The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-07-27

ticket Wing. Nay goth.
Essential condition OF this extraordi-
r.rv coaliiion with the Republicans was OF
conrse their assent, and the same appliances
were resortcd to to make them endorse tpe
fnsion. and like resolutions were adopted
nv them. Many OF these are likewise before
ne !. one or two samples will suffice:
Al April court the Republicans OF Frank
lin, In mass-mecting.
/" R,solped, That we heartily endorse the
proposed independent electoral ticket, ana
pledce ourselves 10 stand by Reimbursement
and the fruits Of resdiuslment."- Wn'g'
On the 10th Of April the Republicans OF
Campbell passed resolution that I'VE ap.
prove the Independent electoral ticke',
and then elected delegates TO the Republican
| Convention at Staunton. -,
The County Committee OF the RepuDii-
cans Of Prince Edward resolved, February
Goth, "that we will not recognize any one
hereafter but those who are or miy De IN
full sympathy with the Readlusters 10 TINS
State, and the National Republican party
| Whiq. February 10th.
So universal was the assent OF the RepuD-
lcsns to this scheme that the wing, COM
mentIng on the Republican county meet.
| ings, q large number OF which were beid
OF Saturday, April 10th. said in Its issue oil
| the 18th:
"Tbe Republicans OF Virginia on Satur-
day, so far as heard from, pronoanced 'ran!
their fdrorite for next President, but
WISELY indicated their preference for an
independent Readjuster electoral ticket
over straight Republican ticket, that can
only be defeated"
The implication is irresistible that the
project OF the leaders OF the July Conven.
| ton then was an alliance with the negroes OF
Virginia, knows to be for Grant, TO support
an unpledged ticket, which, II 1t supported
| Grant, wonld have deceived the whites,
and II it did not, would have betrayed the
| blacks.
And the success Of the scheme was based
| on the assumption avowed by the wing
| May 22d that - the majority OF Repuolicahs
are devoted Readjusters."
This precious and apparently promising
scheme met its first and most fatal blow at
the hands OF the Republicans themselves,
who manifested both more principle ana
more wisdom than the schemeIs had credit
| ed them with.
The Republican State Convention met at
| Staunton on the Dist OF April, and those
who favored the hybrid ticket, led by Colo
mel John X. Popham, yehemently opposed
the nomination Of any ticket there, the
plan being that the joint convention OF Re
publicans and Conservatives 10 meet IN July
should nominate the unpedged ticket in
lieu thereof. But the Republican Conven-
ton, notwithstanding their piSe preference
for an unpledged ticket, refused to sacrifice
their principles or compromise their party
duty, or, what is equally probable, knew
the promoters OF the scheme too well for I'M
plicit trust in them, and nominated an open
Republican electoral ticket. This was a
shock and surprise 10 their Readiuster
allies, and met at their hands the most fu-
rious abuse.
Commenting on this action, the Wing OF
April Goth said:
"Tha 1t is sham is its only possible eX-
cuse. The Republican ReadiUster who
abides by it, consents to double suicide
invites the blow which not only destroys
him as Readjuster, but as Republican,"
In the same journal Of May Sd. the minOri-
~, who favored the Grant-Mahone scheme,
were described as "the faithful siXty-thrse
who were so shamefully cheated by the
Grip-Sackers in Stauntou."
The chairman OF the ReSdiuster Eyecu-
tive Committee OF BotetOurt, in an official
manifesto, dated May 10th, "to the Conser-
vative and Republican Radjusters OF Bote-
tOurt," described the ticket nominated by
the Republicans at Stauntcn IL ga Carpet
bag, Scalawag, Parson-Allen, Funder, Poin.
dexter, Baboon electoral ticket;
this still-born bastard abortion y; and the
Wig of the next day recommended its
subscribers TO read and circulate this Bote-
tourt proclamation
All hope was, however, not vet abandon
ed. Should Grant be nominated at Chicago,
there was still chance to bring back the
majority Of the Republicans, and while that
was possible the coalition was promising.
The leaders accordingly still held to their
scheme. and as late as May 10th the Rich
mond Wing announced lis position still to
be that "the electors should dispose Of their
roteS in the Electoral College OF Virginia to
the best advantage OF Virginia, and then
under the instructions and limitations OF the
convention which should appoint them"
Indeed, a week later one OF the electors
at present on the July electoral ticket an
nounced that he was ready, at the order OF
the Convention Of July 10 support the Gin
cinnati nominee, or the Chicago nominee,
or an unpledged ticket, or an independent
ticket, or no ticket at all. Letter Of John
S. Wise. May 9th.
Within a few days the Chicago Conyen-
ton was held, and Grant was spurned from
its doors. Chicago finished what Staunton
began. The nomination OF Grant was an
essential condition Of the coalition. That
impossible, the scheme failed, and We hear
no more OF "an unpledged electoral ticket"
For six months it had been held up as a
consummate flower Of craftsmanship,
praised as return to the example OF our
foreiathers; opposition to it secuted as an
evidence at once Of political ignorance and
debasement; its triumph confidently pre-
dicted, and that triumph hailed as first and
mighty step towards the restoration OF the
better days Of the Republic.
10 one short hour its doom was sealed I;
the effort TO thus purify American politics,
TO vindicate the wisdom OF our ancestors, TO
restore the Electoral College to its riehtful
functions, was ANONYMOUSLY abandoned,
and the eulogies OF the scheme were proved
TO be as lnsincere as the scheme itself was
deluding.
No honest and intelligent citizen can re-
call these known and recent facts without
being forced to the conclusion that il their
Republican friends had stood by them at
StauntOD, and Grant had been nominated at
Chicago, the leaders OF the July COnven-
lion would now be in the field with ticket
not only not pledged directly or indirectly
to Hancock and English, but ticket openly
pledged TO no one, and secretly pledged to
Grant.
Does II need any argument TO show that
such men deserve nothing but indignant re-
buke at the hands Of any Conservative
Democrat!
The National Democracy met at Cincin-
natl on the Odd of June. Not only were the