The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-09-23

/ RICHMOND, September ia nuinpei VI
oyer.sanguine Republicans at the NORTH
good, Innocent souls, who are continually
predicting q break 10 the solid oouth..o'
gether with one or two members OF tue Ma
tional Republican Commitfee-gentiemen
who ought to have known better-naVe re.
Gently made the startling discovery that
between the two bItterly-contending Demo
cratic factions 10 Virginia II would De an easy
matter to slip 10 and capture the stare IoI
General Garfield. 1t might Us wei DC
understood at the outset that on earthquake
in New York is much more proDaDle tDan
the accomplishment OF such result. Inc
Republicans, in the present contest, cannon
ana will not carry the state OF virginia
1t Is hopelessly Democratic, and, In AL
future calculations as TO the maj outcome
OF the presidential struggle, must be con-
sldered so. How true this Is can best be
shown by brief and candid statement oil
the present and recent condition OF parties
here. For the past three years there has
been absolutely no Republican organiza-
ton i'm Virginia. Those OF the Republican
leaders who survived the prosecutions OF
former years we're heard OF no more
after the announcement OF President
Hayes's southern policy. The negroes,
who formed the great bulk CT the
party, lett to themselves, without hope,
without guidance, and with but scant know
ledge Of political machinery, did not go TO
the polls. They had sense enough 10 know
that the ceremony would have been an
| empty one; that their votes when cast
would not be counted. So for years they
| have been coming to the belief that the Re-
publican party OF the State was thing OF
| the past. This was the condition six or eight
months ago. Then for a moment they were
aroused to something like enthusiasm and
activity. They were assured that their
hero, Grant, was TO make one more fight
for the presidency, and stimulated by this,
TO them joyful, intelligence, they held a
State Convention and nominated an electoral
ticket. But Grant was not nominated. The
great help from the Readiusters and other
Independents which the Republicans were
| TO receive in the event OF such a nomination
was not forthcoming, and the once-power-
full party again sank back into condition
OF apathy and despair To-day the Repub-
lcan party OF Virginia is dead. 10 can only
| be revived by the aid OF General Malone
and bis Independents. The almost Impos-
sIble conditions under which such revival
could take place are that the National DEM
ocratic Committee should take sides in the
hands with the Bourbons against Malone,
and drive him II make terms and. an ALI
ance as 10 the presidency with the colored
men.
What would happen under such circum-
stances | will not attempt TO predict. 1t Is
only necessary to repeat that as the situa-
ton now Is there is next to no hope that the
Republican party OF Virginia will play any
In Tn hp
sure, it has an electoral ticket in the field
the eminently respectable electoral ticket
which was nominated at stanton last April.
But what else has il? Nothing. No cam
paign speakers. no canyassers, no organl-
cation, no campaign documents, and, with
The exception Of YOst's valley Hir-
ginidn Zone OF the abIest journals in
The country, no newspapers. No can
vass, not even the pretence OF canvass,
has yet been made. No public meeting
worthy OF the name has yet been held. |
am sure that there are not 10000 Republic
cans in the State who know even the names
Of their candidates. The room OF the So
called Republican State Central Committee,
which is situated in Richmond, well illus
trates the forlorn condition OF the party in
Virginia. 1t is frequented by just one
black man, and has in it just furniture
enough to make its baroness the more ap-
parent. Up to this time the secretary Of
the committee which has its headquarters
in this apartment has collected for cam
paign purposes from all parts OF the State
the sum OF S20l.35 and at this moment
the committee owes him SIG, which he
has taken out OF bis own pocket to
pay the rent Of "ihe headquarters" or
course all these facts are most deplorabe,
but they are facts nevertheless, and in view
OF the false hopes which certain people have
thought well 10 raise in regard to Virginia,
they must be told. The National Republi-
can Committee and the people OF the North
and West who have the best interests OF this
country al heart should be warned in time.
Virginia, with the rest OF the South, is solid
for the figure-heads of the Democracy. Gar
field and Arthur must be elected by loyal
northern votes. And this statement is
made with 4 full knowledge Of the
fact that there are from $4,000 TO
100000 Republican voters in this State.
That is TO say, there would be that
under the fair and free sys-
TEN OF conducting elections which ought
TO prevail here, but which docs not. This
latter circumstance is not sufficiently con-
sidered by those who talk OF the possible
success OF the Republican electoral ticket
in Virginia. They either forget or do not
know that while there are undoubtedly az
many Republican votes in the State as they |
claim, not more than $4,000 Republicans are |
now qualified, under the iniqutous Vir-
ginia election laws, TO go to the polls and |
cast their ballots. All the rest OF them |
are dlsiranchised because OF non-pay-
ment OF the captation tax OF 81, the |
receipt for which, duly signed by the
proper officer, must be shown TO the
inspector OF elections before citizen
Of Virginia can vote. With no reasona-
BILE hope that their ballots would be
poor as they are, and without
OF the long and tedious routine
" hich they must go through before getting
.ax.receipts, it is, perhaps, not to be won
ierCd at that thousands OF the negroes in
Ill parts OF the State have deemed it wise
policy to keep their dollars in their pockets
md stay away from the polls. At all evehts,
bis is the course which they have pursued.
At least $4,000 Of them are now delinquents
md not entitled 10 vote. Fully $4,000 OF
hem will take no part in the coming cleo
ION unless their taxes are paid for them.
L has been suggested that the National
Republican Committee raise fund TO
10 this. The committee might better
brow $4,000 into the streets OF New
York. II Is true that the Democrats are
low divided, but they would not continue
o for tweniy-four hours after they became
convinced that the State was in danger Of
icing carried for the Chicago nominees. As [
/ is, the Democratic leaders know that even !
we're their vote divided between the " Re- I
djusiers" and " Funders in equal parts,
ach faction would still have from 10000 10 /