Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1880-09-20

not forget that 10 tho cal! Issued by vaur c,.,
mittee Tor the convention Of last MAY ,bn ~,
operation of the citizens Of Firsiaia in Wv,
primary meetings was asked without tbs n,r 90
sition Of any of tha ronGitiors you would NV
require Of us as essential.
We proposed to TcooslZ, il the rrc.,,.,
primary every registered voter who, by part;r;'
patton thcteiD, should show purpose to srn.
Port Hancock and English. We SAW acd s.c
10 reason why aoy other qualification shon'S
be demanded Of the voter. Why should Iem'
ocrats wish to plaza limits upon the mcmIrr-
ship Of their psrty2 Why should thew NJ,
seek and welcome converts and recruits? r,
apply your suggestions 10 the politics Of eyr,v
State 10 the Union would bs to measure Ilan
cocks strength BY Tiden's vote, and to disea,'.
the protftred support to our candidates OF me-,
like Forney 10 Pennsylvania. or Butler ia Mas.
saohusetts. And here let it be remembered thu,
the national democratic convention found n,
difficulty 10 recognizing and admitting delegate,
from the Butler faction in the latter State,
though fresh from primaries Of their own, a..
though their leader was not, 10 1876 q national
democrat. nor did he vote with that party ia
the last Presidential election" To adopt your
policy would be to consigu Louisiana. Florida,
aud South Carolina forever to tho control of tho
topophSeo poisSs IL tulo poiOp ldu governed In
Virginia 10 1869 she would still DO subject I, =
lule the very reverse of democratic.
1t were folly in our view to proclaim 80 ra?
row rule OF prescription, evon ware it not a viz.
lstion OF every principle and precedent Of d,
mocracy. Men cannot be excluded from A.
| voice IN party affairs and still DO relied on I,
champion party MEASURES. Our desire is 10 a.
trsct not to repel, voters for Hancock and En-.
lish. We have deemed that tha demGrrs,,,
| work OF the hour. We have not supposed thu,
the political an !ecedents of voter nor his Color
could constitute valid reaion for rejecting h.
assistance to our cause and ia this Wow we HAY,
| been supported by the declarations Of tho char
| man OF the national democratic Committed as /,
| the policy and duty of seeking to obtain Tor Ii.
Hancock ticket elements OF strength harotaEur,
given to the reru bcan candidates. We do 10,
wish and have not sought to exclude from tie
proposed primary any class OF your voters -
We cannot admit that it is right in Won To ash
or would TO otherwise than updemc ratio for us
to consent, that one readu;ler should be OK alui.
ell from the polls who is willing by parlicpa.
ton IN the primary to giva token Of his sup
| port of Hancock.
Nor do We know, under the wording of you.
| amendment, who might or who might not b.
| proscribed from voting, nor what scope or sign.
tcance might BIO given to tho term national do.
mccrAt. Every menb Der of our parly has hsau
declared by your official body to DO beyond tho
pale of national deEocracy;-the Language q;
your amendment may be Intended to includeand
exclude us all. We have upon this commits.
| which you have addressed, and which is now re-
plying TO you. gentlomon who did not veto i,.y
the national democratic candidates at the las,
Presidential election, bu! who sra to-day oacnc.:
| and active supporters of Hancock and Engiish
Was 1t expected they should ba ostrsc:aal II tha
primary? You have uron gonr own electoral
| ticket gentlemen who. within the past twelve
months, have voted tor republican candidates;
and lest it should DO said that those cases occur.
red in local and not in National Confess,
you have upon that ticket at least ono gon.e.
man who within theyear was more than willing
TO give his vote to republican for United sltalc4
Senator. The term your committea has use!
suggests Test how and by whom shcudl il hs
applied2
lfby ourselves we could not slow sny plea al
regularity drawn from an uncha lenged attaa,.
ance upon the Cincinnati Convention to cove
language and acts which, coming from rocas.
nized organs and official canvassars of your VA
ty. could only BIO accepted % showing a proa..
ence for Gsrleld's success in Virginia rather
than that our tetet should give tho vote OF this
State to Hancock. Nor could we po7mi. the
democracy OF one roRdjus.er who adheres IL the
platform of the July convention, and supports
the tiket then proclaimed, to be challenged AMI
denied under sanction OF this committed. w.
claim and insist that tho every act and ultorancs
OF our party has been democratic in spirit snd in
deed. We claim to have labored Tor years with
trstion of Virginis's government the will tr.
! ms ority of the people, We claim that tho o:i
ginal and c)ntinuing cause Of cur controvor::
with your party has beon our democratic re
spect for the popular will, and your undcMn.
cratic resistance thereto. We claim 10 hsva
spoken and TO speak for o msjority of the people
OF Virginia, thrice asserted at the ballot box
and we claim to have been met in every contc;;
by methods at varienco with the Fundamental
doctrine Of democracy.
It has been our part always, as now, 10 Sack
consultation with and authority from tho people
The policy of our opponents has. on tho contrs-
~, been marked by persistent refusal t. sock
or DO bound by the popular will.
But this letter is not written for tho parpasou ..
further ordinations between our respective par
ties, though the manner CT your rejection OF ctr
propositions Of the 18th instant made it necnsssry
that some notice should be taken Of the reasons
alleged for that action. It only remains Ia say
that with and upon thoae propositions. ccnsi.
tuting in our judgment q just, liberal and dome
cratic plan for concentrating upon ono ticket tho
Hancock vote in Virginia, we rest our case
The conference seems to have developed roth.
ing more than the irroconciabity Of tho view.
Of our respective bodies. and nothing remains t.
us but to appeal TO the people at the ballot box
in support Of our claim TO voice tho oliLical vii;
Of Virginia in federal as we'll az State atl',irs.
It is proper 20 notify you that the readiusl97
State COMMITTEES has adjourned sine die.
Respectfully VIM. MALONE.