National Republican., 1881-08-09
Tho Lrnohhure Convention.

pubICanS there are VINO are so bound up
in devotion to u party name and n party
organization that they are unwilling to
exchange these insubstantial shadows
for the reality of victory over the enemy.
The Republican party has no enemies
from without, except the enemies of the
Nations laws. 1t has ever promised
hcartiest fellowship with all who should
in good faith aid in supporting the Con-
stitution as amended and the laws passed
in pursuance thereof II finds patriotic
party in Virginia organized on the debt
question, party bent upon saving the
State from continued reputation of itsob-
legations by Bourbon pretenders This is
the Readjuster party. The struggles o.
that party in 1879 brought to il the col
ored voters of the State. Their rights
were fearlessly maintained by their new
white friends, and the Bourbon Democ-
racy went down before the Liberal
movement. The temporary separation
of the races in the presidential campaign
caused no alienation. The defiant atti-
tude of MALONE toward the Bourbons
in the Senate in March last raj
lied all of his supporters of 1870,
as well the white Readiuster Democrats
as the black and white Republicans. The
| State convention of the colored men de-
clared him their leader and sent depu-
tation to the President with the informa-
ton. The great majority of the white
! Republican element of the State is for
the Readjusters. A few hide-bound parti-
sans, calling themselves Straight-O Out
Republicans" have strained every nerve
TO carry the elections for delegates to the
Lynchburg convention who would be
hostile to the Readjuster ticket. They
have succeeded in clecting few regular
delegates, but it long ago became appar-
ent that the Republican party was over
whelmingly in favor of coalition with
the Readjusters by indorsing their ticket.
The Straight-Out faction has resorted to
the tactics familiar to all who have seen
the organized work of disorganizers.
These have cropped out in boiling from
local committees, separate elections of
pretended delegates by the little squad of
-Coalitionists to be found in most
counties, and, finally, arlear intention to
hold n convention of their bogus dele
gates at Lynchburg on the same day of
the regular convention of the party. If
those counties only in which the Coali-
tionists have prevailed are to be con-
tested, and if the contestants are TO be
ruled out from voting for a chairman, then
the few uncontested counties in which
the Straight-Outs have prevailed will do
all the preliminary voting, by which the
organization and the settlement Of con-
tests are to be decided. But if The
Straight-Outs find contestants fer heii
seats also, then there would be no un-
contested delegates to do any voting
at all, and the two factions would from
the outset separate into two bodies.
mittee, in calling the convention to order
and putting the vote on temporary Or
gani zation, and in forming the commit
tees, has great power. 1t is to be pre-
sumed that he will use it to ascertain the
will of the delegates well known to be
regularly elected. This he can only do
; by making up a list of such delegates
, ign oring, of course, irregular claimants
! chosen by unauthorized constituencies
II would avoid much confusion if this
were all determined in advance. This
could easily be done by the
preparation of true list of delegates, UNI
der the authority of any members of the
State committee, and the submission OF
the same to the chairman, to be revised
and corrected by him. If he disapproved
because sham contests were not recog-
nized, then the regular delegates could
consult in advance and be called to order
by some member of the State committee
in whom they had confidence. Only by
confusing tricks and desperate methods
can the insignificant minority of Virginia
Straight-Out Republican Bourbons even
, seem to have any considerable strength
They will, of course, hold separate State
convention when they are prevented
| from seizing the regular one; but this vii
, do no harm to any but themselves. They
: will render a great service, perhaps, by
p. thus loosening whatever hold they have
5 upon the Federal offices, leaving the Ad
D ministration free of all complications IL
| its desire to move forward with the grea
: Liberal party of the South, Of which tn,
: Readjusters are but the advance guard.