The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-08-12
T,,e FIRST District.
FREDERICKSBURG, VA, August 8, 1878.

NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. SasS 1AsFr Wv " -
10 the Editors of the Dispatch:
wrote you hurried account OF the
result OF the convention Of this district from
Tappahannock, and as you express lDe
desire to learn somewhat OF the position OF
Mr.. Douglas, / will gather the fragments OF
the convention and give you my IDEAS OF
what MIR. Douglas will do.
He will not, OF course, be MS enthusiasC.c !;
for the nominee or as active as ne Wouiu
have been had be been nominated hlnsen
but every man who is famlllar Win the
consistent political record OF Ma1or Doug
las believes him incapable OF an attempt 10
disorganize the party which has honored
him so often and which would have con-
tinued its iaYors but for the unfortunate ru-
mors with regard to his habits.
/ Whether true or false, these reports nave
clouded brilliant future for one OF VIZ
einia's most gifted public men; and II true
let us all throw the mantle OF charity over
the faults OF Beverly Douglas. for ne stands
not alone. Honor is due him for bis con-
duct in the past, and respect for his great
talent, his political sagacity, and for the
nrincjple he showed when he declared bis
imposition to the Electoral Commission.
Both he and his friends pledged them
selves to stand by the nominee OF the Con-
yention, and no promise OF future glory or
ambition could induce Douglas to forfeit
shat promise.
t" Accomac casts her 2,477 votes for Ben
jamin T. Gunter will never be forgotten
by those who attended the Convention. TO
the persistency which induced the Acc0mac
delegation to vote for Gunter ana Nicely
may be attributed the defeat of their IA
yorite. While other delegations were COM
plmenting the various candidates Accomac
was solid every time for Gunter or Nicely.
This course provoked and irritated the
other delegations, and / soon saw that it
was ANYTHING to beat Accomac and her solid
2,477 votes. It was evident that Goodrich
was the fayoritc, and the strongest OF all
the candidates named. With one or two
exceptions, bis friends managed his fortunes
with sagacity. His anxiety to nave the
most perfect impartiality and fairness IN
the conduct OF the proceedings iost nm the
nomination. Ha he urged the selection or
chairman favorable to himself, there can be
no doubt of his success; and there was a
period when, il his friends had replied TO
the charge that he was too young and mex
perienced to canvass the district, the tue
would have been so strong III bis faVor
there would have been no resisting it.
IL,
opinion, prevails that he is the coming man
of the district. He was warmly congratu-
lated by gentlemen from different parts OF
the district, who gave him assurances OF
future support. After the nomination was
made he delivered graceful and effective
speech, pledging the support OF himself
and friends to the nominee.
1t is to be hoped that hereafter he will be
able to break up some OF the political rings
which have managed the affairs OF the party
in SpotsylVania so badly as to result i'll de-
feat to the Conservative party.
The gentleman who nominated General
Lee amused the Convention very highly.
He was excited to such an extent that he
said stGeneral Lee was always found in the
van of the army or bringing up the rare"
and that be had, with eight thousand men,
whipped the Yankee General Ayerill, with
only eight hundred men, at Kelly's Ford.
Altogether the Convention just closed at
Tappahannock was the most digniied,
and in its proceedings the most re-
snectable, l ever attended. Every
body was good-natured and kept in
good humor With each other. Its laborS-
aud they were arduous, owing to the hot
weather, the crowded condition OF the
courtroom, and the general lack OF COM
forts have resulted in presenting to the
people OF the district gentleman Of rare
personal merits. I am not sufficiently ac
quainted with his political record and
knowledge and experience to speculate as
to the ability with which ne would conduct
the canvass in case OF opposition, but his
purity of character, his blameless past life,
and the esteem in which he is held by those
who know him best, will contribute in
great degree to bring about good feeling
between the people who differ as to the pol
icy OF governing this great country.
l do not hesitate to predict, II Judge
Critcher is an Independent candidate-and
there are reasons for thinking he will be
(among them the fact that he has called
mass-rneeting Of the people OF his county
on the Goth instant to form National
party)-he will meet with such rehuke
from the people Of the First district as VIII
make him dive deep and duck low for the
whole future OF his existence.
There was no discussion OF the State
debt question during the meeting, and L
heard but few opinions with regard to 1t;
but il am to Judge OF the sentiment OF
this section from what | did hear, would
say the people are largely in favor OF paying
the debt, whether to do so it is necessary OF
not to increase the taxes.
One amusing incident of tue Convention
was the presence on the stand Of two Re
publicans OF the districts. j. Quinn, Esq.
OF the Fredericksburg Bulletin, and Johh
w. Wolff. late postmaster OF Fredericks-
burg. It fell to their lot to keep the Daliot
as il proceeded, and both Of them were ire e.
ouentIr referred to as "s the secretaries"
81 course they never dared TO open their
Inns. but were kept very blsy with their
pencils. AS soon as it became seneraiiy
known who they were some oblcctions
won,d have been made to them, but tnelr
honesty being proverbial. no fuss was mace
aboIlt Il. One country fellow. not knowing
Quinn was a Republican, asked him what
fbat A. r. -, 5usby-headed Radical
VOLT was doing on the platform. quinn
Didn't stop to explain.
All the papers of the district were repre-
santed. but they relied generally upon
Quinn. oil, the Bulletin, to supply them with
notes. the most OF them being busy, hoping
to secure the nomination OF their friends. !.
{ one peculiarity of the press OF Fred
erieksburg was noticeable. Although the
county and city delegations were solid and
enthusiastic, and in accord with the general
sentiments OF tue people, neither OF the
Conservative papers OF FREDERICKSBURG pub
lished line in favor OF their local cam
didate. Judge Goodrich. This can be ac-
eannted for in the Star, as it has consist
entV championed the cause OF General
Fifs. Lee whenever opportunity presented
itself. but no such feeling has existed with
the Ne,rs. The friends OF GoolricE land
fhey are many here) complain very much Of
this lack OF local pride In the press.
AFR. sener, who is absent on q tour OF
pleasure among the northern lakes; Is looked
to as the probable Republican candidate in
opposition to General Beale. His views