Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1854-11-27
RICHMOND WING.
MONDAY MORNING, NOVEMBER 81. 1884.
10 ISlltjtt0PON okNrs
P,.tr.r., Or \. Platform.

and what il to be done must DO done quickly. II
will then and there DO decided whether the Spartan
junto Of Richmond, or the Of the Democracy,
are to dictate the policy and control the desnies Of
tho party.
We, Of course, hav, no personal or party interest
in the decision Of this question. No matter which
way it may be determined it is matter Of profound
indifference to The only interest We feel mi is
that common to every Republican in the land-that
the voice Of the majority, and not the wilof central
clique, shall be obeyed. We know how easy 1t is for
sdroit wire-workers and active managers to stock
the cards upon the people-upon the unsuspecting,
confidins, honest yeomanry Of the State, who are
unskiled in the ways and wes Of professional poii-
tcians, and who have hopes but for the prosperity
and welfare Of their country 1t is easy, say, for
the wary and subtle political trickster to hood wink
aud deceive them; and to lay his schemes and
his traps rs cfectuay to put them at defiance, to
battle their wishes, drown their voice, and make them
tools and instruments in his hands. The people
are frank, open and generous-aways ready to de-
clare their opinions and their sentiments They
b i've no secrets to withhold from the public-no
schemes Of personal ACKNOWLEDGEMENT to promote no
selfish ends to attain, hopes OF official prefcrmcnt
to accomplishment with them patriotism is alike n
habit and duty. Not SO, however, with spoils-
seeking politicians. Not so with the scht ming Spar
tans These have their secrets their pass words and
their signs They know each other almost by
instinct. They play into one anO,her's hand and
smile at the ready crcduty and innocent simplicity
Of the people whom they merely use as counters
They are cunning, selfish and unscrupulous-and it
is their policy to be silent, ambiguous, and nom
committal. Hence, they dread the PRONUNCIATION of a
platform, containing full and complete declaration
of the principles and policy of their party, as they
would fiend ncarnate. Hum, therefore, is the word
they by-and the spoils, the aim and object Of
all their efforts, hopes and aspirations.j
The Staunton Convention will be in the hands OF
the Spartan junto Of Richmond. No platform will
be proposed or if proposed none will be adopted by
that body. The Richmond Enquirer has issued its
royal decree-in solemn form-and with the appro-
baton, presume of large majority of its Spar
tan allies 1t has already given orders that the
"Convention must endeavor to avoid touching upon
any irritating issue and exasperatng any slumberng
jealously." "Under circumstances" it says "can
it be necessary do than re-aifrm the funda-
mental principles Of the party" "f" it continues,
"the Convention venture beyond this limit, and
attempt to pass judgment upon particular measures
it will involve itself in nextricably difficulties and
tho party in deplorable confusion and STRIFE" The
ENQUIRER even goes bow-shot beyond this, and
declares that will be dangerous for the Convention
u oven ''rentu-. re affirm the time honored
principles Of the party" These must he very per-
picking times, and the "party" itself must be in
most perpleIed, embarrassed and rcketty condition.
when one Of its leading organs forced to make such
confession and to urge it to such humiating Dodge
such disgraceful and ignominious SHIFT. Fral must
be its bold upon e-gone, indeed, its ancient vitali-
ty energy and boldness, when the great Democratic
party of Virginia thus advised ignore the plain
duty, the simple, every day practice of all parties
Gone, too, its chivalry and its pride, its spirit It's
independence and its glory
Acknowledging wide discordance oil opinion
among the Democracy of the State, upon nearly all
questions, the Enquirer yet declsims against the
adoption Of platform at Staunton, account OF
the apprehension that it will introduce strife there
and be productive of confusion and wranging during
the canvass. Why, in tho name Of common sense,
if the party split up and divided, as respects
essential principles and important measures, how
nero passing them over in silence at Staunon
heal dissenton and make them unit Have not al,
these questions, upon which they differ so widely, to
be met and determined some day or otherg Ii so,
how they to avoid the responsibility Of ultimately
disposing Of them? Are the people to be told to
keep their mouths Shut TO express no opinio on upon
any mooted subject TO give uterance to Of tho
convictions Of their judgments or their conscences
through fear Of injuring the party offending its
self-consttuted keepers and managers! In other
words, are they TO be commanded to be "perttctiy
0ydr-that Is, perfectly submissive to the dictates
OF their masters Of the central junto here in Rich
mond, under threat Of having the "reins of party"
drawn "tight' about their necks, and being visited
with the severe penalties Of martial law? 2" Is all
liberty Of thought, opinion and action to be taken
from them, and are they to be made bondsmen--the
mere slaves and dogs Of pdrty' Is this the scheme
the midnight cabal at Richmond have devised to pro.
mote harmony and ensure success Ifit be- it is the
harmony OF despo,ism more rigid, more absolute,
and more grinding than exists any where else the
face Of the earth
Besides: Is the press, TOO, to he gagged Is tito
be forbidden tosay anything about these multfarious
questions upon which democrats differ" and differ
90 widely aud essentially Is our neighLor Of the
Examiner for instance, TO be debarred the privilege
OF speaking his mind in relation to the Hunter Land
Bllf Is our ficnd of the Lynchburg Republican to
DC drawn up before the Convention, and admonished
that his bold and independent manner Of uttcring his
sehuhcbtS Oplnlons, DOtn IN respect 10 men ana
things is di,tastciu to the unloanounts to practi.
cal rebeonsnd that he must dcsist lower his tone,
walk the line prescribed, or he will be sragh,way
banded over to The execuoners of the law-eyen OF
"ma'tial ldeF Are other Democratic editors.
also, to he leetured and promise Of implicit and un.
complaining obedience to the Richmond clique to he
exscted of them, the eight reins Of party" to be
Instantly bound aoout them, and they made like
lambs before u'cr shearers--dumb, dumb, dumb p
Is this the Spartan way Of bringing about perfect
agreement Of opinion, and producing unity on, Of
infinite diversity IL IL I,tte Original, we confess
hut will IL work
We remark, u, conclusion, that we have sadly
mistaken the obsractcrs Of many, who will be promi
ncnt and ac; - members OF the Conygntion II they
permit, themselves to be thu. gaggcd--io he tied
bani and f'o. aud sold into miserable party thral.
dom We s,y We have utterly miejuhsed them, "
Thy do not oshIpi, themselves ia nDbler light and
= more indcp ndent attitude.
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