National Republican., 1881-07-26
VIRGINIA LIGHTNING,
WHICH WILL STRIKE THE BouRBons
The Readjustsr, Republican, and Bourbon Strength
How II VIII he Divided In the Com
Ing Contest-L Sure Victory for
the Party Of Progress.
To the Editor Of THE RrruprrcAs.

sentinE three distinct parties were in the field. II
each Of these three parties support separate ticket
this fall, how can the Republicans succeed 2
Either the Bourbons must lose largely or the Re.
publicans must gain. The loss from the Bourbons
will go 10 the Readjusters. There is reasonable
ground to suppose otherwise. The Republicans
cannot gain reinforcements on the contrary, they
cannot pell large n vote as they did last fall.
THOUSANDS oP READJUTERs WHO ARE REPUBLICANS
voted against the Readjusters in the presidential
election. The electoral candidates on that ticket
were Hancock men, and rs the sole Office of cleo
tors was TO vote for President and Vice President.
Republicans supported Garfield men, These hold
that the Readjuster and Republican platform each
practically amounts to the same so far respects
this canvass, excepting the financial question: and
on this they are with the Readjusters. Another
class OF Republicans will not support any
ticket manipulated by Wickham. Last No
vember Wickham's name was erased by a
large number Of voters in his own county
(Hanover from the Garfield electoral ticket. VIII
he not lose at least as large proportion Of Repub
lican votes throughout the State If he should as.
pre 10 control the Commonwealth as he lost in his
own neghborhood when only a candidate for
elector7 Does he stand better with the party 10.
day7 II Is true he has become n favorite Of the
Bourbons, but, strange TO say, this does not
strengthen man in the affections Of Virginia Re.
pubicans. A largo number of Republicans will
vote the Readluster ticket because they believe
that only the Cameron ticket can defeat the Bour.
bons. Losing Of these three classes will largely
REDUCE THE REPUBLICAN STRENGTH
from the point IL reached last November, when II
lacked more than ten thousand votes to carry the
State. The reckoning so far is on the hypothesis
that the Republicans nominate ticket; otherwise,
Wickham will be nowhere That coalition of
Republicans and Readjusters will triumph pro.
vded the relative strength Of the parties shall be
the same this fall that II was last November may
be perceived BY every one who understands the ad-
dition and subtraction ofsmple numbers. The com.
bincd vote ofthese two parties in the last presden
tial election exceeded in round numbers tn the
Bourbon by twenty thousand. Moreover, thou
sands of Readjustcrs voted for the Hancock Bour-
bon electors to insure the State for Hancock
Provided Hancock should receive the cleo
teral vote Of the State they were willing that
Bourbon electors might cast II. This class will
vote for the Roadjustcr candidates unless three
parties are in the field There are others who will
vote with the Liberal party. allude to the men
who are tired Of the policy which has almost made
paupors Of people whose State aboundsi in natural
wealth. These voters demand higher order OF
statesmanship than that which defrauds people Of
their constitutional rights by legislative trickery
and caters to the lowest class Of gutter rufians by
establishing
THE wHIPPING-PosT TO TORTURE NEGROES
lHcSc NlIklulhlh hIt tnclT IOln-
monwcalh has fallen so low that It's greatest glory
is TO play second fiddle to poor little Delaware.
They know that under Bourbon rule immigrants
will continue to shun Virginia as they would the
| deadly upas tree; they maintain that by liberal
policy the States agricultural and mineral re-
sources will be developed Richmond become a
large manufacturing city, and Norfolk or Newport
News one OF the greatest commercial crlporiums
of the world. The situation of the Readjuster
mi 10 str hr rf,,bt
OF another division in the Democratic
ranks. The rump which is to assemble early in
August will consist Of Fuuder and Readjuster
faction. The Funder faction insists that the plat
form must declare emphatically for the payment
| of the entire debt and dcnouncc Readjusters. The
Readjuster faction insists that the Funders are
Shylocks and heathens, and that this fact must be
proclaimed in plain language by the convention.
