Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1880-07-16
FRIDAY MORNING. JULY Is, 1850.

At this stage of the political history of
Virginia when, for the first time in TWEEN !
ty years, the voters have placed before
them more than two electoral tickets. it is
well for the Democratic voter to under
stand his position with relation to the
event uppermost in his heart-the election
of Democratic President of the United
States. In the first place, and we shall
try further on to make this as plain as the
primer, the mere circumstance that a vo-
ter casts his ballot ssfor Winfield and
Hancock as the saying goes. is no guaran-
tee at all that the vote will aid the two
candidates named. AS a matter of fact no
man votes directly for the Presidential
candidates. Under the provision of the
Constitution he votes for eleven electors
who are to cast the eleven votes of the
State when they assemble in what is called
the electoral college. If the present
party nominees were stricken by death,
there being no names before the college,
then the electors would give the vote of
Virginia to some other. men. No matter
how many electoral tickets are in the field
in State it is only that ticket which re-
ceives the largest number Of votes that is
entitled to the privilege of casting the vote
Of the State. Thus if the Readjuster cleo
toral ticket headed by Riddleberger which
is expected, if successful, to cast its vote
for Hancock were to receive fifty thousand
votes; and the Democratic electoral ticket
headed by Echols which is also expected,
if successful, to cast its vote for
Hancock, were to receive fifty thou
sand votes, and the Republican cleo
toral ticket, which is expected, if
successful, to cast it's vote for Garfield
were to receive fifty thousand and four
votes, then the vote of Virginia would
be cast for Garfield, and the one hun
dred thousand Democrats, who lost their
strength by voting for two separate cleo
toral tickets, might as well have stayed at
home for all the good they accomplished
by leaving those homes to cast their bal
lots for Hancock. Though the people of
Virginia, by majority of many thousands,
are longing for the election of Demo-
crat, yet this running Of two tickets
would defeat the will of this majority.
Virginia is thus put in the way of aiding
to perpetuate the rule of the Republican
party in this country for another four
years by the election of Republican Presi-
dent, though both branches of the Nation
al Congress are, and have for several years
been, Democratic.
In this view of the matter the leader
will see that merely being Hancock
man. or voting Hancock ticket falls
very far short of giving the National Dem
ccratic party of the Union the aid they
ask at the polls on the 4th of November
next. 1t must therefore be question of
grave Importance to every Democrat to see
that beyond the huzzahing and oratory and
flag raising in honor of Hancock which
accompany the campaign, the Demo
cratic candidate shall also have the bene-
fit Of his cote. If the voter is a Democrat,
if he has occupied place in the ranks of
that party since the reconstruction of his
State in all national elections; if he has
borne with it the heat and burden of the
many gallant fights it has made and rous-
ing majorities it has won; in short, if he
is member Of the great National Demo
cratic party of the Union. which at this
moment holds the whole legislative power
of the country in its hand, it becomes him
to give serious thought to the method by
which he can still aid IN it's struggle and
participate in it's victory.
The two Hancock electoral tickets now
before him have separate histories. as far
as their relation to the National Demo-
cratic party is concerned. The Democratic
ticket was nominated May 10th, at Rich
mond. by convention of Democrats, to
which delegates were chosen by primary
meetings to which every voter expecting to
support the nominees ofthe Democratic Ma
tional Convention ct Cincinnati was invi-
ted, the convention itself was called by the
regular party authority in the State; in
filling the positions of distinction within
its gift State politics were ignored and
such men as James Barbour, S. III. Moi
felt, John W. Daniel and others, of entire
" different views on the question of the
State debt were selected; it sent delegates
to the Democratic National Convention,
and one of those delegates, John W. Dan
iel, attracted the attention of the country
by his magnificent speech seconding the
nomination Of Winfield S. Hancock; from
its delegates were chosen members of
the National Democratic organization and
since the nomination Gen. Hancock him
self in letter to Maj. Daniel has ex-
pressed his sense of obligation to the Vir-
ginia Democracy as represented at Gin
cinnati.
The other Hancock ticket, the Readjus-
ter ticket headed by Mr.. RiddlebeYger,
was nominated at convention called in
Richmond July 18th, by Vim. Malone.
Chairman, and VIM. G. Elan, Secretary,
with no pretense Of being a Democratic
convention but simply 'sReadjuster State
Conventions" When it met. among it's
members were a large number of avowed
Republicans who did not make the slight |
est pretense Of being other than Republi-
cans and some Of whom had already par
ticipated in the Republican Convention at |
Staunton which sent delegates to the Me-
tional Republican Convention at Chicago.
Among the speakers who addressed that
convention Senator Paul said the people |
cared little who was made President this
year, their interest being conferred on the
Governor in 1881, and another distinguish
ed speaker, Auditor Massey, said if he be-
ieyed the election of Garfield would con-
tribute most to Readjustcr success in 1881,
he would support Garfield, and these ex-