The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-08-18
=, ..o,,on.trance Terminated In

attention for reasob s" =. - -
missing rs to that part Oh IL "nicn uep,o
Gates the contest likely 10 spring out OF tnc
claim that caucus should appoih. Tue c'el q,
OF the Auditor and other adinihis,ra''o vn,
GERS; that as not only Dir. Massey, pu'
Mr.. Reynolds, Mr.. Dyson, Dir. fauntie -
roy, Mr.. Williams, Superintenaen. Vi wv
Penitentlary, and others, bau refused U.
their first election to couhienance sucn
pretension, that thought II saic ana re-
spectful TO them or their successors 10 pre-
dict equal independence on the coming
occasion:
RIcuMoSp, August 90, 1851.
General William Malone, PetersbuTg:
Dear sir-On yIsIt TO my son William Roane
Runln last saturday he told me OF conVersa,,Vn
he had lately had with You on the sulect Oh latc
circular issued by you as hich " Won require
every one of our candidates for the Legislature 70
sign pledge to abide the action OF the keahJaster
caucus of the legislature. In That conversations
and speaking of my protest against sucl plehge'
he understood you to express some htlIe surprlhe
that had not coupled my remOnslrance WIN soIlic
saving clause as to your good Intentions; and adj
dress myself mainly 10 that point IN TN. ie.er III
the relations Of mutual good VIII, when I'm
happy to think established between us cer,tiliy
derstOod, could at all infract them In tlls parte
ular case thought OF writing 10 y0u ana decii,cu
to do so upon deliberate reflection Dccanse-is l'
As an humble and unobtrusiye member Of the par
ty, did not wish, by writing strong protest-and
| could write no othcr-against your acllOn, 10
appear to dictate to yon. our NAN ie. o% ag
n letter might have provoked discussion, which
could do no good, because i could not hope TO
change your Views, and my own we're fixed as 10
the impollcy of such u measure, whether viewed
from the standpoint Of abstract right or sound ana
wholesome policy. Sd. | doubted n, with your
heavy correspondence, you would nave Tune 10
read even the superscriptlOn Of my letter.
Nor would write now, except to assure you that
INV previous silence has been In no sense sulcn or
the result Of hostile feeling and though IL Is que 10
candOr 10 say that deny your Iight - lnterp0lte
in the platform what the party did not see III 10
put there, and that consider your requirement 4
ground whatever, and inconsistent with your
proper refusal IL go into caucus Of the senator's OF
the United states on either side, yet do not pro-
pose 10 discuss these questions, ~ no good can
come of Il; but merely 10 say that rs ala not
care 10 obtrudc, 50 did not choose to conceal my
Views; on the contrary, preferred that you Shouid
know them. and that therefore took occasion IT,
| mention them In the presence Of two friends Of
yours Mr.. Thomas III Cross and Mr. II. r Walker
| from one or The other of whom eXpccted-Justly.
| IL seems-that you would have report Of what /
said.
Express myself In the strongest way could, that
You might know what other people would say.
The next i heard Of the matter was III lettcr
from my son, telling me Of your letter TO jude
arguments as they presented themselves To me;
and 10 be sure that gave them to him correctly,
showed my letter TO Mr.. Reynolds, Mr.. Massey,
Dr. Wing, Mr.. Ward, and one or two Othcrs-by
all Of whom every line of 1t was approved. That
letter authorized my son to show you, II lie
thought proper. Beyond these gentlemen men,
TONED the matter to no one, because did not want
the Fundcrs 10 get hat or hold of n good cam
paign document Is thOught-and still thnk-ihat
circular would be FOR them, both against the party
and yourself
And this is abont all ! have to say on the subject,
except 10 warn yOu is friend Of course not 20
~ "a .ig N.
caucus influence j. attempted 10 De used next WIN
ter In any other than the customary way, II VIII he
resisted; and particularly will Il be resisted II 1t
shall be used 10 compel the Bureau officers OF the
Capitol to accept as clerks the nominees OF eau
Gus. And the discomfort thus excited may create a
schi,m which we can III afford, and which, IN view
Of other complications certain 10 occur, fear the
party caunOt survive.