To construct platform which will suit both ofthese
factions is apprehended to be too much even for
Democratic ingenuity. The usual billingsgate
may be expected. Republicans and others who
oppose the rump will be
DECLARED WORSE THAN PI. ATEs,
and the defeat of the Bourbons dcplored as the
greatest calamity that can befall the human race
but columns of such rigmarole will not atone fol-
| failing TO toe the mark or the money question
Beaten TO their last intrenchments, the Bourbons
are wildly appealing 10 the Straight Outs for
succor. Wickham and number OF Office holders
claim to be par excelteaec Republicans and to es-
tabllsh this claim beyond doubt they cast
their influence into the Bourbon scale al
tho commencement Of the contest, while the
fate of Virginia Republicans was trembling
in the balance. The influence pos
sessed by nine-tenths of these men is owing to
Republican patronage which they have enjoyed,
and this influence is employed to aid the Bour.
| bons These men obey the orders of Bourbon
leaders as promptly as veterans obey the com.
| mands of their captain The Bourbon journals
are their organs and Bourbon stump speakers are
their champions on the hustings. They claim Ia
have borne the brunt of the fight for Virginia Re-
publicans Such boast is quite as ludicrous as
that of their coadjutors; but bearing the "brunt
because one has held Office is an original as we'll
AS a grand idea, while the Bourbon theory OF
finance is evidently borrowed from Micawber
| These men have borne no other "brunt" except 10
fatten on patronage while the mass of Republicans
| have been denied the common rights of humanity
| by the same Bourbons whose commands
| THE "srRAIGHT- OUTS" ARE oBEYISG.
So far from bearing the "brunt," turn TO thcil
antecedens, and II will be found that nine tenths
of Wickhams lieutcnants are far more prosperous
than they have ever been, and their improved
condition is owing to Republican patronage. In
common with many Republicans, differ from the
Readjuster plan Of adjustment; but there are
other questions Of greater importance involved IN
this contest than the debt question. Repub.
licans will seek the restoration of their own
rights, of which they have been defraudcd foi
| years by the bondhoders' party, before they will
look after the interests Of bondholders. Aided
by Grants popularity and the detection of Demo
crats caused by the nomination of Greeley the Re-
publicans carried the State in the presidential
| election OF 1872; and when they united with the
Readjusters they succeeded in defeating the Bour-
bons. With these exceptions the Republican or
ganization in Virginia might as well have been
dead for more than the last ten years so far as II
has benefited any one except otiice-holders and
such members Of the State and National LegIsla-
ture as II elected The rights of Republicans have
| been
MERcILESsIY TRAMPLED ON,
and their party was pOwerless to enforce right
| except in the Federal courts until the triumph o
the coalition In 1879 The platform and past his.
tory of the Liberals give assurance that they will
respect Republican rights. The past history of the
| Bourbons gives assurance that these rights will
not be respected. SThe sosrecrow set up by the
ofice-holders that coalition will merge the Re.
publican into the Readjuster party is toe
| poorly disguised to mislcad any one. The
| Republican party numbers at least twice
as many as the Readjusters and Is ma
tional organization while the other is
local one. Besides the coalition two years ago. 50
| fruitful OF benefits 10 the Republican party, wa
| Hol hltnueu WIN lhe loaSt h'BH OF huch uhIger
The Bourbons and Straight Outs have exhausted
the stock OF hobsoblins with which they hoped L
fighten Republicans from cooperating with th'
Liberals. Their efforts have been vain As tho
skies darken the more violent become the CURSE
of one and the deeper the groant OF the other, But
they cannot beat back the storm which is gather
| ing for their overthrow, The wild screams o
bondholders the awful dread Of social ostraeism
and the miserable whining of mercenary ONCE
holders, all combined. cannot arrest the thunder
bolt which will hurl Virginia BourbenS from
| power next November. b,
| Masonic Excursion.