The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-07-12
Shall the Conservative Party Divide
on the Debt Question?
Divide


So 4 on the Debt Question ?
e..,ab fish this morning q number Of or.
ticles hearing more or less upon this ques-
ton. We have from the beginning deprc-
eateslthe introductionso OF the debt question
Into the campaign preceding the election OF
members OF Congress. We have at differ
emf times repro duced articles from Norfolk,
Petersburg, Abingdon, Lynchburg, New
bern, and perhaps other Journals, taking
the same view OF the subject. !If the Com
servatlye party was to be d isbaaded. we de-
sired that the responsibility for its disrup-
ton should be laid OF the doorof some other
paper than ours. 1.-THE Democrats were
to lose the small minority which they now
have in the national House of Representa-
tives, we wanted that deplorable result, 70
bS.the.work OF the readjusters.
We concede that a number OF the readiust-
ing papers and politicians have manifested
disposition to force the question OF the
public debt into the arena OF national poll
ties. Nevertheless, we have not vet become
convinced that those papers and those poll
ticians will refuse to support anyregular
nominee OF the Conservative party because
he may be in favor OF paying the debt OF
the State. We have never entertained any
idea OF opposing any such nominee because
he differed with us on this or any other
question OF State policy. Wesaid the other
day. and we repeat it, that nine-tenths OF
the rcadiusters are honestly pursuing
what they believe to be honest and honorable
ends. 1t is only the blatant demagogues
that are wiIfuily advocating policy which
in their hearts they disapprove, and which
they know would, il successful, be DANA
ging to the name, fame, and prosperity 81
the Commonwealth. Thesefew men would
have the people divide upon questions OF
State policy, hoping thereby to ride into
Congress; but the people, as mass, are
not going to crafty their wishes. Mr. Full
KERsON, or Mr.. BARBOUR, or Dir. McMUILIN,
or Mr.. PAUL, or Mr.. MASSEY may fatter
himself that be can pull wool over The eyes
OF the voters, and induce them to elect him
to Congress because he lis in favor OF forci.
bly, readiustipg the public debt Of Virginia;
but he will soon find that he is mistaken
that is, OF course, we suppose that. he VIII;
and when he learns the fact he will subside
into quictude dnd candidacy, and the
regular nominees OF the Cons eryative party
will be triumphantly elected.
In the First district, Mr.. DooGLAs is can
didate for denomination. he is said to be
o readiuster. Who would refuse 10 vote
for him if nominated? ..f. +
lIn.the Second district, Mr.. G00DE is likely
to be renominatcd. We do. not know how
he stands as to the State debt But let him
be funder or readiuster, he ought to be re-
elected If he is reDoninated.
In the Third district, there are several
gentlemen seeking the nomination for any
one Of whom we should take pleasure in
voting without asking him his opinions on
State politics. ..... ~. eas
In the Fourth district, Mr.. HINTON may
be elected as u Conservative; but rs a
f,lnder or as 4 readiuster he would be dis
tanced. The Radicals hope to carry the
district anyhow. II the Conservatives d-
vide, the Radicals will easily do So.
In the Fifth district, Mr.. CABEIL would
be no better off than would Mr.. HINTON in
the Fourth. ..,,l .1r
In the Sixth, district, that peerless man
JOHN RANDOLPH TUCKER is running for re-
nomination.. lie is an honor to his State.
Nobody in the House has a timer reputa-
ton. Could he carry his own county if he
ran as funder? Wedoubt it.
In the Seventh district, there are many
S3S or o1aso hot hcr-
can carry it as against any debt-payer. Mr..
HARRIS is charged with being on both sides
OF the question. Shall we, therefore, give
Parson MASSEY chance to supersede him !?
In the Eighth district, General HUTTON,
Mr.. S. C. NEALE, and some other frst-class
men are hoping each to receive the nomina-
ton OF the Conservative Convention. Mr..
B. JOHNSON BARBOUR is already in the field
as an independent candidate. Shall we
drive off all the readiusters from our nomi-
nee, and thereby insure the election OF Mr..
BARBOUR, and the defeat Of the Conserva-
tive party? .:i..- -
In the Ninth district, the Conservatives
will probably have to elect readjuster or
nobody, Even Mr.. PHLEGAE-honest, ca
pablo, and faithful public servant that he
is-even he is readiuster. II the Conser-
yatiye Convention In that district were to.
nominate man because he is debt-payer,
hewould certainly be defeated. The voters
there might be willing to elect man with
out requiring him 10 commit himself upon
the question. They might refuse 10 sup
port FULKERsoN, or MoMUnLIN, or any
other boiler, II the regular candidate were
nominated lis Conservative. But they
would resent the effort to compel them to
vote for debi-payer.
The reference to Mr.. PHLEGAE reminds
us OF the difficulty Of drawing any line be-
tween debt-payers and readiusters. There
are thousands Of just such reidjusters as
Mr.. PHLEGAR. Who would refuse to sup.
port him.
But there are other considerations. The
platform of the Greenback and Labor party
proposing to destroy the currency of-the
country, to abolish all laws for the c0llec-s
ton Of debts, and to deluge the land with
irredeemable paper, is much more danger
Gus, in our opinion, than the heresies OF
the resdiusters. We published that plat
form last week. The Richmond Wing re-
produced it yesterday. and endorsed the
features which we have mentioned above.
Why not make that also an issue?
And yet otter all thn reSf 1instere may. conn |