Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1881-09-03
HE REPUDIATEs THE REPUDIAToRs.
Gen.. wickham Calls -Upon5Repub-
leans to Cast Off Mahonism
Lest the Whole Party Become
Tainted. re

Gen. VIM. C. Wickham, the leader of
the republican party in Virginia until
the recent split, and then the leader of
that portion of the party which refused
to pin itself to the coat tail of ..'Billy the
Kid" (Mahone), was nominated BY the
convention for governor, but declined.
owing to the demoralized condition OF
his party. He has since written the
following letter. - e So. o.,
HANOVER COUNTY, Va, August. "a. .
To the editor Of the Debt-Payer, Rich
mono, Va.-Dear SIR: Responding to
your request that I would give you for
publication in your paper my views in
regard to the present situation Of politl.
cal affairs in Virginia, I beg to say that,
the prospects OF the republican party OF
Virginia were never SO bright before as
on the eve OF the last presidenttaIe detection.
Its steadfast course, its strict adhesion to
principle had elevated it In the opinion
OF our people,. But the attack made
upon 1t by parties claiming to be -au-
thorized BY the neutrality-suspicious. com.
mittee. to withdraw the republican cleo
tOral ticket in favor Of the r~eadjuster-
Hancock ticket. demoralized our voters,
certainly In my opinion to an extent OF
q loss to the republican ticket of, more
than the 1880 votes which would have
given the: state to Garfield and Arthur.
Though beaten in that election yet the
honesty and earnestness or purpose ex-
hibited by the great body OF the repub.
licaus OF Virginia in resisting the over
lures and threats of these. men and the
miserable tools in Vii ginia that entered
into THAR oohnmoo uvnn okS11 kr,xho. 60
u party, here the respect and esteem
OF our opponents andaoEthe whole peo-
pie OF Virginia. We could have gone
into the canvass Tor state, officers this
autumn with an almost csttainty of sue.
cess had not the means rasorted to by
the readjusters party 10 break down the
republican orgauizatlon IN Iris state
resulted IN such q division Of the party
at Lynchburg as to show those who
were laboring for the success of repub-
licanism in Virginia that if a republican
ticket took the field the time of the can
didates and canvassers would have to be
devoted TO, bringing back to the party
those who had been deluded into deser.
ton, instead OF to the efforts win re-.
cruits and supporters from the ranks Of
those who had been opposed to them.
And had the republican party presented
an undivided front. as it would have
done but for the treachery Of some of
Its members and the weakness OF others,
l am confident that victory. would have
this time rewarded our efforts. As 1t is
the republican party finds itself without
candidates in the field for the state
officers, and It's members are tree with
out any forfeiture. of allegiance to the
party to cast their votes according to
their individual preferences or to abstain
altogether from voting for any of the
candidates Tor governor, lieutenant.
governor and Encouragement. But, in
my judgment. no republican can vote
for any Of the readjuster candidates
without abandoning n Of the most
vitality important principles OF the re-
publican party, n on which the
party has built as on q rock,
the abandonment Of or even falter,ng on
which by the national republican party
would be followed by The instant over
throw OF the party ID the United States.
l refer to the honest. unhesitating sup