The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1880-09-30

| able means to secure their election.
Jos. Davis and A. L. PedtgO subsequently LETT the
hall with two alternateS.
The Convention after adopting one or two resolu-
tiUnS congratulating themselves on the peace and
harmony that existed throughout the the delibera-
lions Of the Convention and the usual thanks to the
officers &c, motion of Thos. Claiborne, ad-
| journed SINE die at Is minutes to o'clock.
JAS. WOOD President
| W. Il. JONES, Secretary.
The following is Mr.. Lewiss letter declining the
nomination. which are requested to publish.
HARRIsoNBURG VA,
September 18th 1880.
| ". n. Peasants, Esq.
DEAR SIR.-Your very fattering letter Of the 18th
inst. has Just been received in which on behalf OF
yourself and other coored republicans of the Fifth
congressional district you state that while you are
| opposed to any nomination by the republican con-
vention which meets in Danville on the Dist yet II
| the said convention should determine to make
nomination. you desire me 10 allow you to present
my to the convention as suitable candidate;
lJutng that you understand my absence from Dan
| vile is only temporary.
Iii reply would say that am very much grat1ned
| at your expression of confidence and esteem, and
| thank you heartily for the proposed honor.
1 however fully concur with you in your opinion
| us to the policy of making nomination. ana Would
accept it though it should be unaL imously
| rendered me, and will give you few OF my rea-
| sons.
In the first place no republican at this time
the united vote OF the party in the nth DISTRICT
and without the full party vote no republican would
have the slightest cnance OF success. For some
months ii has been tacity understood that our par
| w would make no nomination in thai district, and
under this impression OF our republican
friends have pledged themselves to the friends or
COL CaDeli to support him, ana others nave pledged
| themselves to the friends of j. Il. Stovau These
men cannot now honorably break their pledges,and
/ would never ask them to do
In the second place OF the opinion That a nom
nation would tend to heal the divisions which now
exist in the ranks OF the called Conservative par
ty, and would thus do all incacuable INJURY, not
only the colored people the state, but also 10
ali of the people, except perhaps to few o1ce-hod
ers VINO have gotten into power not on account OF
their integrity or ability, but by the lerslStency
with which they have continued 10 shout 'n1ggef
party niger parity" and who deem it good and
sufficient answer every argument against their
parry policy enter into senseess TRADE against
The 'niggers' ''carpet Daggers" and ''scalawags.
consider it to be OF the utmost Importance 10 the
whole people of the state Except to the Aforesaid
once-hoders) especially So to Inc colored people,
that parties in this state should no longer be formed
on the color line.
You now have opportunity to break this line.
Will you lose the golden opportunity by making
nomination which Will at once close up the broken
ranks III the conservative party anu reform Ihelr
wavering line!
In the third place by adjourning without nomina-
ting candidate AIN convinced mat we Will greatly
aid the GARFIELD aud Arthur electoral ticket; for i'll
such event it Will DE to the interest OF Col Cabells
friends to to IL that every Garfield man who
wishes for Capell is provided with poltax
receipt thai his vote is put into the baotboX and
that it is counted
This course will also be pursued by the friends of
Col stovall, thus larger vote will be insured
to ticket than it coud otherwise possibly GET
self ought at once to determine the convention
against d nomination.
republican convention has no business to con-
slider whether their action Will help or injure this
or that democratic candidate, but only what ef-
this action Will have upon the prospects OF Gar
held and Arthur.
You also desire my opinion to which of the DEM
ocratc candidates Tor congress the republicans OF
the district ought to support provided the conven-
ton puts up candidate of its OWL
In reply this must respectfully decline to adj
wise the republicans OF the Fifth district upon this
subject 1t would be prGSumptuOuS In me 10 aQ-
wise men, many OF whom are DIS capable as am OF
forming correct Judgment.
know that there will be a division amongst the
republicans upon this matter.
/ am credibly informed that If the convention
makes nomination some republicans holding
high official position will zealously support Col Ca
bei while Others who at least just good and
just as sincere republicans, albeit they hold no OIL
cal position, will vote for Mr. Stovall
Under these circumstances would not presume
to dictate to the republicans OF the Filth Congress
ional district
Both Of the candidates are democrats and both
supporters of Hancock and English and consequent
ly both are Objectionable TO republicans. There is
however, it seems to me, wide difference between
the two wings of the democracy of which they are
the respective standard bearers in the Fifth Dis
trict.
The wing of which Col Caben is the chosen leader
In that dstrict-that is the Bourbon Funder wing
is the old party OF malignant hate which ever
since 1869 has resorted to every device no matter
how disreputable to array race against race. 1t has
filed page after page OF statute books with the
most vindcttve class legislation which ever disgrace
ed the code of an enlightened state
IL Is lue party OIL posi- LII Is tLo PAR
ty which while protesting friendship for free
school system, has unblushingy stolen the school
fund 1t is the party which has engrafted upon our
constitution the payment OF d poll tax as cond1
ton precedent to the exercise OF the right OF suf
frage, thing which, whatever may be its merits as
an abstract question, was meanly aimed at the
weaker and which has been the occasion OF
more fraud than any other piece OF legislation
enacted it this 1t is the party which day is
exerting its every keep alive prejudice
and has through its funder committee said to you
that 1t did mt want your votes, that 1t is the white
ma mar Enr of last aCg I re-
fer you to the correspondence of The 10th and 18th
inst, between the re-adjuster committee and the
funder committee. This recent official action of the
funders 1t seems to me, would solve all doubts il
you had any before; for l suppose you and your
race will hardly insist upon giving your votes to
party which has told you advance that it didn't
want them.
Now on the other hand this re-adiuster party is
not at all what it ought to be- 1t is also part of the
democratic party, holding in he main to the object
ionabe doctrines of that nscheviCus party, but you
must remember that you do not prefer them except
choice of evils, and what have said applies
only in case your convention fails TO put repubH
can candidate in the field. In such an event it APP
pears to me that you will not hesitate 10 take the
least Objectionable party.
The re-adiuster party proposes to take off the
just poll-tax restriction, and to my mind this of
itself ought at determine all of your in
favor OF that party against the funders.
II really in earnest it trying to rid ourselves
OF this restriction and really consided matter of
vital importance it appears to me to be extremely
unwise to aid the enemies of repeal and to refuse
to assist the friends of repeal simply because they
don't agree with us on every other point of differ
ence.
Suppose for illustration of your enemies had
succeeded in binding your hands and were proceed
ing to kick, cuff and otherwise malreat you, after
getting you completely in his power and the afore-
said enemy should get into light with one who in
sisted on untying your hands, would you refuse to
give what little aid you could to the party who
endeavoring to unloose your bonds, simply because
he disagreed with you other matters. 1 think
not. take 1t that you would first aid in your
release and then you would certainly be in much
better condition to negotiate about other matters
In this connection 1 want to refer to a very i'll
judged and bad tempered letter which written
by Mr.. j. t. Stoya in the heat and bitterness of the
campaign OF 1876, In which he advocated the impor
tatfon Of Chinese to supplant your in Virginia.
For this letter l am no apologist, but this much
must say that those very men who using it
against Mr.. Stovall were the very men who urged
him to pursue this course and most loudly applaud
ed his Incorporate language; and their present
course suggests very strongly the idea that their
real Indignation is not account of any love for
you, but rather because he is longer willing to
go to extremes to deprive you of your vote
may be harmonious and wise.
am, very respectfully,
ID. s. LEWIS.
A SPLENDID ANIMAL.-At the Fair Dr.
Stephen Harnsberger will have on exhibition