The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-04-19


SEE mat our exchanges very generally advocate the
| holding of the reXt Conscryatv" state Convention
IN sine other place than kicloho; IN, mus mus lar
pi0prialc placc, and we lend our voice In favor 81
its selection for this purpose We believe mat 1t
will be more satisfactory IL the rcoplc that the next
| convention he held elsewhere than al flc!iil"na,
and certainly LHnchhnrSi- The most ;'yait'i. point
| for thai purpose. just here We wish 10 call atieii-
ton 10 tile fact that The basis Of representation in
! the next convention must bc mace upon population,
and not upon The mere party slrrit, rs "otaiasa
pconle must look 10 this point In their primary
meetings. The Conservative vote OF 'lrgInla mas
uncrs1e to" many E" , S, , slrs GI1
of that dIy Ia obtain in cur ncA convention. tive
us population, us NOR 'i;t1 ihr@2-tn"E,, OF HE
southern states make IL the h. Is CT their repre-
sent1tion.- abingdon PTgtntan
We had as well say it first as last-by
| changing the basis of representation the
Conservative success in the Valley will be
irararGiHed. Nor can blame fall upon the
VALLEY for il. 1t is fixed now let it alone.
The introduction Of new issues will parllyzc
the party. We need no new ISSUES. The
struggle will he hard enough with all the
advantage, we can command; let us not go
on, of our way tor di>>ensicns. The dele
gltes from the Valley counties may or may
not leave the convention, but they certainly
could not return 10 their people and say we
have represented you on the basis OF the
Conservative party. Our people do not
want to represent Radicals III party conven-
liouS, and they don't want Radical strength
10 be reckoned against them. II it is
matter of necessity tiat the Conser-
yatire convention should represent Radicals
also. We would prefer Joint convention OF
the Two parties, and u selection by conpro-
mise. Sugar is good thing, and salt is Il
good thing, but they don't improve by mix
ing. We would regret the effort 10 change
the basis of representation, and can shy,
without doubt, that il would be the most
serious blow to the success OF the Conserra-
tive party that we could imagine.
:. Ii there have been divisions in the recent
past, 20 back beyond them. We always
endeavor to second and aid the authorized
expire .sion Of PARTY policy, nat we think the
harmony OF the party should Oe always con-
suited and ii enthusiasm is TO be aroused
samong the people, no destructive side-iss1es
should be entertained. - Shenandoah TQk-
ley.
The first thing that will strike the reader as
remarkable in reading the above extracts is
that paper published in Abingdon should
be found advocating measure which would
be so manifcstly unjust to its own county
and section. What sort of strange influence
eau have been brought to bear upon the Tir-
ginian?
AS to the basis Of representation in the
convention, we remark that Richmond has
no selfish concern. Whether she be repre-
sentcd on the basis Of her population, or
on the basis of her Conservative voters, she
will hive very nearly the same relative yo lug
strength i'll the convention, the two partie.
being almost equally divided here. Indeed,
at the last election the Radicals carried this
city. But she owes it to herself and the Cor
servative party to use her influence to prevent
the preparation of such an act of Injustice to
the whole Valley and to the northern Pied.
mont country as would be involved in
the organization of the convention upon
the basis of population. 1t amazes US that
anybody should have the face to claim that
Petersburg, with q total vote of 4,G03 lin
lS69), OF which only 1872 are Conserva-
tives whilst 2,7Sl are Radicals, is entitled to
just about the same weight in convention
OF the Conservative party as Washington
ana Frederick counties comDineu lthey re-
present the extreme ends of the great VAL
ley, though these counties cast in 1869. out
of total of 1886 votes, the large number Of
3.543 for WALKER and only ,4l3 for WELLS
| Is it not a clear case that one -Conserva-
tive voter in Petersburg would have nearly
double the voting power in the convention
| that one Conservative voter in Washington
or Frederick would have? That would he
offering premium fer minorities. It would
lie Furnishing counties for casting a large
| Conservative vote. it wou!d be rewarding
The hiudermos. racer. II would bexeyersing
the rule that prevails 10 every department. OF
the business Of everyday life. We eau think
Of no justification for il.
| again; Candidates shovld be selected be.