Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1880-08-04
Address of the Executive Com
mittee OF the Democra-
tic Party Of Vir-
ginia.

ROOMS CONSERVATIVE EXECUTlNE !
COMMITTEE,
RICHMOND, VA, July Is. 1880. }
To the Conservative People Of Virginia: !:
No question ola political nature has
ever been propounded to Virginia
Conservative more important in its re-
lations to himself, or its consequences
to his State and country, than the in
qulry, What is his present duty in the
national contest which impends ?
For the first time in the history OF
Virginia, if not in the history of the
Union, there are offered for the suf-
frages ofthe people two electoral tickets
protesting, though in different degrees
and on diverse grounds, support to the
National Democratic candidates for the
presidency and vice presidency of the
Republic. A vote cast for one of these
is a vote destroyed-a vote which if cast
for the other may elect a Democratic
President. The fatal and scandalous
possibility confronts us that the over
whelming Conservative majority Of Vir-
ginia may be lost by dissension, and
the Republican party, demoralized and
despairng, may, through Conservative
dlscord, ravish this old State from the
ranks she has always adorned, and Of
ten led, and deliver her to our enemies.
Neither their strength nor our weakness
can achieve this result it must be ac-
complished, If at all, by deliberate dere-
liction on the part Of Conservatives.
The path of duty in this supreme hour
of our political history, when under the
call OF patriotism and the hope Of ad-
ministratiye reform the Conservative
people of all the Union outside of Vir-
gina baye composed thcir dIn'erences
and adjourned their strifes, ought to be
sought with diligence and trodden with
unflnching courage. To ascertain it one
inquiry alone needs 10 be solved: which
of the electoral tickets now in the field
in Virginia processing to support the
Cincinnati nominees merits the conf
dence and votes of her Conservative
people ?
One of these tickets was framed by
Convention summoned by the State
Central Committee Of the Conservative
party, whose call invited the participa-
ton of "all citizens who intend to sup
port the nominees of the Cincinnati
Convention and to oppose the nominees
ofthe Republican party"; it was called
under the established forms and usages
of our party; it announced in advance
and with no doubtful utterance, its poO
litical creed it committed itself unre'
servedly and In advance to the Nation
al Democratic ticket; il sent delegates
to the Convention which framed tha
ticket, and participated actively anC
hoNorably IN The choice there made ; it
representatives were admitted to th'
National Convention not only withou
challenge but with acclamatlon; it il
now represented on the national com
mittees of that party, and recognized a
an equal and honored participant IN th'
duties and destiny Of the National De
mocracy.
The other ticket was framed by
Convention that neither bore the mann
nor affected the principles Of the Ma
tional Democracy. 1t assembled afte
the National Convention adjourned
sent, of course, no representative there
10, and was without voice or vot
therein A; was composed indlfierently c
Democrats and Republicans counte
among its constituents over forty ne
groes, and among these some delegate
to the State Republican Convention
and many recognized as Republican
leaders ; took pains, as We shall see, t
disown all allegiance to, or connection
with, the party that nominated Han
cock and English; aud as it was with
out participation IN the choice, go
now without share in the organizatio
ofthe National Democratic party.
1t would appear that this PLAIN an
frank statement Of the question, as
which ticket should receive the suppol
Of any citizen, sincerely desirous to dii
charge his duty to that great party
patriotism which, for fifteen years hi
defended the South, and shielded col
> stituhonal liberty from the profigA
malignity which has equally manact
both.
Bet this pathway Of duty is fiood'
with the lustre Of noon when in ado
ton we consider the course of the lea
ers Of the July Convention in the iigl
, of the history of the past Six months
for that history discloses a deiibera
and but partially-bafied purpose
their part to sacrifice the cause OF pop
lar freedom in the country at large to
miserable coalition with the Radio
party, under the pretense of advancl
. a State issue which is notOriously wi!
ost a place in national politics. Sat
> aed as we are that no views which
Virginia Conservative may entsria
ON the debt settlement will blind hl
10 his duty In q Geld In which that out