The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-04-15
The Masquerade at Lynchburg,

classed with the highly Respectable 8entie.
men who constitute that party Ia the north
ern States. But so &c is. There are some
SUCH we are sorry 70 have TO admit. How.
ever, yhen we come to spesk OF the Radical
party Of Virginia as . whole we must lose
sight OF these misplaced gentlemen.
The resolutions of the recent Republican
Convention at Lynchburg are the work OF
men who are merely masquerading. There
Is hardly an element OF sincerity or honesty
in the platform. And how could there
be-. The convention was made up
OF ;gnorant regroes, ofice-holding whites,
and here and there man who was too good
to be in such company. For such Conven-
ton TO pass resolutions in favor OF honesty,
economy, &C., &C.. was as If Beast BUTLER
should set up to be minister Of the Gospel.
Yankee ALLAN made the Convention laugh
heartily at his hits at the Democrats and
others; We. his speech could not have been
one hall as provocative Of laughter to his
associates as to other people are such resolu.
tions as that body sent ont as the work
of SrowELI, PLAT, ALLAN, and the rest ofthe
carpet.baggers and office.holders and Office
seekers. 1t is almost enough to make the
Conservatives forswear Platforms to see such
body as the Lynchburg Convention passing
resolutions is favor sf Furnishing dishonest
Government officials. What its idea is OF
! honest Government officials may be inferred
from the applause which it showers upon
the administration of General GRAET-the
most corrupt by long odds that the coun-
try has ever seen-so corrupt in fact that any
preceding administration when compared
with it seems pure and spotless. Accurately
does SHAKESPEARE describe such men as these
who find honesty in General GRANTS admin.
istration as "scuryy politicians who seem to
see the thing they see not" They are masque.
raiders who bring the real play into contempt.
They are clowns who turn everything into
ridicule. How shall sincere men and States
men express their creed when they find that
language suitable only to themselves has been
appropriated By a gang of word.mongers !:
LIE. us exsmne the platform Of these gentry !?
.The American people have successfully
maintained before the world their capacity
for self.governmeDt." Is that trueS Are
any of the following assertions true? "The
Republican party has carried the Govern.
ment forward into the front rank among the
nations; it has granted amnesty with unex.
ampled lberality; it has maintained an eco
nomical standard of public expenditures 1t
has required faithful collection and dis.
'bursement OF the public revenues"
The first resolution declares That the Re.
publicans Of Virginia will remain faithful
to the party" &c. No doubt of that as long
as the party is in power. The second "favors
honesty and economy"-n horn. The
third faYors the "quick and condign punish
ment of all dishonest and corrupt officers of
the Government; and yet if GRANT bad
expressed wish to that effect, the same Con.
yentien would have passed resolutions nomi.
mating him for third term, and declaring
BABcoCK, BELKNAP, AVERY, and all the rest
OF them to be prosecuted patriots. The
fourth resolution PIRATES about the honor and
credit Of the nation. LEWIS LINDSAY and his
companions adopted 1t. That's enough. The
fifth resolution the negroes possibly under.
stood In part. They know they are in favor OF
free schools, but they have no idea what is
meant by being " opposed to any division of
the schoohmoney for the benefit Of any sect
or denomination whatever" This feature Of
the resolution was stolen from the platform
of some northern Republican convention.
It has no applicability in Virginia. The
sixth resolution is q negro resolution all over
SAMBo looks with disdsin upon the govern
ment of his State. He has a thorough con-
tempt for its power, and dislike for its adj
administrators. Massa LINKUA In his day was
their god, and Massa GRANT is now. They
ask the Congress Of the United States
to pass law for the protection of its citi'
s'zens in theright of the elective franchise
The "its" refers to the "United States, .
we suppose. The darkies claim to be citi-
gems Of tie United States, not of Virginia,
and ask Congress to pass an election law for
Virginia. A beautiful set of statesmen, to
DO sure. They might just as well petition
sfhe Parliament of Great Britain to do it,.
Their idea of pure ballot-box is ballot
box in the hands of Federal officer. They
would have no counting done by Virginia
officials.
The resolution recommending BLAINE for
President is, like the platform, utterly insin.
cere and meaningless. GRANT could have
had one passed for CoNxLINa or MORTON II
he had tried to do so. Not that be order.
ed BLAINE TO be recommended. he simply
abstained from interference, and the Con.
vention OF offiee-seekera, supposing BLAINE
i to have the best chance for the nomination,
arrayed themselves upon his side. That is
all that the recommendation means. VIZ
have no doubt that the leaders who wen
through all these forms at Lynchburg vii
laugh in their sleeves at the dupes they will
thereby make amongst the good people o
the North. In q few days we shall find tn
doings Of LINDSAY, CARTER, ALLAN, PLATr
srowzLI, and the rest, discussed with mucl
S seriousness by the press Of that section
s,'sAI $50
A Glorious Country.