the matter and to talk it over with
his wife. At 7 o'clock he notified the chairman of the committee that
he would accept the nomination if tendered.

Buchanan had informed the committee that he had heard of Revels but did
not know him personally. He too had asked to be allowed until 7 o'clock
in the morning before giving a positive answer, so as to enable him to
make the necessary inquiries to find out whether or not Revels was a
suitable man for the position. At 7 o'clock he informed the chairman of
the committee that if the name of Williams should be withdrawn in favor
of Revels he would cast his vote for Revels. The caucus then decided by
a unanimous vote that upon the assembling of the convention at 9 o'clock
that morning Mr. Griffin should withdraw the name of Williams from
before the convention as a candidate for State Senator, but that no
other name should be placed in nomination. Every member of the caucus,
however, was committed to vote for Revels. This decision was to be
communicated to no one outside of the caucus except to Mr. Buchanan, who
was to be privately informed of it by the chairman of the committee to
whom he had communicated his own decision.

As soon as the convention was called to order Mr. Griffin was recognized
by the chair. He stated that he had been authorized to withdraw the name
of Rev. J.M.P. Williams from before the convention as candidate for
State Senator. This announcement was received by the Jacobs men with
great applause. The withdrawal of the name of Williams without placing
any other in nomination they accepted as evidence that further
opposition to the nomination of their candidate had been abandoned and
that his nomination was a foregone conclusion. But they were not allowed
to labor under that impression very long. The roll-call was immediately
ordered by the chair and the tellers took their places. When the ballots
had been counted and tabulated, the result was seventeen votes for
Revels and sixteen votes for Jacobs. The announcement was received by
the Williams men with great applause. The result was a victory for them
because it was their sixteen votes together with the vote of Rev. Noah
Buchanan that had nominated Revels. The Jacobs men accepted their defeat
gracefully. A motion was offered by their leader to make the nomination
unanimous and it was adopted without a dissenting vote. In anticipation
of his nomination Revels was present as one of the interested spectators