Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1880-10-22
THE STRUG GLE IN VIRGINIA.


may be in politics he is, as far as the Re-
publican party of Virginia is concerned,
good authority. Indeed he is in his party
matters, overwhelming authority. At
Charlottesville when the Republican con-
yention was ehoked out Of existence the
garrotting was chiefly due to the influence
of the opinions of Mr.. Lewis. His views
there, however unjust to the ruling
thought of the delegates, were successful
because there was strong undertow of
hatred of the Democracy which was
stronger than the love which the delegates
bore for Republican principles" So much
confidence was felt in his views that a
straightout Republican nomination there
was kicked out with violent alacrity and
the residuary legatee was named then and
there. The legatee was an Independent
and his name was familiar one. MIR.
Lewis has again come to the front just in
advance of the election, only two weeks
a sort of just-before-d assault, which
old soldiers know so well-in a letter to
the New York "Times." His letter is so
exactly confrmatory of the predictions of
this journal concerning the course the Re-
publican party would take in this cam
paign that if we had room we would pub
lish it in full. He publishes OPPORTUNITY
with the recent determination of the Ma
tional Republican Committee to make a
struggle for Virginia and the reader can
see the reasons that operate on that COM
mittee. Mr.. Lewis says that the Republi-
can voters in Virginia number 10000.
We have always understood that it was
$4,000, but probably the ex-senator knows
better, for no man in Virginia has better
information about the Republican party
than he has. He says further that II now
assert that the Republican voters in Vir-
ginia are almost unanimous in their sup
port of Garfield and Arthur And
through that unanimous vote he accounts
for Republican victory in Virginia in
this way: 5Tzs.44
Let us examine the figures. There are $4,000
white registered voters and $4,000 colored voters
all or nearly all the colored voters are Republicans
making the registered Republican vote $4,000. For
disfranchised on account Of non.payment of the
potax; this leaves 100000 Republican votes. Now,
between the two factions Of the Democratic party
and that 10 600 are disqualified on account of failure
to pay aee se we @f
l000 and we have left 154 900, which leaves to the
.Readjusters 1900 and to the Bourbons 1900. I
think these figures are correct. Now, will any one
deny what have stated above-that is that there
is as good chance for giving the electoral vote OF
Of ohos " lA' "n0 A''l'' as 'n7'e Is '0f ''"'
To make this plainerto the Democrats
of Virginia we may say that Ex-senator
Lewis is generally credited IN his party
with more influence with it's National
Committee than any man in the State.
Whatever he advocates with them may be
set down as certain to be attempted, z Be-
sides, he is one Of the very few office hold
ers in our State who has influence with the
rank and file of his voters. His motto is,
"Anything to beat the Democracy and
in that anything we may safely put down
Congressional district combinations with
the independents. or any other political
strategy which has fair show in the
field. When Gen. Wickham commenced
his active campaign in Virginia the indie
pendent organs and orators denounced it
as ''Funder dodge" but the appearance
of Senator Lewis in the field gives the
"dodge" another hue altogether. MI.
Lewis is Readjuster in season and out of
season; his authority with the colored
(which is, as matter-of- fact, the) Re-
publican vote Of the State is greater than
any combination of the leading lights of
that party. He came within six votes of
adjourning the Republican State Conven-
ton to more convenient (coalition)
season." and as to mere Congressional
district convention he crushed it out, and
the aspirant with it, in the twinkling of an
eye. His estimates of votes in Republican
politics are worth something; they should
be worth good deal to the Democracy in
the way of a warning.
On the 18th day Of July this journal
gave notice to its readers of precisely the
turn the campaign in Virginia would take.
Itstated that the inviting field OF dissention
exhibited in Virginia would be coquetted
with by the Republicans until the last mo-
ment, and that few days before Novem-
Der I'd they would change their tactics
That notice has been fulfilled to the letter.
1t is an open secret that Republican mana
gers are actively engaged in going over
the lists of their voters, and seeing that
they are equipped. This means that there
is to be but one fight In Virginia, and that
Is between the regular Democratic ticket
and the Republican ticket. The Indepen-
dent ticket is gone. Its only hope was in
its faithful allies,'' and they are now Or
dered back to their camp at double
quick. The programme is written in large
letters for our people as far as the Repub-
licans are concerned, and it reads in every
Congressional district Except two) this
& Co,Eold ax,d A rtb.,,r Il