The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-12-01
A ID ID r Il S S
OF THE
DEMOCRATIC STATE COMMITTEE
TO TIE
PEOPLE OF VIRGINIA.
OF THE

The State Central and Executive Com
mittees desire 10 congratulate the Demo.
cratic party OF Virginia upon great and
signal triumph at the polls. This is their
formal duty; but, 10 give full rein 10 the
feelings OF the hour, their congratulations
must extend farther and embrace all the
people of this State and all the friends OF
republican government in every part
OF the Union: for an ancient Common
wealth has been redeemed. travcsty OF
free institutions will no longer disgrace the
ear liest home OF political liberty in Ameri-
ca, Virginia has shaken off the degrading
| chains OF a corrupt and corrupting ty-
ranny.
The late election illustrated many OF the
best features OF popular government. None
ever more deeply stirred The hearts Of the
voters; yet, in substance, the peace was
nowhere broken.
A revolution in the government was
effected; yet the machinery Of the election
was under the control and absolutely in
the hands OF the party now driven from
power.
The colored race. inGamed by ambitious
deinagogues, with unrcasoning prejudice
against their white fcllow-citzens, were
led, with rare exceptions, in solid bat
talionS to cast their votes against the party
now Triumphant; yet no trace OF passion
or resentment against the colOrcd people
will find any place In the conduct or the
legislation Of that party. The liberal
declaration OF principles to which the
Democratic party pledged themselves in
July last, when they asked the votes Of
the people, will not cease to be their guide
in the hour Of victory. Every pledge OF
that declaration will be fulfilled rs the most
sacred promise.
These general statements would suffice
in Virginia, where the facts are known. to
give the only answer needed-an indig-
nant denial-to the uniounded charges
against the good people Of this State con-
tanned in recent address from the leader
OF the Coalition party. But rs that mani
feSto was meant 70 affect the opinion OF
distant communities, its principal allega-
tions must be noticed in detail.
1t il not necessary, however, to expose
minutely the mistakes in figures and falla-
cics i'll argument which peryade and vitIate
all the bOastiul claims therein made as to
what the Coalition party has accomplished
for Virginia.
II is sufficient to say that the public
schools, both In the acts establishing them
and the later legislation which prevented a
diversion OF the funds rightiully their own,
are the creation OF the Democratic party.
The railroad and Industrial progress OF
The last few years has been achieved
in Virginia in sympathy and cooperation
with the great movement OF energy and
enterprise which has enriched neighbor-
ing States during the same period, and in
spite Of bad laws and worse adninistra-
ton. The bOastiul ulteranceS Of the CO.
alition manifesto may be thus dismissed
with a few words, but its charges of in
timidation OF voters and systematic yiO-
lence and bloodShed shall have more
careful and detailed rciuta.ion.
IL the voters were intlmdated, rs al
legged, the result ought TO appear in di-
minished total vote, or, at any rate, in a
diminished Coalition vote. What are the
factsY
The total vote east in Virginia in 1876
the largest ever cast before this year-was
$50, 5,22S.
The total vote east this year was 272,Gji,
or 81 1000 more than in 1876.
In 1876. us at this election, the payment
of capitation-taX was not qualification
Of voters.
In 1880 the entire vote cast was $1,000
less than the vote OF this year. In 1882 it
WAS $4,000 less. One sixth in number OF
the entire population, white and black,
minors and adults, male and female, voted
IN the late election.
Upon these figures alone the question
may well be asked, Where are the voters
who were deferred from voting? lntimi-
dation at elections 10y secret ballet must
operate almost exclusively to prevent
voters from voting at all. Now, the enor-
aggregate OF the total
vote must alone 60 tar to remove the SEs-
picion Of such undue Influence; but,
when It further appears that the Coalition
p0rtv actually increased their vote by more
than $4,000. il the comparison Is with Tie
election of 1881, and by more than 10000
that il. by more than one fourth-aS COM
pored with the Coalition vote of 1882, il
NAV be fairly asserted that all the
general indications which ought to dis
close intimidation OF voters are ab-
sent from this election. In truth, the
only ground on which the charge
rests is the partisan necessity OF suggesting
some reason other than the natural reason
10 explain the defeat Of the C0alltionists at
The nolls. Now, it is fortunately possible
10 analvze the votes OF certain counties IN
which the perfect purity OF the election,
so far rs the Democrats are concerned, has
never been impugEed, and in which the
negro element is comparatively lniln-
nortant. Take the votes OF the counties
shown i'm the following table, many Oh
which had been stronghOlds Of the Codll-
tionists: 1000