The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-07-04
Nr. Richardson Speaks for Himself

the BUSTING tumult Whlcn cnalactcrlZcs
modern civilization:"
Nr. Richardson Speaks for Himself
Editors Dispatch, AS the plan adopted by
the City Central Committee for holding q
primary election has been the subject Of Sc
Hesitation Us to the propricty Of further agi-
tatng the question: but as my position has
become q subject of controversy among the
ether members Of the committee, ask space
in your paper briefly TO define it.
AS indicated by my vote in the committee,
I am opposed to the plan as rhole. With
out attempting to discuss all of its features,
will alIude to one or two of its provisions
to which could not agree.
1St. was opposed to the manner In which
the delegates to the Convention are to he
Iaopoin,ed. BY the plan of the committee,
those delegates are TO be appointed by the
City Central Committee, after the primary
election, upon the recommendation Of the
car didate who received plurality vote.
ny what authority, | ask, will the City
Central Committee make the appointment of
delegates? Has any such authority, express
or Implied, been conferred upon its men,
tue members of the committee 20 into the
Convention and cast the vote of the city :
They would not presume to do so, for the
act would be everywhere met with the
charge that it WAS a usurpatioI of power.
How, then, can the committee do that by
lis agents which it cannot do 10 the person
of its mcmbersy Had the committee ex-
press authority to cast the vote of the city
in the Convention, even in that case hold
the authority could not be transferred to
others. for the maxim deiegatus non potest
deIcgdre strictly applies.
Ana again upon this point: Suppose the
delegates should be appointed in the man.
ncr indicated by the plan. They would &C
into the Convention charged with the per
formarcc Of i specific dnty-t. e., to cast
their votes for the person who received the
highest number of votes at the primary cleo
ton. Suppose. i'll the progress OF the bal.
Ioring, the candidate whom they represented
should be dropped. What then would be
their duty in the premises? Did they not
vote for one of the other candidates then
their ward would have no representation.
Did they vote for b., when they were ap-
pointed by a. and the City Central Commit
tee to vote for A, what authority for doing
so will they have from the people? Iappre-
bend that the people Of Richmond, including
also the supporters of A, would have good
cause to say that Is, was not nominated by
delegates having any authority from them.
"a. was opposed TO that provision Of the
plaza which required uiva roce vote.
In all contests between Conservatives and
Radicals | favor the old-tashioned, manly
system OF voting openly, SO that We may
know where each and every man stands
whether be is for us or against us-but in q
contest among friends must deprecate any
movement which will have the effect of
drawing factioual lines within the party, and
of engendering anything like luminosity
among those who on the day of the general
election will be expected to work together
for the success of that which should then be
a common cause. By the secret ballot no
man will necessarily know how bis ncighbor
voted, and these factions will not be formed
These were then my objections to some OF
the provisions of the plan.
l believe that the delegates should be
elected by the people, and the voting should
be by secret ballot.
With what appears to me to be the leading
feature OF the plan-and that is, that the peo
pie, at the primary election, may have an OPP
portunity of expressing their preferences-I
am iu sympathy. In former conventions il
| hiss frequently been question as to whether
| the delegates represented the sentiments Of
| the people who had elected them, and there
| was no means Of ascertaining the fact bu
| by allowing the people to express tbeil
| choice at the polls; all such questions CAL
then be determined. To carry out these
views I should have proposed, had I moi
been unavoidably prevented from attending
the last meeting of the committee, suDstan
| TALLY the following:
1st. That q certain number of delegates bt
elected by the people at The primary election
| to represent each ward in the Convention.
Cd. That each voter, at the time of The
election OF delegates, cast separate ballot
for the candidate of bis choice.
Sd. That the delegates thus elected be fur
nished with list of the votes cast for each
candidate, and instructed to vote for the
candidate who shall be the choice of the
greatest number of votes in their ward, a
| long as the name of such candidate is before
the convention, for the candidate who shal
receive the next highest number of votes
should the first be dropped, and so on unit
the election is made.
will say, in conclusion, that am as firm
in my individual preferences with respect te
the candidates as any member of the com
| mittee, but will never consent-nor 90 be-
lieve any man on the committee will agree
to the adoption and enforcement OF any plar
in the interest Of any particular candidate, il
he believes that discussions in the Conserya.
tive ranks will arise therefrom, and which
will defeat the principal object we have in
yieW-u Conservative t7'tunlph at the nee
Congressional election.
d. C.. RICHARDSON.
["A Member Of the City Committee Twill
see that Mr.. RICHARDSON is in thorough &C
cord with what is called "the minority" 0
the committee, though we wouldn't be sur