The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-04-23
Republican State Convention.
SECOND DAYS PROCEEDINGS.
A PLATFORM ADOPTED.
WALKER DENOUNCED,
Lewis and Stearns Join In the Chorus.
A d. o U r N 4 D.

ADJOURNED.
The Conference met at II o'clock-Judge
Alexander Rives president) in the chair,
fianked by two colored yice-presidents.
GOVERNOR WALLER DENOUNCED.
Mr.. Wood, of Petersburg, offered pre-
amble and resolution condemning the coul sc
| Of Governor Walker as antagonistic to the
best interests of the people Of Virginia, and
repudiating him as Republican. =
On motion Of Mr.. Bowden, the paper was
referred to the Committee on the Platform.
The committee subsequently reported
the following substitute, which gave rise to
a protracted debate: s
ResolUed, That this body have no conf
dence In the alleged republicanism of the
/ Governor of Virginia, but do not consider
| it worth while to characterize his political
course" &
The reading of the resolution was res,
| ceiyed with tremendous applause.
Mr. Porter moved its adoption.
Mr.. Mckenzie said he thought it would
be rather undignifed to adopt such reso-
| luton, and he hoped no such action would
be taken. His own opinion was that Gov
ernor Walker had done just about as well
as could have been expected. [Great laugh
ter and some hisses.1 Further, he would
! say that he thought he would come out all
right If the Legislature passed the bill re-
curing voters to write their names on the
ballots. he was pretty sure Governor
Walker would veto the bill. He hoped the
resolution would not be adopted.
Senator Lewis said he had been indivi-
dually opposed to the passage of any resolu-
| ton referring to the Governors course, but
the matter having been brought to the no.
tice OF the committee they had agreed to re-
| port the resolution now before the Confer
ence. lie did not care much what they did
with it.
Mr. Wood, ofLynchburg, said that it was
undoubtedly true that Governor Walker
had either Intentionally or unintentionally
practlced great fraud upon the Republi-
can party. He ran as Republican, and his
course had proved that he had no claim to
the name. Hon. John f. Lewis ran on the
same ticket and made the same claim, and
had come out all right. [Applause.l
Mr. FRANKLIN Stearns then obtained the
floor. He said that if ever a candidate was
pledged to support the principles of the Re-
publican party that man was Gilbert C..
Walker. [Applause.] He (Mr. Stearns) had
something to do with framing that platform,
and detied anybody to point to line in it
not thoroughly Republican, and there was
not line in it that Governor Walker did
not endorse. So they put him in the field
as their standard-bearer, and the contest
commenced.
tits true that Walker made some rather
queer speeches, and that it was said that
the candidate for Lieutenant-Goyernor
disposition to dodge and play tricks but q
good deal was excused in view of the heat
and campaign. When that campaign was
over our good-looking Governor came to
Richmond, and in Il speech at the Exchange
Hotel boiled over with republicanism, and
we thought the country safe. lie then went
| to Washington to aid in the admission of
the State, and convinced everybody there
of his republicanism. And now, if he has
since seemed to be something else, the diff
Guilty must consist in the fact that he really
don't know what Republican is. ZAP
plause and laughter]
| logy to make to his brethren-an apology
which he had already made to his wife
| [1aughterl, and it was this that perhaps
owing to the fact that his eyes had grown
too dim to see through men, he had made a
mistake, and was now satisfied that govern
| or-making was not his forte. [Great ap-
| plause.l AS to the resolution before the
meeting, he would not have introduced it :;
but now it had been introduced, the best
way to get rid of it would be to adopt it.
[Applausel.
Mr.. jenkins always thought Walker a
Democrat, and had not therefore been de-
ceived. The passage of the resolution was
| unnecessary.
Mr.. Booker on. c. urged that the resolu-
tion be laid on the table.
Colonel LeWislayo the adoption of the
resolution, for the reason that this discus
sion had developed that Governor Walker
has apologists even in this Conference, and
he should be disowned.
Judge Rives hoped that the Chair would
be excused for taking part in the debate,
but believing that u crisis had arrived, con-
jured the Conference to pass the resolution
| by as unworthy of consideration.
Senator Lewis: Governor Walker has been
| dignited too much by this discussion.
Judge Boiling: There was Judas once
who was manly enough to hang himself
| Modern Judases don't dispose of themselves
| that way but give Walker rope enough he
will soon come to an end.
Mr.. Davis, of Petersburg: The passage Of
such resolution is rendered necessary on
| account of the impression prevailing at the
North, almost universally, that Governor
Walker does represent the Republican
party of Virginia.
Mr.. Plat: Governor Walker has repre-
| lican, and thus done much harm. 6 War
| to the knife against this bogus republican
ism" should be our motto.
Governor Wells: The motion to lay on
| the table should be voted down. We should
accept the statements of Senator Lewis and
Mr.. Stearns, and vote that Governor Walk
er's professions of republicanism have
proved to be false.
Mr.. Bundy: The resolution should not
be adopted, because the Governor has not
had an opportunity to declare his position
on national politics since his inauguration,
as there has been no Republican Conven-
| ton since that time.
A colored delegate Would you vote for
him as Republican now? [Applause.]
Mr.. Bundy: It will be time enough to
vote on election day. [Laughter.]
| The vote was then taken upon the motion
| to lay on the table, and it was lost.
The question recurring upon the resolu-
ton, it was adopted with but one dissent
ing Yoice-that of Hon. Lewis Mckenzie.
DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES.
Senator Lewis, on behalf ofthe committee,
reported the following as the platform of
the party; which was unanimously agreed
upon:
The Republican party of fVirginia, in Con-
ference assembled, announce the following
declaration of principles
/. An Immediate enforcement of the
fourteenth and fifteenth amendments to the
national Constitution in letter and in spirit,
and the adoption of any other measures
necessary to guarantee universal freedom of
thought, speech, and action.
2. A general and universal system of pub
lie eduction at public expense, under na-
tional law, whenever such system is not
adopted and enforced by State govern