The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-06-27
1r,o Rooms Primary Election.

s.s,.y;ny 70 themselves the appointment W 'e
=, rho CONGRESSIONAL Convention; but
mad not expected It 10 treat the question
Unfairly. The Enquirer processes I" oeheVe
what it is impossible for 1t TO believe II
has read the Wing and the D1Sp0lch-tha'
the opponents of the plan in question are op
noscd to primary election. We have not
me-, . single advocate OF the committees
Man who is willing to discuss it upon lis
merits. All of them try to hlmhug the
people. Let have fair d'scuSs'on' he'sn-
Dor. or none a. all.
We need otter no better evidence that the
ENQUIRER has misrcpresen,ed cur position
no, we are on too good terms with Its editor
to use that expression, SO let lis Say-mis-
taken our position than the fact that We can
quote the very arguments that 1t offers
against the State Committees plan as being
in favor of this latter plan and against the
City Committees plan.
Thus, we declare that we are in favor OF
a primary election; that we have advocated
that plan of nominating candidates for years.
We declare. in the Enquirer's words, that
..the old plan of primary meetings was very
generally objected to. 1t was asserted that
"these meetings were always packed in the
"intereSt OF particular candidate that the
'.choicc OF the people was sometimes de-
g cea,ed by the failure Of delegates 10 vote
"aS they were instructed that comolna-
':liouS which resulted in he choice OF NIL
"ncrity candidate were m;sde by dele
"r,teS when assembled in convention: and
..o,her objections OF Il similar character were
urged" We declare further, in the En-
G,irer's words. that the Dispatch " cares
only for the success OF the conservative
.party. We desire nothing but full, fair,.
'.free expression Of the popular VIII. Inc
"irtcrestS Of individuals may be very lmpor-
"tant 10 themselves aud their friends, but
s:we utterly deny the doctrine of claims
"upon the party set up by anybody. The
PARTY has claims upon any citizen who can
"be>t serve the State. The people under
G>taud their own needs and will declare
.their own choice. They do not need half
"as much dry -nursng and doctorinS rs
8 some pcop.c seem TO think. They demand
in this election, the inpoltaDcc.ot which
they appreciate, The nomination OF the
IMAM whom they prefer. There is no need
" Of alarm upon the part of the tlnla or the
anxious. Their choice will be 4 wise one
we have no doubt, and for our part we are
" willing to abide it. We have no axe TO
- grind, and shall not suffer our columns to
* be. lsed TO dcnreciate any candidate or
:. build up the political fortunes OF any man.
Now, we have r,armed nearly all that
the Enquirer has said. and yet have not
touched the question at issue.
The real question is, Shall the people of
Richmond hold Il primary election to
eject delegates TO congressional con-
Sention, whose duty it shall be 10 meet
other delegates ircm Chesterfield, Louisa,
Caroline. Henlico. Hanover, and Goochland,
or shall they set up tor themselves and hold
q primary election for 4 candidate for Con-
.rcss in contempt OF Tic wishes of the people
of those counties, and With Il BAD faith which
would insure the defeat Of the candidate 80
The Enquirer says it is not in favor OF any
particular IMAM. The Di$pGtch is certainly
not i'll favor CT any particular man. Not
c..,2 la> the paper i,sel: rot indicated any
pc,irrcrce as between the various dl>tin-
gui>hcd gentlemen who are willing to 60 to
CONGRESS. but not ore Of the editors has en-
pressed himself i'll favor Of any aspirant. We
tell tic Enquirer that the man who gets the
nomination in Richmond under the rlin laid
down by the City Commil'ee-ihc man who,
it will thus appear, las engineered move
mpnt in the interest of self rather than
in the interest Of the Conservative par
ty-tbe man who thus treats with con-
tuue|v the Conservatives of Hanover,
Chesterfield, Louisa, Caroline, Hcnrico,
and Goochland, will stand no more chance
OF Getting the strength of the party vote III
those counties than he will OF being elected
President or United States senator. He will
ruin his prospects for this year and forever,
and will do much to insure the election Of Il
Republican to the House OF Representa-
tiyes. Such want of good iath-such
treatment of Virginia gentlemen who honor
ably aspire to serve their fcllow-c'tizens IN
Congrcss--such wanton outrage upon dls'
tiprrjShcd and honored men III the various
counties of the district-such an ignoring Of
MI aspirauts outside of Richmond-woulC
ruin the prospects of the candidate who
might be selected under the plan that thus
heaps wrong upon wrong and contumcly
upon contumeiy.
For let il be observed that the City Com
mittee is 10 appoint the delcsates-not the
people, and that these delegates are to be
appointed upon the recommendation of the
nun who expects to be elected to Congress
by the votes of the Conservatives Of Caro-
line, Chesterfield, Hanover, Goochlaud, Lou
lisa, and Henrico! He is to nominate
his delcgates-his willing scrvants-and
they are to 90 into convention with
the gentlemen that may be appointed
from the counties 10 confer together
AMI nominate candidate! The country
delegates come to confer as brethren with us,
and we meet them with delegation bound
hand and foot, appointed by the City Commit
tee upon the recommendation OF the candidate
that may happen to get onc-tifth or one. sixth
OF the Conservative vote OF Richmond
That would be q tempting feast to invite our
country friends to. For let it be .remem-