The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-04-29
giflmoud lispatfh.
sell,nqout.

II II were certain that tue keauJustefs
could sch the vote OF their electors after
they bad elected them, the scheme to run
IN unplclged ticket would be more
popular with the mercenary ofdce-seekers
who compose 80 large proportion OF tna'
sectian than 81 Is under the circumstances
which actually exist. But the unknown
eIemrnt Is too great. IL Is not cef'a'n'y
xnossp, and II cannot be certainly known'
that the vote Of virgiola will have any
weight 10 the presidential election. On the
contrary, the probabilities are ratner an
,f.yor o. It's being 9th wheel to the wafon
sxhan one Of the four servsceabie ones. Let
us look ut the matter.
The "sorfd South" exclusive OF tbn
State, gives I27 electoral vo,es--a numt ef
just IS less than majority OF the wf.ose
number Of presidential electors. Now the
Democratic candidate will surely larry
Indiana,s Is votes, aud II he also arsies
New York, he will lack onis vo ties OF
having enough to elect BIN; and { oese he.
vii! lie almost certain to get In u .lfornia
and Oregon. In that case the pei oilers oil
yirginia's vote would get no bid from thu
Democrats. On the other hand. II be Deae-
cratic candidate should fail to AIRY New
YORK the vote OF Virginia sdded 10 that OF
Indiana. oregon, and California would fall
30 Tar short Of being a M siority that
the virginia electors woul consWapd
no rrice 10 the presideotial sarket, either
In offices o. money. The IN pledged eject
ors would have an elephant cn tbcirhands.
They would have dansged goods fox sale
which nobody would war L 30 purchase.
They would be the laugh irrs.s'oeE OF the
country, and bur,ben 10 themselves.
Their cry would'bc. ave have ;piped unto
you, and ye have not dan :e2."
The some would be the crse WITH the Re-
pubirsn party. The soaid ,Nortb," ex-
elusive Of Indians, wbit b Is sstrue to the
Democratic party as r .eWtuclzy, casts ZIG
votes. But II Few Y ,rk, California, and
Oregon 20 for tse Den iocrats, the Republic
can candidate will bs We but972 electoral
votes, and therefore as theeleven votes Of
Virginia would not e. ect him he would not
for single moment enfertdir the thought
OF trading for them. The -" unpledged
would have nsthing vaiuste to sell. There
would be an entire absence OF demand for
their wares.
We have'written rs II tho unpledged cleo.
toral ticket we're be held up for sale to
the nominee for p residentwho would bid
for il the highest price in Offices or money.
But let us conced that the Reiidiusters do
not admitthat th fy contemplate dcker Of
that sort. Then what do they mean by
their claim that they will place Vr-
ginia in a pt, sition TO demand con-
sideration at the hands of both parties
What sort OF consideration? What is
she to demand? How is she Ito pay
the price unless by casting her vote for the
nominee who offers the best terms? There
Is no other way and she has nothing to de-
mand Of any party except her rights under
the federal Constitution, aud these she will
get much more readily from the Democrats |
without bargaining for them than from the
Republicans under ,any sort OF bargain. |
But the real point here is that, as In the |
other cases supposed, "the unpledged
will fiud themselves in the condition |
OF rdhc poor boy at frolic. Nobody |
Will need their vote, and. so nobody will
speak 10 them, or bidfor it. They would |
be powerless to ard Virginia in getting her
rights, Just as they would be to enable her
to ppesure money or, Offices. The prospect |
OF such result OF their scheme to run an |
independent electoral ticket is not well cal |
culated to inspire witbszeal the myrmidons
whoswere last week driven away conquered |
frons xhe Staunton Convention.