Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1880-09-23
The Peoples Plan of Union Defeated.

TIE democratic end republican parties IN Vlr.
GINA, in conformity with uubroken custom, as
sembed this gear in S.ate convsElicns, chose
delegates to the national c,nVenticcs of their
respective parties, designated their electoral
ticksts, ard adopted platforms Of principles
enuaciating their sev:ral views on Daiional
affairs.
These delegates sought snd obtained adnis-
sion into their respective national conventions,
shared the duties thereof, and participated 10
placing before the people the names now cbal:
longing public support tor the presidency and
yioo presidency of the United States
o. the 7th of July, 1880, several weeks after
| both Of the national conventions had adjourned,
and the canvass ca both sides had opened
throughout the Union, State convention aS-
sembled 10 tho city of Richmond, composed in
Discriminatory of democrats and republicans. Of
men prcferriog the SUCCESS Of Garfield, and men
prefsrriog the SUCCESS of Hancock, aud of not
fsw whose political caaviciona sst go lightly 90
their shoulders that they were entirely lnditter
ent whothtr they supported either or no ticket
at all.
! Only ono purpose inspired this hctero
gepeous gathering, hoSever diversified is co.,
| s,ituion--io Wit, the destruction Of the c0Ds6r.
vativc party by whatever meaus and with Shst'
ever allies that end might be compasssd. ID
| this pursuit tho republicans only differed from
their allies 10 that they bad been their pioneers
for eleven years 10 the same desire and labor.
This convention chose new elscoral tiokes,
and adopted platform OF principles from which
nstiooal issues were studiously excluded. they
expressed the opinion that the democratic clo
didate would be moro likely to advance those
State issues thanthe republican, and therefore
| instructed their electors 10 support Hancock
and Erglish.
This eciop framed aad fitted 10 sntegoniZ3
the regular democratic ticket 10 Virginia, met
with On early and generous we!como ct tho
hands Of the republican press and leaders
throughout the Union, beyond thu Common
wealth. and has recently received tqaei APP.
pIauso from the radical papOis within the State,
presenting, az it mapites,l3 did, tbs most feast
bic and effective plan for the loss cl the Stcte
to tho democratic party--ths common OF jsc: ol
both wings Ct tho Tth.ol:July pvenlon-and
Tor the dissolution of that great cor :rvatve or
ganiz ,liou in FIr2oia which originally rescued.
and has ti;htr;o prtaerVed, the Stale from
| Radical misiule.
Tho scheme excited the graYcat aprrsaeu-
sops Of the democratic people Gf tho Com
moDEcaltb. who OWNED the purpose, since
openly svowcd, By it's republican supporters to
divide the democratic streogth Of Virginia, end
when tho gulf btcime il1 passahle to consolidate
| the republican party aod carry tho State.
| Within the Commonwealth prudential reatoas
| have produced general silence asto this intent;
| but the less cautious republican press Of other
States ba9 avowed this hope and purpose,
echoiug the confident prediction ct tho leading
republican paper Of the Union. the New \ ork
Times, that the Virginia republicans would
csrtaioly defeat their divided opporcD:s
No one familiar With tho state OF parties il
Virginia can doubt the possibility of such .
result no one acquainted With tho desperate
fortunes of tho republican party eau doubt that
this result will ba sought.
The effort to svert this ps.!y dsastlT, which
! may involve the loss CT the Uoiop, has engaged
the reflections of every patriotic citizsu 10 every
quarter; it being justly thought that it would
| DO a GROWING dissraco to this faithful dsmo-
cratic Commonwealth should her vote be lost.
40 d at The same time the hopo of democratic
triumph in tho Uai1n. by her !oleoiou. 90
| blasted.
Tho ueion OF the democracy Oh iusou Iioke'
was the simple end ess7 exit out OF the pe!il !;
and after much individual speculation as to the
| method mass maetiDg of citi2 ns Of the pop.
l ulUU5 CUuUtS VI DucuHuOOau A0oEioeu5J gus
gestcd that tho State committees OF the two
| narties protesting to support Harccck and
Eoglisi should unite 10 placing an electoral
| ticket 10 tho field. to BIO composed Of two elso
| tors from each OF the existing tickets, pledged
| to Hancock and English. tho eleventh ecct0r to
be chosen by tho National Democratic Commit
tee; aud the promoters uca2m BUSY pledged
themselves to s1ppcr: t:c,t thus col s,itnted.
The chairman OF the Democratic State
Committee, earnestly DESTROYS and siDgly ccn
earned to unite the democratic paople On one
ticket Oh terGs of fairness to all, requested g
meeting Of tee 7:h CT July committee Ei'h his
own to consider this plan Of fusion.
Tho committee met 10 separate scsSi0D. on
tho 18Th Ct September, and the democratic
committee promptly oonmucicated to tbs ottc:
committee its willingness to accept tho plan
proposed by the people CT Shenandoah; but,
cautious lest tie known disavowal by the other
committee C ell allegiance to the national Dc
mocraey should furnish x,vs, fer oti:c!on to
settlement Of such INTRINSIC fairness. the
democratic State committee proposed, il the
other committee preferred. to submit The ohoio;
of the eleventh el.cor to lot, rather than to Tho
national com mit,ee.
This proposition &se, Liter much delay, re-
ectod 10 any and every form and tho IT jaciiou.
coupled with the svoRal thst tho peoples plan
would be refused by them howcver presented
that 60 fusion ticket you'd b. accepted, nov.
ever framed
An easy. "a 1itnb'e. and certain method Of
ensuring the vote CT VirQi1is was by this action
hopelessly defeated. Eeveh electoral votes
which might thus bysn honorable and just DR.
rangeaept have beer placed beyond the chance
of loss were deliberately put 10 peril. AID the
unpalriotio pu7pcso Of perpetua!iog and cxis
peraling the ezisti5g divisions arloog Virginia
democrats was with bold eGrontoIg avowsd If
they bed stopped here credetc, might have
been given to the gatc,nade as TO their strength
as the excuse for this extraordinary repulse of
an honest effort for pesos but tho fundamental
purpose of the leaders being, as NO have stated,
the destruction Of the conservative democratic
party of the State. tho7 could not separate
without disclosing it. They accordingly pro-
posed, as the only scheme they would couda
scend to acospt, tho holding, a fortnight 10 ad
vauc, OF the presidential election, Of private
election 10 Virgins, 10 which there should be
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