Meeting at the Court House ? Delegates to the Grafton Convention Appointed ? The Draft Questions ? Another Meeting Called for To-morrow Night. ? Pursuant to the notice given in the morning, a meeting was held at the Court House Saturday evening, for the purpose of nominating delegates to the Grafton State Convention on the 3d of August, and also for the purpose of considering what steps were necessary to fill up the quota of the county under the late call of the President for 500,000 more men. Mayor Crangle was called to the chair and Samuel Laughlin was appointed Secretary. A committee was appointed to prepare business for the meeting, including delegates. While this committee were out Messrs. Chester Hubbard and Dan?l Peck, made speeches, urging the necessity as well as the advantage of filling the quota of the county with volunteers of drafted men. The business committee on returning reported the following list of delegates.
Samuel Irwin, H. K. List, Jas. Bodley, Theo. Gorrell, W. L. McNeely, George K. Wheat, John Goudy, William B. Simpson, Augustus Pollock, W. D. Sawtell, E. W. Paxton, Theo. J. Blair, Edward Reed, Dr. J. C. Hupp, Wm. Tallant, John Claytor, J. C. Cooper, Geo. Adams, Daniel Lamb, Capt. J. McLure, Daniel Peck, John Bishop J. E. Wilson, Samuel Laughlin, Isaiah Warren, Edward Bocking, Louis Keller, A.B. Caldwell, Hiram Young, J. F. Hopkins, J. List, J. Bayha, J. A. Metcalf, D. B. Donell, Alex Laughlin, M.S. Ott and Andrew Glass.
Richland Township. ? W. North, G. D. Boner, W. Atkinson, Joseph Waddle S. McColloch, W. T. Nichols.
West Liberty Township ? Levi Mills, W. T. Gilmore, David Atkinson, Adam Blaney, M. M. Dunlap, A. C. Boggs.
Triadelphia Township. ? John E. Sisson, Jacob Hornbrook, T. B. Stewart, Alexander McConn, S. H. B. Carter.
Ritchie Township. ? Dr. Robert H. Hazlett, J. W. Shultz, Augustus Handian, Jesse S. Wheat, Benedicts Speidel, Robert Bickerton.
The Committee recommended that all other Union men of the county who might be present at Grafton on the day of the Convention be requested and authorized to act as delegates. Mr. C. D. Hubbard moved to add the names of the Committee, viz: Messrs. A. W. Campbell, John R. Hubbard, Joseph Seybold and A. B. Caldwell, to the list of delegates, which motion was adopted.
The Committee further reported the following resolutions:
Resolved, That the Union people of this county entertain a high appreciation of character of Governor Boreman as the chief magistrate of the State, and they would be well pleased to see him re-nominated at Grafton.
Resolved. That the delegates from this county are instructed to co-operate with the delegates from the other counties in this Congressional district at the State Convention in the selection of a candidate for Congress.
Resolved. That we heartily endorse and approve the late call of the President for 500,000 additional troops, and that we recommend that the sum of ________ dollars be levied by the Supervisors of the county wherewith to assist in filling our quota.
The report of the Committee was received and adopted by the meeting.
Considerable debate was had as to the amount with which the blank in the last resolution should be filled. Three hundred dollars, the same as before, was generally suggested; and it was further suggested that the payment of it should be graded as in the government bounty, viz: -- one hundred dollars for one year, two hundred for two years and three hundred dollars for three year enlistments. A discussion was also had as to payment of bounties to those who had been credited, over and above the quota, to the county in the last call under the supposition that they were to get bounty. The whole matter was adjourned over until Tuesday (tomorrow) night, at which time another meeting, larger than that of Saturday night, it is hoped, will be held.
The meeting To-Night.
The meeting at the Court House Saturday night, adjourned to meet again this evening in order, in the meantime, to afford all persons an opportunity to talk over the proposed bounty of three hundred dollars to volunteers, and to make up their minds whether it is better that we stand a draft or endeavor to fill the quota of the County by raising volunteers. To-night, we presume, final action will be taken. The meeting, we doubt not, will be a large one. The time is approaching so rapidly for a draft that those liable, knowing for certain that it will take place unless something is done meanwhile to prevent it, will naturally feel very anxious about it, and will turn out to hear and see and deliberate as to what is necessary for each man to do. Let all persons who have an interest of any kind at stake come to the meeting and now stay away and then complain afterwards that their opinions were not represented. Now is the time for a full expression of public sentiment. And there is no time to lose.
Timeline of West Virginia: Civil War and Statehood: July 1864