The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-03-11
Tie View ApDortionlncnt.

The Conservative caucus ana comnClec
have given us our new apportlonment. his
district stretches from the North Mountain
almost to Richmond. We have Rockingham,
Augusta, Highland, Bath, Allegheny, shen-
andoah, Page, Albenmrle, Greene, Gooch-
land, and F'luvanna. The caucus took the
same route that Sheridan did when he wound
I'D ut "Columbia Works." The fellow that
rides this district and interviews the voters
will, besides getting good practical Know
ledge of the geography Of Virginia, have the
pleasure of knowing every type OF the Cil!-
casian and every shade Of the princely
African; for they all are to be found dwell
inc in this compact and homogeneous dis
trict. We obtain this result by that
process conveniently classified by poll
ticians is gerrylnandcrlng. Some writer
feared that tile joint committee charged with
this matter, though aided by the caucus,
would lind difficulty in agreeing upon basE
of apporti0ning the various counties because
of the fact that there were so many candl-
dates for Congress i'll the Legislature to bc
consulted. But this difficulty has been met,
and we suppose all the embryo NJ. C.'s are
serene. 1t would be well, however, for Ma
jor Hotchkiss to get up series OF maps OF the
various congressional districts in virginia,
and for each candidate to arm himself with
one at least before starting on his pcrlous
voyage. Why, one might rs wei! attempt to
sill around Cape Horn without chart or COM
pass rs to traverse some Of the districts WITHOUT
an accurate map. But by using different CO.
lors for the different counties, and designating
accurately the mountains, rivers, &C., man
of fair average ability might make his way
through. \ Goochlaad ulan, unaided, might
l.. u IA
and one OF our old valley rangers would be
quite rs unfamiliar with the Hat country that
lies along the majestic " JecmS." Gcoglaphi-
cally and geographically this division has
never been eXcelIed, perhaps, save III the
township districting OF this county. The
great reason that is at the bottom of this
thinc-to return us many Democrats Us pos
sihle to Congress from Nir@inil-we respect
fully submit is unworthy of the great party
in whose interest the work is done.
Were the Republican party in power in this
State, an arrangement like this by then,
would excite our universal denunciation-
and Justly so. As fail-mnded men, have
we the right in this questionable way to
seek to perpctuate our supremacy? The
CRYING evil of the day is that the dominant
political party has unscrupulously used
dqainst as every arm OF the Government for
this identical purpose. On the larger and
more important theatre, for five years con-
glessioml legislation primarily has looked to
the perpetuaton of party donlinancy. They
blaze the way for us it is true, but that consti-
tutes for us no sufficient justification. We
stand upon the integrity of our own con-
duct, and if we are above the smart small
tricks of our adversarcs in the long run it
will not be to our disadvantage. We would
be rejoiced to see IN unbroken Conservative
delegation from Virginia in this Congress.
We believe it would be in every way to our
advantage; but to accomplish it we would
not consent to use the unworthy artitice that
belongs par excellence to our enemy, nor
would we take a step that could by implica-
ton cast a doubt upon either our honesty,
our consistency, or our tair-dealins.-Har-
rison6urg Commonwealth.