Thompson, of Jasper county, for State Senator from the Jasper— Benton—Newton district. Horace has an old grudge against Simon. —r alpa ra iso M essenger. The Messenger, is correct in the above, except in the use of the phrase “Republican paper.” The Message has not yet condescended to state upon which side of the political fence it proposed fall to with a dull thud. In its course so far, however, it lias said and done much to aid and encourage the Democrats, but not one word that was of any benefit to Republicans. h Of the men nominated by the Democratic county convention, last Saturday, The Republican has no fault to find, personally. v We believe them to be good and fairly able men; but even if we thought otherwise, we think there would be no occasion to oppose their election upon jiei-sonal grounds. We oppose them because they are members of a party Whose principles, tendencies and composition we believe to be detrimental and dangerous to the best interests of the whole country, and whose election, as candidates of such party, will tend to strengthen and build it up, and Ju the same degree pull down and weaken the party in whose principles and practices ire have faith.

The Proceedings of The £ County Convention. The Jasper county democratic convention met last Saturday afternoon, in the Court House. The attendance was not very large, and enthusiasm was wholly lacking. The choice of Reuben F. Pettit, of Remington, for Chairman and Jas. \V. McEwen, of Rensselaer tor Secretary, as well As the character of several of the nominations made, showed that the old Bourbon Anti-war wing pf the party in Jas* per county is still capable of some very vigorous Happing. The manner in which Mr. Pettit conducted the convention betrayed an evident want of familiarly with parliamentary practice. ■ ■ When the preliminaries were all disposed of, —mostly on motions of either Mr. J. W. Douthit or Mr. E. C. Nowels, the convention proceeded to the work of nominating candidates for the county offiees. For Clerk Mr.’Nowels presented the name of Frank Hunt, of Gillam township. Mr. Hunt was very prompt in declining the supposed honor; and then Mr. O’Meara suggested the name of John C. Chilcote, of Rensselaer. That gentleman also displayed a great deal of alacrity in declining the exceedingly empty honor, and it began to dawn upon the brethren, that the task of finding Dumocratic county candidates was a pretty big contract. A disposition to make Chilcote take his medicine was evinced, but it was no go. He positively refused, and even an evidently humorous suggestion,, by Mr. Nowels of the great advantages of havingi an auburn haired candidate to riin against the sandy complexioned gentleman who now graces the office of Clerk had no power to change his resolution. The convention then abandoned the hope of securing a candidate, for Clerk, and passed on to the next office in order, the auditorship. Mr. Nowels then qxose and protested, afi usdal, that lib had no ■■particular” candidate, which might mean either that his especial candidates were not very particular as to who nominated them, or that his candidate were not very particular about running for office with no prospect for election. He then presented the name of Lucius Strong, of Newton township, as the" candidate for Auditor. Mr. Douthit, who had been falling a little behind Mr. Nowels in his race with that gentleman for champion Johnny-Jump-Up of the convention, then made haste to second the nomination of Mr. Strong; and before any one knew just how it was done theichairman declared Mr. Strong the candidate.

A candidate for Recorder -was next in order, and Mr. Douthit temporarily got the bulge on Mr. Newels and in a speech brimming with eloquence and brilliant with metaphor, presented a candidate whose handwriting was mord beautiful than the billet Roux of "the angels, and whose thoroughbred democracy was,' in Shakespearian language ‘‘Fetched from fathers of war proof.” As had been the ease with the previous candidate, the Chairman declared Mr. Makeever nominated before anyone else knew that he was anything more than placed before the convention. But the glory was brief as it was brilliant. Mr. J. G. Hunt, of Gillam township, arose and proceeded to protest in vigorous language against thetnullett-headed manner in which the convention was being run, and declared that Mr. Makeever had not been nominated by the convention, and demanded that an opportunity be given for other names to be presented. A lively three cornered discussion between Mr. Hunt upon the one side and Douthit and Nowels upon the other, resulted in a decided victory for the man from Gillam. Mr. J. G. Culp then brought forward the name of John B. Lefler, of Hanging Grove, for Recorder and Mr. Nowels again had “no particular candidate,” but proceeded to inform the convention that he too knew of a man whose handwriting was of a very altitudinous order of excellence- [at Jeast for a Democrat], and in addition, his candidate had the great advantage, found invaluable in the present Republican Recorder, of being long and lean -and lank, with great capacity for reach in taking down the books in the Recorder’s vault, as well as an evident natural adaptation for striding through the marshes of Northern Jasper. He then presented the name of David M. Shields, of L nion tp. The convention then proceeded to decide between the claims of the rivil aspirants by ballot, with the following result: Fiest Ballot. 7 Makeever, . Lefler, . . .28. 5hie1d5,.,.............35J.

No dne haying a majority, another ballot was, of course necessary. It was a noteworthy feature of this ballot, as well as of the two subsequent ones, that Makeever did not get a single vote from his; own township, Newton, that delegation voting solidly for Shields. . Second Ballot. . Makeever, .JET Lef1er,...22. Shields,..37. In this ballot Makeever and Lefler had changed their relative places in regard to the number of votes received, and Shields had gained 1| votes. Before proceeding with the next ballot the unrepublican rule of dropping the lowest candidate was adopted, to go in force after the next ballot, but as it happened the ballot decided the contest. THIRD BALLOT. Makeever,.... 19 Lefler,.l3 Shields,,.s2 This, of course nominated Shields without further contest, and gave to Mr. Nowels an opportunity to score another jump up, in a motion to make that nomination unanimous. The nomination of a candidate for Treasurer was next in order. Of course the renomination of Air. Hoover was a foregone conclusion, but the opportunity for a speech not to be neglected, and Mr. Douthit recited the claims and virtues of “his candidate” in a very flowery manner, and ended by naming Mr. Hoover. M. AMakeever then arose, and announced that be too had a candidate, ahd whose presentation to the convention was a “sacred duty.” He. too, enumerated the many excellencies of the man he had in view, at great length, and ended by announcing the name of Wm M. Hoover. After two such brilliant outbursts of eloquence, the motion to nominate Air. Hoover, by acclamation was carried by a few faint and unenthusiastic ayes.

Mr. Nowels then scored another run by presenting the name of Washington Scott, of Milroy tp., as a candidate for Sheriff. Mr. J. G. Culp then arose and announced that he was authorized by Mr. Scott, who was then sick, to state that he would not accept a nomination, for the office. Mr. Culp then suggested the name of John C. Chilcote, but that gentleman declined, and then Mr. Douthit suggested Mr. Culp. He too declined, and the convention gave it up, and passed on to the next. No name was suggested for Coroner; but for Commissioner Mr. Nowels brought forward Geo. H. Brown Jr., of Barkley and he was nominated by acclamation. On motion of Mr. Dhuthit the county central committee was directed to fill the vacant places on the ticket, the time for doing which not being specified. Up to this time Mr. Nowels had sdbred about 12 “runs” and Mr. Douthit about 10, with everybody else clear out of the field, ana neither of them was a regularly constituted delegate, nor had apy real rigiit to take parl hi the cdxivention. The work of choosing delegates to the various district conventions was then taken up. Thd'number of which to the State convention was 5, to the Senatorial 15, to the Judicial 14, to the Congressional 1G and to the Representative 13.