The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-08-04
fcommunieatedJ
Tne occasion and the Man for n.
RicHMoND, August 3, 1881.


To the Editors Of the Dispatch
Hearty congratulations are due the Con-
seryatiyes Of Virginia that the people
throughout the State generally have chosen
reoreseutatIye men OF the highest order OF
talents, intelligence, integrity, aud dlscre-
ton as delegates TO the Conservative state
| Convention now about TO assemble. And
not less are the Conservatives 10 be con-
graduated that the people, having thus
wisely selected their representatives, nave
also so generally left them unbiased and I'M
embarrassed by aoy Instructions as to the
names to be placed upon our Conservative
| State ticket. In 4 few instances, indeed, pri'
mary meetings have expressed preferences
for some gentleman OF their respective well
nages, but thesesporadic expressions are, no
| doubt, merely a compliment 10 the lochl
pride in a prominent neighbor, ADD ought
| not TO be taken literally as Instructions. Inc
Convention when 1t assemblies VIII tDere'
fore come together with minds free from
formed conclusions, and be ready to con-
slider, like 4 Jury, as it were, and TO deter-
mine how best TO promote the noble pur-
poses OF our ConseIy atiye organizall0n--
that Is 10 say, to secure tho continued wei
fare and prosperity OF the Commonwealth
by keeping our government-eXeeutlVe, le.
ejslatiye, and judicial-under the rule OF
intelligence and worth in other words, IN
the hands OF the white people OF Virginia
In view OF the suspicious circumstance
under which our Convention Will therefore
assemble ! beg leave as an humble member
thereof briefly to suggest some consldera-
tons to which with great Difference l Would
faIn ask attention.
I'm u universal ardor and determination
TO achieve such a sweeping victory next
November that MahODe-Radicallsm shall
share the fate OF Know. Nothingism and
never more be heard OF in the politics oil
Virginia, | fear there has arisen in some
regions an overweeening Willingness 10
g make concessions as 1t Is called, OUT
which In reality would be to compromise
away the principles upon which we stand
united as Conservatives. This would DC 10
surrender before We make the fight. / need
not stop TO say that il we are TO surrender
our principles before making the hght, II
would be worse than useless to make the
fight at all nor TO add that such a "Ylc-
tory" as may be achieved by the sacrlnce
Of principle is not worth the winning by
any political party. But whoever heaTd OF
an army winning a battle by furliDgl It's nlgs
and fleeing from its adversary! Tue mus.
taken policy OF "making concessions "
would not therefore be an efficient remedy,
even if II were not worse than the disease
OF our present situation
The splendid triumph OF the virginia
Democracy under the leadership OF the gai-
liant and glorious Henry A.. Wise was won
BY MAKING THE FIGHT. Let us profit by that
experience. Before that campaign was
commenced the KuOw.NOthing leaders
claimed a certainty OF success WIN quite US
much assurance as our adyersarieS now as
sumo. Their voters were then oil enrolled
They
-" counted them at break Of day.
But when The sun set where were they Z
Their serried hosts, and even their organl-
cation, have long ago gone down before the
study blows of Wise and his cOadiu torS,
who MADE THE FIGHT FOR PRINCIPLE. And
be indeed reads the history OF that cam
paigu, and observes the Conduct OF the
peOple of Virginia then, 10 but little effect
who does not learn thereby that although
circumstances may sometimes powerfully
aff, ct the feelings and opinions OF men,
even making vices pass for virtues, yet the
difference is supreme and eternal DelWetn
what is accidental and transito1y IL human
nature and WHAT Is essential ana lmlnutaOle.
Remembering that the present generation
Of the Virginlans are the children oil the
men who rallied under Wise and put down
forever the now OdiOus but then Popular
dogmas Of acknowledgement, we haYe out
10 MAKE THE FIGHT in order to rally these
people now to put down the more 0dlouS
but less popular precepts OF Mahone-kadI'
calism.
And how shall we make the fight mos;
aL.iR,g IL am I baua MT tho GHOht-
est hesitation in forming an answer In my
own mind frem arguments most cogent ana
conclusive: First, by antagonizing the
leaders Of our opponents IN the most pow
erful and Incorporating manner posi-
bic; and second, by the most efficient
organization OF our " people. The bare
suggestion Of the second Is SUFFICIENT with
Out elaboration, and imposes duties upon
II state and subordinate committees which
thew will have both the wit and the willing
ness to perform. As to the first: How
shall we %antagoniZe the leaders OF our OPP
pOnents in the most powerful ana uncom-
promising manner! The answer, IN my
humble judgment, is by choosing Us our
leaders the stauncheSt Conservatives we
can find who have been most able and zeal
Gus in their hostility to Mahone's perni-
ClOu- NCutIutS dlu 4 hANNN hApFN
nv Malone and his minions. At the head
of our ticket let us put the name Of that
gallant Conservative leader who pIeemi-
1ently bears the distinction have men
toned as our candidate for Governor, and
LET us nominate for Lleutenant-G Governor
and Attorney. General gentlemen who, as
far as possible, are bis peers in that dis
tinctiOn.
Though to me it would be a labor OF love
10 write columns OF encomium upon Major
JOIN w. DANIEL, it Is needless to do so
among the COnseI yatiye people OF Virginia.
Let Us, my brother Conservatives, nominate
him as our candidate for Governor, and un-
der his leadership and Of those whom we
will associate with him as our leaders, we
shall have such a campaign in Virginia this
fall as that which, under the leadership OF
Wise, carried the State, and which will
carry it again triumphanily for PRINCIPLE.
DELEGATE.