The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-01-16

Il
OF THE PARTY AT THIS HoUR-A PLAT.
FORM ON WHICH ALL CONSERVATIVES
u MAY sTAND-ADoPTIoN OF THE COM.
MrTTEE's REPORT.
A meeting OF the Conservative members
Of the two houses of the General Assembly
was held in the hall Of the House OF Dele
gates yesterday evening-Genera w. H. f.
i Lee, chairman, and Major Walker, OF Nor
thumberIand, secretary. The report OF the
committee appointed at the previous meet
ing was presented and read, as follows: !.
To the Joint Conference of the C0nserua-
: tue Members of the Senate and House OF
Delegates:
The undersigned, appointed committee
under the following resolution:
Whereas this conference has been re-
ported as not representing the Conserva-
tive party OF the Jfenerai Assembly; there
fore, in spirit of conciliation, and with n
View of inducing q full cooperation Of all
who were elected as nominees Of Conser-
vative meetings, or where no nominations
were made, be it
Resolred, That committee Of ninc-four
from the Senate and Eve from the House
be appointed, who shall prepare and make
a report to this joint conference at its next
meeting, setting forth the causes which vim
dicate and justify the action taken by it, the
regularity and legitimacy OF its organiza-
. tion, and the necessity and duty OF main
tanning it, in order to perpetuatc the pur-
poses and preserve the plan OF organization
OF the Conservative party; and shall also re-
port what, in their Judgment, should be the
| future course OF this conference in regard
to making nomination OF all officers OF the
State which are to be elected by this Gene
raj Assembly, including Judges OF the cir
cult courts
have the honor to report the following
statement of proceedings OF the regular
| Joint conference OF Conservative members
of the General Assembly and vindication
Of its action:
! THIS CONFERENCE OF CONSERVATIVES =
members OF the Senate and House OF Dele
gates, who were elected in conformity to
the organic principles OF the Conservative
party, deem it proper to make public eX-
position of the course it has adopted. and
to relate the reasons why those composing
it have declined to admit other than regular
Conservatives to participate in their coun-
sells.
On the 18th day of December last call
was signed by considerable number or
senators and delegates inviting all "mem-
bers OF the General Assembly who had been
elected as nominees Of the Conservative
party, and those who had been elected as
Conservatives by Conservative voters III
Counties or districts where there were no
nominations by the Conservative party" to
assemble ss in the hall OF the House OF Del
cgates on Friday the 14th instant, at f:3o
?. NJ, to confer together and act as to such
matters as may be considered necessary for
the interests OF the State and the preserve
ton OF the organization Of the party"
Notice of the proposed meeting was freely
circulated, and published in the Richmond
press; and, at the time designated, the con-
ference convened and organized. Previous
to this occasion there had been no meeting
OF any Joint conference Of Conservative
senator's and delegates; and no notice or
call for aIy oJner Sucn conference huu bvcu
issued by any person orpersons whatsoever.
There had, however, prior thereto been
some promiscuous outside caucusing, and
regular conference OF Conservative men,
bers of the House OF Delegates, into which
had been admitted all who proclaimed them
selves as Conservatives, albeit number OF
them had been elected rs Independents, III
open defiance OF the rules governing the Or
ganization of the Conservative party, in op-
position to its regular nominees, and albeit
some OF them had declared that they were.
not Conservatives and did not recognize any
PARTY ALLEGIANCE
whatsoever. With the action OF such con-
ference OF delegates we claimed no right to
interfere. The delegates had the right to
regulate their own course as to the organlza-
| ton OF the House Of Delegates as they
thought proper, and although we might
| differ individually in our opinions as to the
wisdom OF that course, we recognize fully
their undisDutcd authority to be controlled
by their own free will.
If we admit the right Of the House eau
/ Gus to establish the test OF membership OF a
Joint caucus, the authority OF the Senate
caucus (which was held simultaneously in
the Senate chamber) to exercise the same
right must be conceded. But such right
belongs to neither separately, but to
Joint caucus only; and in the organ
ization of the joint conference OF Con-
servatives or both houses we assert the
independent and absolute right OF the
Joint body to determine VINO were entitled
to membership. Therefore, in our .iudg-
ment, none but those who were duly ac-
credited Conservatives, acting within and
not in hostility to party organization, bad
the right TO participate in directing the
policy Of that party. 1t is
THE UNoUEsTloNED PRIVILEGE
of every citizen to unite himself with any
POLITICAL party or to hold himself entirely
aloof from all parties.
But when men have taken positions they
must bear the consequences Of their own
action. Can therJ be any reason or pro-
priety in allowing men who have delib-
erately made war upon and defeated an or
eanization to take charge of and aid IN
managing that organization? Surely not.
Belonging ourselves to the Conservative
party, yielding full obedience to all the or
dinances which it has established TO secure
unity OF action and success, and being en-
trusted by our constituencies with the duty
OF preserving the organization through
which we ourselves. were elected, we con-
sidered that it would not only be unjust to
, those who had been defeated while bearing
our party standards and their supporters to
, admit their triumphant opponents into our
party conferences, but that it would soon
, disintegrate the parry to allow its enemies
to participate in controlling its action. Fol-
these reasons we resolved that none but
, Conservatives elected in conformity to ouI
) party organization were entitled TO mem
, bership OF this conference. Ii, however,
, majority of regular Conservatives had as.
sembled together and resolved otherwise,
we should have submitted with Difference
to their decision.
This conference has in various resolu
tions fully disclosed the scope and object o.
|, its organization.
In one OF those resolutions we declared
. that "the purpose OF this organization o.
raonlar Conservatives is simply to bring