The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-08-14
Virginia.
New York World.

The Administration at Washington, alter
all that has occurred, will show as much
want of sense as of decency if they actively
interfere in the State canvass just opened IN
Virginia, The Conservative Convention,
with a sort of submissive dignity which
should be impressive; so far held out the
olive branch rs to suggest truce and pledge
itself not in any way to antagonlze. ms
pledge. voluntarily given, will, the Presi-
dent and his advisers ought to know, be re-
deemed with honor. If he wishes it so re-
deemed, and the victory sure to be won not
TO be construed as his defeat, he Will, on
mere selfish principles, keep his hands on.
He can only interpose at the risk OF arouslng
to new activity the already stirred spirit OF
Virginia, and make the result more sure ana
for him more ignominious. We are by no
means sang1line that this view will be taken.
The facts that the Radical candidate TOR Gov
ernor is, or recently was, Federal once
holder. and that the instant he was noml-
mated he hurried to Washington, and the
President FASTENED to him, in order that they
might take secret counsel together, impress
us very unfavorably. Still 1t IS Detter 10
wait for some overt act.
There are, however, other alien ana IN
trusive influences which the Conservative
party will have to encounter. They 60 into
the contest strictly Oh the principle OF
"home government" especially in relation
to their public improvements. They WISH
to govern themselves. They wish to con-
struct and administer their improvements
free from cXtrinsic control. They dreaa The
intrusion of distant corporations who nave
no thought of Virginia and her marts, eX-
-Iy
the soil and how little of good they leave
behind them. They seek to do WIN their
great railroads and intercommunication oil
all kinds as New York and Maryland nave
done with theirs, and as Pennsylvania, IL
true to herself, might have done, Inc COM
MEX machinery of ''leases" and guaran-
tees" and ancilary corporations, and of
being RESPONSIBLE for others at distance, IS
dstastctul to them. More especially, the
honest spirit of Virginia revolts at her
Richmond being turned into liar,
risburg" aud made another by-Word
in the land. The experience OF the
last few years, though ending IN the
Illustration of these schemes OF iniqulty, they
don't desire to repeat. They seek an eno 10
controversy. Her wise and Sagaclous states
men look to the examples of other States not
situated like hers ef-for, alas few or none
there are among her prosperous northern SIS
ters as she is-and take counsel or warning.
They look to New York and see how perfectly
successful are those lines of improvement
which are wisely administered for the pro-
motion of local interests, and what enormous
damage was done when reckless, speculative
adventure intruded, and when the Erie
shame occurred. They contrast Pennsyl-
vania and Maryland--the one With the best
md the other with probably the poorest rail-
,yay north of the Potomac; the one travers-
ne limits of vast extent and incllculable re-
sources, the other with narrow territory
md relatively with little to sustain her line
If transit and yet, by administrative ability
hown in attention to local interests,
he stock of the Maryland railroad
5 so per cent. above par while
entanglcd in ali sorts of
nesheS, cannot struggle above eight. Fir-
tinia wants TO do for herself what Maryland
las done. She has noble seaport-far bet
er than Baltimore or Philadelphia-and it
natural pride in her public men to seek
0 build it up. Such are the motives and
UGH will be the policy of the Conservative
,arty. It will be "self-assertion." 1t will
,e the restoration of the credit, moral, pollt-
raj, and economical, of thu" Old Dominion"
There will be no narrow cXcluSivcncSS. Viz
,inia needs substantial capital and whole
ONE immigration from abroad; but she
,nows she deserves neither if she allows her
emisution to be corrupted, as corrupted 1t
ertainly will be if to uneducated negroes
nd lnercenary northern adventures her
Iestinies are coutided. Aside from mere
,arty considerations, the whole country will
ook with deep interest to the solution OF
his Virginia problem. For ourselves, we
10 not for moment doubt the result.