The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-04-27
The Contest in Virginia.

ne AOAtVSk 40
There are lust now many impatient men
!, Tho democratic party Of Virginia. Ihey
80 ~s.,,vs steeds. champng their bits, ana
s,xlons 20 rush into battle a. once. Afeeiog
NJ INDIGNATION amongs, the Democrats Is gen
era, throughout the state. There is strong
aes;re 10 begin the work OF "punishing
General MALONE. as they call II In the prize
ring. These FESTIVE Democrats insist upon y
tina. the Democratic State Convention Is nXeo
for TOO late dsy; that the Mahoneites VIII
occnpy the Geld whilst the Democrats arc w.
inc upon their arms and making no a''emp'
10 march upon the ground. :,
Isn,t Il possible that our resiive irienus
arc ,oistakcpy Are the voters OF virginia
easily decciveds Did not the result OF the
contest last year prove that they can clearly
discriminate between genuine Democratic
ticket and bogus one? Did not tue result
OF the contest OF 1879 prove that there were
many thousands OF good Democrats VINO
declined 10 commit themselves at that time
upon the public.debt question? When was
there ever before such 4 battle royal IN Vlr-
GINA rs that which was joined In 1873
Think over the names OF the speakers that
trayersed the Commonwealth, and poured
out their treasures Of wit, logic. eloquence,
and satire upon the voters. But all failed
10 move them. They stubbornly per-
sisted in their determination to ludge
for themselves. Tens OF thousands OF
them decided for themselves that they wou'u
vote neither for nor against the McCCL'
lOcu bill. They were willing TO let other
people decide that question. They would
not repudiate the debt, but, inasmuch as
the advocates of the MCCULLoCH bill adj
mitted by meeting Its opponents upon the
slump that man might vote honestly
either for or against that settlement, they
would let their friends and neigh6ors repu-
diaie il IL they wanted to do so. The point
we wish to make is that eloquent speeches,
and fiery newspaper articles, and excite
mepi on the part Of all the leaders on both
: sides, failed TO communicate TO the voters
that feeling OF excitement. They couldn't
De made TO feel an interest in the result.
make half as good fight in 1880 as IN 1873,
ard yet they swept the State. so far as The
Readjusters were concerned, these were
"nowbere." The voters, TO use slang
phrase, "sat down upon them" Their
leading organ published up TO ths day OF
election letters and kilograms from every
Quarter Of the State showing how they in
tended TO bury the Democrats beneath I'M
meuse majorities. But when the ballot-boX
was opened and the votes counted u ap-
neared that the voters knew exactly how
they ought TO vote. Only $1,000 ont OF
100000 were found throwing away their
votes upon General MAHONE's HANCOCK
ticket.
Are the veters less intelligent this year!
Not they. Can they be deceived more
easilys Not they. Can General MALONE
have any better luck with his so-called " In
dependent" ticket this year than last! Not
he. lie claimed the same sort OF "lndepen-
dence" last year that his followers in NIr-
ginia are claiming for him now; but the
claim misled few then, and will mislead
very few this year. So well understood is
his position that the negroes are Hooking TO
his standards, confident that he is the man
to whom they ought to look to secure Tor
them the Offices they cOvet and the consld-
Grafton they demand rs constituting the bulk
OF the opposition 10 the regular Democrats.
II the negroes have sense enough to know
that General MAuoNE's party is better
party for their purposes than the Republl-
can party, no one need doubt the position
OF the Democrats. They also will prove In
November next that they know Their
place-that they know where duty calls
upon them 10 place their votes. Nothing
but unreasonng abuse of them can keep
even the few thousand whites who last year
supported the July ticket in the ranks OF
the ReSdjusters. The violent course adyo-
Gated by FESTIVE, fiery Democrats, would
have insured that result.
Parties grow; they are not made. They
are the result OF evolution. Let US allow
to our Virginia voters the short space OF
three months in which TO arrange them
selves under their proper standards. The
delegates to the State Convention must be
appointed on eouniy-court days. so far as
nine.ientbs OF the delegates are concerned.
A dozen counties will appoint in May, two
dozen in June, but the majority of The
counties cannot be brought up to the work
before July. None can be appointed in
August, because the Convention meets on
the 4ih day Of the month-too early. This
consideration Is not to be lost sight OF.
But the main point-the controlling
considerations that the voters must not
be hurried. Indeed, they can't be hurried.
They will refuse 10 be hurried. They think
for themselves. They are now in their
own minds ponderlpg the situation. Do
not distrust them. They Will reach a wise
conclusion.
We shall be excused for continuing to
urge early action looking to the provision
OF collection OF samples OF our resources