And now another thing, AMI viii have made
clean breast. alludc 10 several attempts that nave
been made by your especial friends. and which are,
therefore. correctly or incorrectly accredited 10
YOU. 70 levy contributions on the various heads OF
he Capitol officers and on their clerks. one Of these
was made by Mr.. Asa Rogers, ~ l understood at
the timc-a proposition that each officer aud clerk
should sign pledge of los per cent. of his salary
Co the party That was stopped In the Treasury
Office by Mr. Reynolds. AT another time young
man In The Treasury Office was advised by an ON
plOycc at the Wig Office to subscribe literally to
the party-thc sum Of 800 was spccihcd-and adj
monshed I'm friendly way that failure 10 do IL
might cost him his place; which, to SAY the least,
There have been other limitations Of Hike char
actcr ~ various times. To all that have been ad-
dressed 10 me a. an onice-holder have given a
positive refusal. The Fundcrs levied on the base
ment in their campaign I'm 1879. and not only
did not subscribe but denounced the lcyyas wrong
In principle. and thing that had been rcpIObatcd
by both political parties all over the United state.
but whilst doing this | acknowledge my obliga-
lion, though not a. IN Olncc-hOlder. To help my
party with money IA far rs ] may feel able, and /
have accordingly aided In Chesterfield county {:
where my farm Is, to enfranchisc portion OF her
tiers.
talked with the same gentlemen on this matter
which came up Is question of party obligation ::
ana expressed myself with my usual carnestness
against the practice and policy Of taxing the state
az large in an indirect way for the support OF q
party. OF course ! cannot. and would not, hold
you responsible for the acts and declarations of
your partisans: and In this case your name Wa not
mentioned or alluded to; but Is do not know
what differences may have been drawn and report
ed 10 yOu prefer. rs am writing, 10 speak for
myself: and do IL without meaning even to i'm
ply what your views on this matter may be, for |
never heard them expressed by yourself or report
ed by another but only to prevent any chance Of
misunderstanding.
| beg you 10 excuse the length Of this, which
could not have curtailod I'm Justice 10 its topics.
lour friend, FRANK &. RUFFIS.
This letter shows that had but little eX-
pectation OF influencing General Malone to
my views. Indeed, il | had not apprehend-
ed that his lust Of power and his headstrOng
temper would forbid return to better
PEELED by the conversation with my
son, in which General Malone gave
rs the reason for this recent circular
that many OF the men to be elected
were so yenal that il not bound by this
(Sealed instrument and held up to its obi-
cation they would be bought by our OpDo-
nents. As he, with his experience, could
not think that any mere form OF words
la nd 'r.l 4 l..fe a
alternative inference that the reason alleged
was meant to cover Interior purposes. |
received not, nor expected, any answer to
my letter, and saw General Malone but
twice-then casually on the stroet-before
the election, and have never met him since.
But in January. was told in confidence bv
Mr.. Massey that General Malone had in
formed member Of the Legislature that
he had letter OF mine in his possession,
showing a conspiracy on the part Of Mr..
Massey, Mr.. Reynolds, and myself, to sup
plant his authority a leader OF the party.
ton, / requested Mr.. llasscy's permission
to follow it up TO exposure at once. But
lac withheld it, prudently perhaps, and
only authorized me to verify his informa-
ton; which | subsequently, did by ascer-
tanning from their own lips that to Mr.
Turner, OF Norfolk, and Mr.. Board, of
Roanoke-members OF the Legislature and
friends. Of Mr.. Massey-General Malone
had dcmeaned himself by misreprcsenting
the contents and character OF friendly let
ter, not knowing, perhaps, that there was
copy Of it 10 contradict him.
Shortly afterwards l heard the same
story from several others some reporting
that | had written an insulting letter to
General Malone, and soon heard reliably
that he had issued an order on the first as
sembling of the Legislature that | should
not be reappointed to the humble cerkship