Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1880-02-13
H1RGzNzA's ELECTORAL VOTE.

FRIDAY MORNING. FEB. 10. 1880.
VIRGZNZA'S ELECTORAL VOTE.
Every day makes it Gle; srer that time and
press on the Conservative
Central Committee to cali the State Con-
vention. Every day makes it clearer that
the new plan of Gen. Malone for handing
over the electoral vote of the State to
eleven men. to be bestowed on Republi-
can or Democrat at will, cannot receive
any support worth the name from the
Democratic voters of Virginia. and that
those voters whether of one wing of the
party or the other, won't surrender their
Independence to. party leaders. Per-
haps we should say the late leaders, for
there is deep conviction in the minds Of
the rank and file of the Democratic party
of Virginia-one that cannot be explained
away-that at the coming State Conserva-
tive Convention, general if not thorough
changes, in managers must be m ade
We do not care to 60 over the past, be-
cause mistakes of judgment, whether bas-
ed on unselfish desire for party success or
blind eagerness for individual promotion,
are not welcome recollections to the poll
tician more than to the private citizen;
but, putting all the past aside, we all feel
the necessity of some new workmen. And
this feeling will not be lessened by tardi-
ness in calling a convention, nor will
the excuse Of waiting for new Develop
ments answer. There will be none such.
Every knight and castle of this game
is in its place; the contest must be pro-
ceeded with. There are three parties,
large and small in the field. The first. the
Republican party, now mere empty shell,
is to hold it's convention in April. What
it may do is of no Importance to the Dem
ocratic voters Of Virginia. It will do
what it usually does put an electoral
ticket in the field to be defeated by many
thousa Ads, while in case of national sue
cess the leaders are rewarded by the
usual gifts, and if defeat comes they walk
the plank. In fact the operations of these
official machine gatherings are OF little
importance even to their own party, for
only the leaders have usufruct interest
in their results. The second is the Read
ulster Party, though this can hardly be
the name for it, as we cannot think, any
one with the slightest ground, will assert
that the old Democrats of the State
now in its ranks, propose to de-
post their votes in escrow to be hand.
ed over to Grant, Blaine or Sherman in
certain contingency. Still they style it
this and by that name let it 60 until its
defeat. This party has laid down pro-
gramme resting on an airy, absurd i'm
practicability. We venture to say that in
the history of intelligent suffrage in Vir-
ginia no such proposition, which would be
insulting to that suffrage if it were not so
utterly absurd, has been offered for the
consideration of those who exercise it.
There is not pretence that anybody
wants to ssreadjust" the national debt;
there isn't the slightest connection offered
between the readjustment of the Virginia
debt and high or low tariff, a hard or
soft currency. or any question. that will
find place in the platforms Of the two
national parties. There isn't even sug-
gesti0n that there will be any Readjust-
ment Presidential candidate to whom the
eleven votes of Virginia can be given.
Nor is there well or i'll defined principle
to which the Readjusters are called to
rally. 1t is, pure and simple, PROPOSE
ton to the old lifelong Democrats of Viz
ginia, to let 60 all holds and surrender
their mental freedom to eleven men who
shall muster them like political galley
slaves into the service Of Republican
President if a better spoils bargain can be
made in that direction. The excuse offered
for this audacious proposal is that the Re.
adjuster party can't be held together 9th
erwise. There is the excuse! That the
party is composed of such mixed and un.
certain material, animated by so little de.
votion to principle that it cannot be trus-
ted out Of the drivers harness to vote on
national questions for fear it cannot be
brought together again!
With two such opponents as these the
Democrats Of Virginia are to contest the
coming campaign. With the first
it is question of getting recognition at
the Republican National Convention and
the subsequent advantageous results; the
question of carrying the State does not oc.
cur to it except in moments of idle boast.
ing: With the second, its composition. the
restiveness of the antagonistic and uncon.
genial elements that make it up, the dan
ger that breath may blow away the inse-
cure power that now controls it and the
overwhelming fact that it has no national
political purpose, no national motto to in
scribe on its banner, forbid the idea that
it can succeed in national election. The
old and war worn Democratic division of
the Shenandoah Valley will be the first
whose indignant refusal of the auction pro-
gramme will be heard from.
With this field before those in control OF
Of tine Conservative organization of the
State, why do they hesitate?
The ''Edinpurg Review" and ''British
Quarterly" for January are at hand from
the Leonard Scott Publishing Company
Of New York, The first contains most
timely article which all will read with in
terest, on Ireland, her present and hel
f,,t,,ra y If is a. calm discussion of thf