y in the county. One was known as the
Lynch faction, the other as the Jacobs faction.

When the Constitution was submitted to a popular vote in November, 1869,
it was provided that officers should be elected at the same time to all
offices created by the Constitution and that they, including members of
the Legislature, were to be chosen by popular vote. The county of Adams
(Natchez) was entitled to one member of the State Senate and three
members of the House of Representatives. Jacobs was a candidate for the
Republican nomination for State Senator. The Lynch faction, however,
refused to support him for that position although it had no objection to
his nomination for member of the House. Since Jacobs persisted in his
candidacy for State Senator the Lynch faction brought out an opposing
candidate in the person of a Baptist minister by the name of J.M.P.
Williams. The contest between the two Republican candidates was
interesting and exciting, though not bitter, and turned out to be very
close.

The convention was to be composed of thirty-three delegates, seventeen
being necessary to nominate. The result at the primary election of
delegates to the convention was so close that it was impossible to tell
which one had a majority, since there were several delegates,--about
whose attitude and preference there had been some doubt,--who refused to
commit themselves either way. In the organization of the convention the
Williams men gained the first advantage, one of their number having been
made permanent chairman. But this was not important since there were no
contests for seats, consequently the presiding officer would have no
occasion to render a decision that could have any bearing upon the
composition of the body over which he presided.

Both sides agreed that the nomination for State Senator should be made
first and that the vote should be by ballot, the ballots to be received
and counted by two tellers, one to be selected by each faction. When the
result of the first ballot was announced, Jacobs had sixteen votes,
Williams, sixteen, and a third man had one. Several ballots were taken
with the same result, when, with the consent of both sides, a recess was
taken until 3 o'clock in the afternoon. The one delegate that refused
to vote for either Jacobs or Williams made no effort to conceal his
identity. To the contrary, he was outspoken in his determination and
decision that he would not at any time or under any circumstance