Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1880-09-29

York Times, that 'the Virginia re-
publicans woald certainly defeat their
divided opponents"
No one familiar with The state Of
parties in Virginia can doubt the pos
sibility of such a result; no ore ac-
quainted with the desperate fortunes Of
the republican party can doubt that
this result will be sought.
The effort to avert this party disas-
ter, which may involve the loss Of the
Union, has engaged the reflections Of
every patriotic citizen in every quar-
ter; it being justly thought that it
would be browning disgrace to this
| TAFT hful democratic Commonwealth
should her vote be lost, and at the
same time the hope Of democratic
triumph in the Union,by her derelic-
ton be blasted.
The union Of the democracy on
fusion ticket was the simple AMI easy
exit out ofthe peril and after much
individual speculation as to the meth
cd a mass meeting Of citizens OF the
populous county Of Shenandoah urau-
imously suggested that the State com
mittees of the two parties protesting
to support Hancock and English
should unite in placing an electoral
ticket in the field, to be composed Of
five electors from each of the existing
tickets, pledged to Hancock and En-
glish, the eleventh elector to be cho-
sen by the National Democratic Com
mittee; and the promoters unanimous
ly pledged themselves to support a
ticket thus constituted,
The chairman of the Democratic
State Committee, earnestly DESTROYS
and singly concerned to unite the dem
ocratic people on one ticket on terms
of fairness to all, requested a meeting
of the 9TH Of July committee with his
own to consider the plan of fusion.
The committee met, in separate scs-
sion, on the 10Th of September, and
the democratic committee promptly
communicated to the other committee
its willingness to accept the plan pro-
posed by the people of Shenandoah,
but, cautious lest the known disavows
al by the other committee Of all allegi,
auce to the national democracy should,
furnish excuse for objection to set
Element of such intrinsic fairness. the
democratic State committee proposed
if the other committee preferred, to
submit the choice Of the eleventh cleo.
tor to lot, rather than TO The national
committee.
This proposition was, after much de-
lay, rejected in any and every form
and the rejection, coupled with the
ayowal that the peoples plan would
be refused by them however presented
that no fusion ticket would be &C.
cepted, however framed
An easy, equitable, and certain meth
cd Of ensuring the vote Of Virginia was
by this action hopelessly defeated.
Eleven electoral Yoteswhich might thus
by an honorable, and just arrangement
have been placed beyond the chance CT
loss were deliberately put in peril. and
the unpatrotic purpose Of pcrpetuatine
and exasperating the existing divisions
among Virginia democrats was with
bold efirontery avowed. If they had
stopped here crederee might have been
given to the gasconade as TO their
strength as the excuse for this extraor-
binary repulse Of an honest effort for
peace; but the fundamental purpose Of
the leaders being. as we have stated
the destruction of the conservative dem
ocratic party Of the State, they could
not separate without disclosing it. They
accordingly proposed,as the only scheme
they would condescend to accept the
holding, fortnight in advance Of the
presidential election, ola private cleo
ton in Virginia, in which there should
be but two tickets in the feld-the dem-
ocratIc and readjuster tickets-pcrmit-
ting every registered voter qualified or
not, TO vote therein. irrespective of his
politics, and declaring the ticket chosen
at such a poll the true democratic tick
Ell in Virginia!
The committees had convened at the
instance ofthe people to compose strife;
here was a proposal TO renew and Gu
bitter it. They had assembled TO settle
democratic differences by democratic
methods; here was a proposal to refer
to republican negroes the Test Of demo-
cratic regularity, They had assembled
10 effect fusion; this organized dlscord.
They had assembled willing 10 recog-
nize both parties as democratic, both OF
equal claim, and TO unite the strength
ofboth on terms honorable and Of absO-
lutte equality; here was a proposal to
form a republican alliance with0ne dem
ocratic wing. to drive the other out OF
the field Of the presidential campaign.
The relative strength Of either party
vas a matter Of utter Indifference in d
national view. The mission Of tie
committees was TO unite tie two, ire
spectiye Of numbers. Recognizing that
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