In 1896, Alfred Eliab Buck was the leader of the Georgia Republican Party. Buck was the president of the Republican State Convention in late April and presided over the electing of delegates to the 1896 Republican National Convention. There was dispute over the delegates, which Buck attempted to preempt by passing a "harmony" slate of delegates outside of standard procedure. However, the slate did not include Wright, who many believed would be a delegate. The convention erupted in protest and a representative of Buck's attempted to adjourn the meeting and the Buck faction left the hall. The Wright faction remained and Wright's friend, Emanuel K. Love took the chair, electing a new slate of delegates, now including Love and Buck (but still not Wright). Eventually Wright was not selected as a delegate, but did attend as an alternate.