The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-12-13
LOCAL MATTERS.
The State Trcasurersbip.

A LETTER PROM MAJOR vULOsKO Walden DE-
CLlNING TO BE A CANDIDATE POR THE
OFFICE-HE KICKS AGAINST "RING RULE"
AND CAUCUS COMBINATION IN TIE APPOINT
hENT or HIS sUBORDINATEs.
The subjoined letter from Major Vulosko
Walden, OF New Kent county, giving his
reasons for declining 10 have his name 90
before the Readiuster caucus as n candidate
for the Office OF State Treasurer Of Vir-
ginia, will explain itself -.
~ASEgICiS HOTEL, December 10, 1881.
TO the ReddjusterS Of the LeqiSlatue:
Gentlemen, On reaching Richmond yes
terday l learned from Mr. Reynolds his
purpose OF retiring from the position Of
State Treasurer. | Immediately took steps
TO notify some OF the members OF the Legis-
lature that | would like TO get the
place. During the evening II was told me
that il would be required OF every caudi-
date 10 submit in writing his willingness
for the Readiuster caucus TO name the
clerks to serve in the basement Offices. |
take this method Of saying to my friends
that am no longer an applicant. II every
member OF the Legislature was to
honor me with his support i would
not think Of approaching friend
and be as ignorant as he concern
ing the clerks to be assigned to duty in that
office. II seems to me to be 4 step diane
trically opposed to the line OF argument
used by Us in the late campaign-opposi-
ton TO ring rule and liberalizing the public
sentiment in Virginia. Let us follow this
thing little further, and add TO the little
document 20 be submitted TO the caucus
"A hat 1a1f olx.nc 70 xfift
Mine Host Dodson, and not TO spend any
money derived from this source other than
with a Readjuster." We argued that to
concede the right TO tax the voter one dol
lar carried with II the right TO make il fifty,
il need be. IL seems TO me TO concede 10
any caucus the rights claimed in this case
would give it unlimited power and raise
the hoodgates for corruption and rascality.
II this system TO cqualiZe patronage
is insisted upon you would soon have
the Superintendent OF Public Schools
pledging that, so far rs he could possibly do
so, no one but Readiusters should be teach
erS, and where there were rather more
children in q locality than necessary the
Readjusters should have the preference.
The candidates for the Court OF Appeals
must declare in writing Tor their names
would not be allowed in caucus) that they
would in all cases try and find out the politi-
cal status Of the contestants, and II a Funder
was in it, to decide the case for the Read
juster; il both were Readiusters, to go for
the more recent convert to the faith,
that others might be encouraged to
come. | know this is extreme, but
we have some extremists in the party,
and caucuses are secret bodies, a majority
binding the minority; and l am glad to
know do not stand alone in my opposition
to caucus dictation. ! invoke the better
element OF the party TO move cautiously;
to make friends, il need be. of enemies !;
but at the same time not TO ALLEVIATE mem-
bers of the household by setting precedcnts
not usual or customary in our midst, at any
rate.
Hoping that the Readiusters may prove
themselves good and true men in their ei-
forts to advance the interest OF Virginia,
Iremain, your fellow-citizen.
V. Walden.