Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1867-06-20
Coalition Of the Radical Wings" in Richmond
Wa find In tho Nau York Times q long re-

port made to the New l ork Union League
Club. by the late ENJOYS to Richmond, through
Mr.. Jay, of their success in reducing to, peace
and amity the beligerent Radical leaders IN
Virginia. According to Mr. Jay, MIR. Bolts
confessed that the dispute between himself and
the rival clique, rested upon etiquette rather
than principle" The complaint hinged on
the Richmond Convention of April last. MIR.
;sMr. Bolts, Mr.. Chandler and other gentle
men, x objected to the authority by
whioh it was called; they laid stress on the
fact that it represented comparatively few
counties; they complained that 1t was compos
ed almost exclusively Of the negro element
and they insisted that the citizens OF Virginia,
who avowed themselves unconditional Union
men, and who desired the organization OF q
great Union party, would not come lht' the
party thus lmperfectly organized and so exc!u-
sively led They had accordingly issued for
signature u call for new State Convention to
be held at Charlottesville on the 9th Of july to
organize the Republican party in the State. =
This call, which entirely ignored the existing
organization, had been signed by nearly three
hundred names of responsibility and note in
lbeir respective localities representing ina large
measure the old Union Wings and land owners.
And Col. Lewis, himself Of a Revolutionary
family, had remarked that most Of the names
belonged to families which had settled in Vir-
ginia previous to the war of the Revolution.
All the efforts which had been made to har.
.nonige the views of these differing leaders had
failed to lessen their antasonism.' Il
Mr.. Jay then explains how, in this juncture,
the brethren Of New York, Philadelphia, and
Boston, were invited to compose the trouble,
and there1pon repaired to Richmond. He
continues
The same evening, at clock, by invitation
OF Governor Peirpoint, they met in general
conference ut the Executive Mansion. Some
fifty gentlemen of both parties assembled to
greet. them, and the sitting continued until
TWO in the. morning. The discussion was
opened by Judge Underwood, who submitted
some interesting statistics, approved by Gen.
Strong, of the voting population OF Virginia,
white and coored.; and he was followed at
length by John Minor Bolts, Haux.
hurst. Of Alexandfia, Hunnic1tt, Governor
E. r.. Peirpoint. Reoktey, chandler ihe
United States. District Attorney, and other ne
gentlemen, who gave the whole history OF the
dispute from their opposing points OF view;
The discussion was characterized ny ability and
great earpestness, and exhibited at times strong
personal feeling, the expression OF which vas
however, tempered By courtesy. before ad
ionrnipg. it was agreed that each party should
annoint q committee Of five, to be heard the
next morning, although the generalimpresslon
saened to be that reconciliation was hopeless.
In reply to the views already alluded to as
advanced bv Mr.. Bolts. Mr.. Hunnicott and
his friends suggested that the Committee IS
called the Richmond Convention had been ap-
pointed by Mr.. Bolts himself; that Their &C, S,
! tion had been aslegular as circumstances Wouiu
permit that if the Convention had been tnloly
attended, it was the fault OF MIR. Bolts irlenus
that were they to accept MT. u. noGs Is plop's-
ton to come to the Charlottesville tonVenuon'
and organize anew, they would stultliy them
selves. and invalidate their own acts; that they
would ike to have Mr. Bolts friends with
them, but if they would not come, the Radl'
.,cal Renublicans could do without them that
with the negro vote the Radicals could carry
the State and that the negroes would not lol'
low Mr.. Bolts lead Mr.. Bolts said this
might be possible, but he asked them to con
slider whether the establishment Of the Repub
lican Party in Virginia chiefly upon negro
basis even granting their success Tor lew
~ elections, would be really beneficial to the col
ored people when there should be revolution
;of public sentiment. - =
The next day at ii o'clock the conference
was renewed at the Ballard House, With Mr
Gibbons in the chair. The committees were
rennested 10 confine themselves as lar as possl
nronosition was made by Mr.. Beckley, color
ed man from Alexandria, that the State com
mittee ignore the proposed Charlottesville con
yention. and call new convention TO perfec
their organization. This Mr. Bolts promptly
rejected, but invited the State committee to at
tend his convention, Offering to modify the call
so as to make it's object the extending and per
fecting the organization commenced at Rch,
rnond This was approved by some and dis
approved by others the way ior reconciliation
was clearly opened, and, after 4 briet and an
: imated discussion, both parties agreed upon
the Joint call, which has been wldel ly publish
ed, for convention at Richmond on lst o
. August The result was greeted with warn
annlanse. and a cordial reconciliation followed
t'' The renort was received with cheers by tht
club, and thanks were voted to the delegate
who had represented it in the conference.
..5.. 0rn TIMES IN NoRFolK-Politics then raj
b;eh. and there were frequent town meeting
8 tn annroye or condemn the measures of tn
Democratic government st one Of these
meetings a long. string Of resolutions, laudatoT
of Mr. Jefferson, was offered. Ihe seeretar
read the proceedings, which ran as usual a a
numerous and respectable meeting OF the CIT
liens, &c, &c.;; after which, MT: Co"per Ios 70
and said: "Mr. President, this IS no doubt
81 numerous meeting; but, 70 say So ,ooks rs
8 we desired to make a swell Of 1t, and to as'er
IS what nobody ought to deny and / move, ssll
that the word numerous be stricken out
the preamble. This seemed reasonable an
the word was struck out. Mr.. Cowper the
said II move you further, sir, that the wor
respectable be struck ont for, although W
are respectable, it does not become US to pub
lish what we think Of ourselves" This seem
ed even more reasonable, and the meetin
struck it out. ''And now. sir, said Mr. G.
ssas this meeting has resolved that it is neithe
numerous nor respectable, I move that we a!
s,..,iourn. .''Efs And the meeting did adjourn i
such an uproar of laughter that Mr.. Cowptt
defeated the objectof the Democrats, who ot
erwise could have carried the resolutions
an almost unanimous vote, ,-NortoN Journa