The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-12-20
A Question and It's Answer.
srl,A Norfolk Lfd1fr SAYS:

m early day. The press Of the State gen.
orally favor the suggestion. We should be
plessed 70 know n our respected contcm.
porary Of the Dispatch Is IN favor Of
smother go-as-you-plcasc canvass, rs last
spring, or does that paper agree with us In
fhc necessity for thorough organization
a oil opponents OF Mahoneism by State
Convention for all future canvasses."
Tho. Ledger's question implies much
more than Il asks. We have to say, then,
in reply to its implications, that II the Dis
patch was responsible for the candidacy OF
Mr.. MASSEY, 1t rendered to the Democratic
party an invaluable service when II in
duced that party to acquicsce 10 his lead
Crship Of the Democratic forces in the late
congressional. election. But for that
acqniescence 1t IS easy TO see that NEW
KERRY, HALE, FrLKERsos, LYBnooK'
and all the rest OF the leaders OF
the ReHdjuster party who voted with
us last month would have been almost CON-
pelled 70 continue their connection with
the Coglitionists. Washington county,
which gave over 400 majority for FuLxEE-
SON as Democrat, would have given as
much for him rs a Coalition candidate II he
had been forced TO run on that side. The
gain to the Democratic party in the Ninth
district alone Il ample compensation forthc
acq,iicsccnce in Mr.. MAssEY's candidacy, II
that acquiescence needed anything in the
nature Of consideration TO make il JUS
tifiable.
Then look at CABgLL's district. The
Democratic gains in that district since last
year were Just about equal to CADELl's en-
tire majority. We mean that the gains in
two counties OF that district-Patrick and
Grayson--the counties Of LYBROoE and
HAl.E--secured the reelection OF GEORGE
G. CABEIL, and that but for these gains lie
would have been defeated, so far ~ we can
Judge. We won't go further Just now in
this direction.
Look Mt the number OF votes cast last
month-seventy-6y thousand more than
were cast in 1878, the last preceding year
in which there were none but congress
slonal elections held; and this, too,
although in 1873 BEALE, GooDE. General
JOE JOHNSTON, HINTON. CABEI.L, TUCKER,
JOHN T. HARRIS, HUNToN, RICHMOND, Nc
MuLLEx. and NEwBERRY were all in the
field and although then the great issue as
between Greenbackism and Democracy
was fought out so far as Virginia was con-
cerned.
A~o:,,. Tho ,ovf E;rO;,,;n ~ ~ is
now almost certain, will be Democratic as
q result Of Mr.. MAssEY's candidacy. Say
what you will, no other man than Mr.. MAS
sEY could have secured to the Democratic
party the control of that body. We have,
including the Masseyites, twelve or thir-
teen Of the twenty hold-oyor senators, and
can hardly fail next fall TO elect senators
enough to give to the Democrats control Of
the Senate.
But, after all, we can plead "Not
Guilty" to the main charge. We arc not
responsible for putting Mr.. MASSEY at the
head OF the Democratic columns in the
late battle between the Coalitionists and
the Democrats. ROBERT A. CoGHILL, Az
sALOM KoISER, HOLMES CONRAD, 4. NJ.
KELLEY, JOHN S. BARBOUR, GEORGE ID.
WISE, J. RAN. TUCKER, Colonel TON WHITE
HEAD, General WILLIAM II. PAYNE, Scna-
tor EDuuSDs, Senator Hurt, WIYGFIELD
OF AlbemarIe, VEyADLE OF Petersburg,
and, generally speaking, all the recognized
leaders Of the Democratic party in Virginia
were for MASSEY long before we had ever
come out Tor him. We had eitncrto bolt orto
support him; because 1t would be mex
cusable vanity in us to assume that we
could in any way or by any methods within
our power have convinced the people OF
Virginia against the efforts OF tie ner
whom We have named and the hun
dreds OF others like them who
had made up their minds unalterabl,
that IT would be nothing less than suicidal
u blundcr worse than crime-to refuse t
run ore single Headiuster candidate To-
Congress in the entire State, and cXpec
Mr.. MASSEY, or the Big -Four, or Mr.. Full
KERsov, or any other Rc.idiustcr leader, t.
accept that fact rs proofth the debt ques
ton ought 10 longer to divide the nationa
Democrats OF Virginia into two parties. a
Mr.. TUCKER Is reported 10 have said a
the time, there was but one way in whicI
the Funders could testify that they ha
abandoned the fight on the debt question
and that was by acquicscing in Mr.. Mas
sEY's candidacy for congressman at large
To have gone before the voters without
single candidate OF that faction would hay
been to court another defeat such as thu
OF last year.
We have spun out our answer to an III
necessary length; but we must be excuse
for having done so. We conclude by say
ing that so long as we do nothing wors
than follow in the footsteps of TucKEI
BARBOUR, WISE, KoINER, KELLEY, WING
FIELD, CONRAD, COonILL, and their ass(
ciates In the business OF making Mr.. Ma
sEY the Democratic candidate for congress
man at large, we shall be entitled TO Il
confidence Of every true Democrat in vi
ginia.
-
SUBJECTS FOR DIssEcTIoN.-In an addre
delivered before the Medical and Chirurg
cal Faculty Of Maryland April II, 1ss
Professor JOHN W. MALLET, NJ. d., of Il
University Of Virginia, said:
"Perhaps there are few questions rel
ting to the material means OF medical stut
which stand so much in need of judicious