Virginia Star, 20 Sep 1879, pg. 3, col. 2:

Stafford County, Rock Hill District. House of Delegates--R. G. Hickerson, H. Adie, delegates. H. M. Tolson [assuming this is Herbert M. Tolson], E. S. Moore, alternates

Political Arena, 24 March 1837, pg. 2, col. 5:

Communicated for the Arena. Democratic Republican Meeting in Stafford.

In pursuance of public notice, which had been given in various newspapers, and the general expectation of the people of the county of Stafford, a large and respectable meeting of the Democratic Republicans of said county, assembled at the Court House, on Monday the 13^th March, 1837, (being Court day,) to nominate a candidate for the next Virginia Legislature. The object of the meeting having been explained by R. C. L. MONCURE, Esq.—The meeting was organized on his motion, by calling JOHN G. HEDGMAN, Esq. To the Chair, and the appointment of ALEXANDER P. WILLIAMS, Secretary.

W. P. CONWAY, Esq, then moved the appointment of a Committee of fifteen gentlemen, in which all the sections of the county should be represented, to inquire into the claims and pretensions of such persons, as should be presented to said Committee, as fit and suitable to represent the county in the next General Assembly of Virginia, and report to the meeting—Whereupon, the Chair appointed the following Committee, to wit: W. P. Conway, James Tolson, Thomas Norman, James Morton, Benjamin Tolson, John L. Alexander, Thomas Towson, R. C. L. Moncure, George W. Stone, William Hewitt, Mark Harding, John N. Tolson, Thomas K. Newton, Alex’r Fitzhugh, and Benjamin P. Tolson, who after some time engaged in discussion and conference, returned, and through the Chairman, made the following

REPORT:

The Committee appointed by a meeting of the Democratic Republican party of the county of Stafford, "to inquire into the claims and pretensions of such persons as may be presented to it as fit and suitable to represent the county in the next General Assembly of Virginia"—do, in obedience to the said Resolution, respectfully report—

Your Committee, selected as they were from all parts of the county, have fully and freely inquired into the subject submitted to them, and have fully conferred in and discussed the same.

Several gentlemen of high intelligence, moral worth, and peculiar fitness for the station under consideration were, by their respective friends, brought to the notice of your committee, either of whom, if now preferred by the meeting, the committee have no hesitation in believing, would represent the county with credit to himself and honor to the county—and your committee are happy in having had presented, such an ample field for selection.—Your Committee, under these circumstances, (when it was manifest, the integrity of our party would be safe in the hands of either,) weighed other circumstances, regarded by it, as secondary in the selection—not being disposed to require great personal and pecuniary sacrifice, at the shrine of patriotic devotion to principles, if they could be dispensed with—some of the Gentlemen brought to the notice of your Committee, (altho’ their friends vouched their willingness to abide it,) would certainly sacrifice much, by consenting to serve in the Virginia Assembly.—Under all the circumstances, your Committee take great pleasure in presenting to the Meeting, as a fit and proper person to represent the county in the House of Delegates of Virginia. Mr. James Morton, a Republican of the ’98 school, firm and undeviating, and one who has never deserted the ranks of the paty—or failed to come to her rescue in the time of her necessity—consistent and uniform—with sound judgment and discriminating mind.—Your Committee have no hesitation in believing that if he should be selected by the Meeting, and elected by the People, he will faithfully and acceptably represent the political and other interests of the county of Stafford.

RICHARD C. L. MONSURE, Esq. Then addressed the Meeting in an elegant and forcible speech, in which he urged the nominee of the Committee to the favourable consideration of the Meeting, and urged the importance of union and concert in the action of the party.—The question was then taken, and the Report of the Committee, was unanimously adopted.

W. P. CONWAY, Esq. Then offered the following Resolutions, which were unanimously adopted, to wit:

Resolved. That every member of this meeting will feel himself pledged, to use all fair and honorable means, to secure the Election of JAMES MORTON, Esq. to a seat in the next General Assembly of Virginia.

And thereupon, the Meeting adjourned sine die.

JOHN G. HEDGEMAN, Chairman,

A. P. WILLIAMS, Secretary