National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-06-23
The Virginia RcpubIican Rump.


nine-tenths are colored These nine
tenths long since expressed themselve
through a State convention, with substan
tial unanimity, in favor of cooperating
at the approaching State election with
the Readiuster or Liberal party. The
white one-tenth have not yet spoken, but
there is no doubt that a very large ma,
jority Of them are also favorable to a CO,
alition with the Readjusters. They say
that a free ballot is the only remaining
plank in the Republican platform, al
other things for which the party con,
tended having been accomplished. This
plank is the most prominent one in
the Readjuster platform, and the only one
which the Bourbon Democracy would not
willingly live up to if by so doing they
could carry the election. A minority OF
the white one-tenth and mere handful
Of professional negroes oppose a coaii-
ton Of the Republicans and Readjusters.
They have seventeen ont of the twenty
seven members Of the State Central Com
mittee; and thus a mere rump, COM
prising less than onc-twentieth Of the
Republican voters Of the State, are able
TO control a committee which may call a
State convention. The State Committee
met on Tuesday, pursuant to a call Of the
chairman, although he had with
drawn the call and issued an
other for the 28th. The committee
had in February last assumed the power
to read all Readiusters out of the party
and to disPIace them from its committees.
On Tuesday, pursuant 10 this usurpation,
it voted that its chairman. ex-senator
John F. Lewis, should no longer hold that
position, and elected General Wickham
instead 1t called State convention, but
not a Republican State convention. The
nineteen-twentieths of the Republican
party, who favor a coalition with General
Malone and his associates, are forbidden
to participate in the choice of delegates,
and are declared ineligible to sit as dele
gates, even if chosen by the votes of
anti-coalitionists. The object of this
convention is to nominate a State
ticket, which, although made in opposi-
ton to the will of the great body of the
Republican party, is to be called the
straight Republican ticket" It is by so
common a device as this that the Repub-
lican Bourbons of Virginia hope to de-
feat the Liberal movement in that State.
They bad a conference with the Presi-
dent few days since and asked his sup
port. He said that be wanted to know
the real wishes of the majority of the Vir
ginia Republicans The Wickham dele
CATION were understood as having favored
O Republican State conrfr7tio11, al ghicb he
question Of coalition should be decided If
so, they have trified with the President
and deceived him. The Republican
State Central Committee has no power
to call any other than convention the
whole party. Its tests are made without
authority, and may be disregarded in the
choice of delegates, or the call itself may
be ignored, addressed as it is to
twentieth only of the party. II would be
competent for all the voters Of the Repub-
lican party to choose delegates to the
convention called by Wickham & Co., re-
gardless of the prOscriptive test; OF it
would be equally proper for the minority
ofthe State Central Committee to act in
lieu Of the majority in callinga true party
convention in the usual and proper man.
ner. This would be justified by the fact
that the majority abdicated its authority
to speak for the whole party when it
openly made itself the organ of the Bour-
bon rump.
On the 2Sth instant the committee will
meet again. Senator Lewis. the chair
man, will no doubt be recognized as such
by all but the rump members. The lat
ter, headed by Wickham, will put out
their CALL 1t will then remain for the
Regulars, under Senator Lewis, to decide
whether they will at once fiji vacancies
and make their committee full, prepara-
tory to future call for a convention of
the whole party, or whether they will de-
fer action to iiaater time So insignificant
2 Tump of the party as that led by Wick
ham cannot be made regular by control
ling few docile committeeman. Senator
Lewis and his genuine Republican asso-
ciates On the committee can separate
from the Bourbon members on the 2Sth
and call upon The several districts mis-
represented by the latter to appoint new
men, who will 90 with the great majority
OF the party for the defeat of Bourbonism
Of all shades and pretensions.
We do not believe that either the Presi-
dentorany member ofhis Cabinet will give
any countenance whatever to the course
pursued by the Wickhamites. He Will
not expect much information as to Re-
publican sentiment concerning coalition
from a convention called exclusively for
anti-coalitionist8. 1t is exactly like the
Johnson policy of 1865, by which the
white confederates were to choose dele
gates from their own number TO State
conventions which were to decide for Oh
agains: the civil and political rights
of the negroes The rahid enemies
of the reEro III the South have no
letter helpers than the " straight-out
Republicans" who strain every nerve
to prevent a union between all who de-
sire TO do him justice. The defeat Of
Malone and his patriotic associates this
summer b. Bourbon Democrats, through
the aid of Bourbon Republicans, would be
a crime like that Of Andrew Johnson
when he held the South solid against the
Fourteenth Amendment. We do not be-
lieve the Rump has power enough to do
any harm, but the President Or his Sec
retary of State could simplify matters
greatly by disappearing head-shake 10
some of the men who are attempting the
mischief.