The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-06-02
Bithmund plspaith.
,r,,pn.y JUNE ., 1888.
The Victory.


c,.,ps RrIne's motto, "Put Yourself
IN Ills Place. comes in very well Just now
.s means OF enforcing or illustrating the
t,c, that in the elections OF last week the
neople Of Virginia indicated that II was
their purpose TO leave the debt question be-
hind. divide on other issues, recognize o
Republican as a Republican and a Demo
era, As Democrat, and vote next year Tor
tle Democratic nominee for President oil
the United States. just imagine the I'M
bounded exultation Of the Mahoneites u
4hcv had carried the Second congressional
district as the anii-Mahoneites carried IT,
Think OF the growing roosters when
would have accompanied the announcement
that Halifax. Essex, Gloucester, King VIII
liam. King and Queen, Charles City, New
Kent. Washington, Southampton, Nansc-
mond, &C., &C., had done as well Tor the
Coaitionists as they did for the Demo
Gratis. Suppose CoSSALLY TmGG had been
defeated. And what long faces would not
the Democrats have worn II they had done
no better than did their opponents!
Is not this fair test! Grant all thai
can be said TO show that the results dc
not Justify a loud acclaim over a Demo
cratic victory, and still every ialr-
minded man must see that 1t was a
substantial yictory--a result which musI
strengthen the Democratic party, ana
prit il into working trim preparatory
elections for members OF the General AS
sembly. In all such matters comes in APP
propriately the French saving that he who
excuses accuses himself, or that he who
makes explanations admits thereby that eX-
plantations were needed. Where eXplana-
tons are needed the case has already been
decided the other way.
The papers outside CT Virginia have read
all that could be said in explanation OF the
disaster which bcfell the Coaitionists.
GEORGE GoRHAN's paper. the National Re
publican, published at the capital OF the
country, has in vain endeayored to convince
the northern press that Mahoneism did not
suffer defeat last week. Surely the Re-
publican papers would gladly believe the
National Republican If they could. Why
Is it, then. that almost without exception
the northern Papers speak rs il the Coall-
tionists had bitten the dust last week! II
is, we repeat. because, after making all due
allowance for local and personal influences,
the fact remains that the results were in
their probable consequences a substantial
triumph for the Democrats and fore
shadowing OF q Coalition defeat next No
yember.
The people were implOred by the Coaii-
tionists to consider the debt question live
issue; but they voted without regard to
that issue. We doubt that it influenced
one vote in ten, except negatively-that is,
the condition of the debt settlement de-
teYmned some men TO vote so as 10 show
that they considered it no longer 4 live
issue.
The people were told that the schools
would be in danger il the spring elections
resulted uniavOrably to the CoaltioniSts.
The people treated this appeal with con-
tempt.
To say that the elections were decided
upon the merits Of the candidates. and not
upon political issues, is to pay very high
compliment to the Democratic rarity.
The Coaliticnists, therefore, might just
as well cease making explanations. To
tell how you Gould have carried the State
if the Democrats hadn't deceived the
voters, or il the Democrats had in every
county run as Democrats, or il sundry
other things had taken place that didn't
take place. is rather Improbable. To use
Mr.. LINcoIN's saying. it may amuse the
CoSlitionists, aud may not hurt anybody
else. but it is totally ineffective method OF
securing majority in the next Virginia
ee,icl.turp-