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# News of Fifty Years Ago [From the Richmond Dispatch, May 9, 1896.] The streets of Richmond were filled yesterday with busy carpet baggers and negroes in their Sunday clothes, who had come from various parts of the State to attend as delegates the Republican State nominating convention. It became known in the morning that the intenton to hold the convention in the African Church had been abandoned and Metropolitan Hall would be the place, and all the motley gang headed that way. None were admitted without tickets, and persons holding them filled the hall in a few minutes after the doors were thrown open. At 12 o'clock the convention was called to order by James H. Clements, who read the convention call. The officers elected after much wrangling were: James H. Clements, of Portsmouth, president; G. S. Smith, J. C. Toy, J. Thayer, George Teamah (negro), John Oliver (negro), Ossian Johnson, Samuel Proctor and L. E. Dudley, vice-presidents; Andrew Washburne, W. H. Samuel and George Fayerman (negro), secretaries. Great disorder followed the announcement of the result of the election, the Hunnicutt and Hawxhurst crowds protesting against the whole proceedings and claiming that the election was unfair. Disorderly scenes followed every movement, such as the appointment of committees, etc. A motion to exclude ail officers of the Freedman's Bureau created the most excitement and confusion. At the afternoon session, which lasted from 4 o'clock until 9:30, there was all kinds of wrangling and specchifying. Finally the convention got down to nominating speeches, and these were numerous and lengthy, as were also the seconding speeches. H. H. Wells was nominated for Governor, after so long a time, the vote standing: Wells 153; John Hawxhurst, 45; James W. Hunnicutt, 11; F. H. Pierpont, 6; George Rye, 1; Rives, 1; Bowden, 1. Total, 218. James H. Clements was unanimously nominated for Lieutenant-Governor, and then a motion to adjourn to 10 o'clock this morning was carried. The candidate for Attorney-General will be named to-day. Several gentlemen of the Methodist churches of this city yesterday purchased the Ashland Hotel property to be presented to Randolph-Macon College. They paid $10,000 for it. In the United States Circuit Court yesterday David J. Saunders was appointed receiver of the Farmers' Bank of Virginia. There have been heavy breaks of leaf tobacco on the exchange for the past three days. Yesterday 579 hogsheads, 119 tierces and 22 boxes were sold: Yellow wrappers, common to fair medium, went from $20 to $45, good medium to extra $50 to $100. B. M. Scott, major-general of the Lincoln Mounted Guard (Hunnicutt's body guard), was arraigned before the Mayor yesterday, charged with defrauding Fannie Cov (negress) out of $5. He promised to go her son's bail if paid $5 for so doing. He collected the money, but failed to furnish the bail for the youth. He was made to give up the "V" and give a bond for his future decent behavior. A protest of the white people of South Carolina against the new Constitution provided for that State was laid before the House of Representatives yesterday, and was referred to the reconstruction committee. Mr. Bingham finished his speech in the impeachment case yesterday, and was applauded. The Senate then refused to adjourn over to Saturday, and went into executive session. W. B. Baker has been elected president of the Valley Bank of Winchester to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Phillip Williams.