The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-01-13
THE CONVENTION.
THE PROPOSED DEMOCRATIC STATE cosyEs-
rfON

There have been several suggestions by
our Virginia Democratic contemporaries Oh
late of the propricty OF holding Demo-
cratic State Convention for q re0rganiza-
fion Of the party and for announcing anew
;ts principles. These suggestions come
from such sources M TO command our re-
snectful attention II not our ready acqui-
escence, and, after promising that we re.
GARD the movement as premature, we VIII
submit some OF our reasons. About the
REORGANIZATION, our opinion IS that the
Virginia Democracy does not need that
90 much as It does q general, IL not thor
ouph. change OF the men now in authority
in the present organizations, great and
small. OF the party throughout the State.
IA an illustration, we may suggest that IN
any other State in the Union central
marty authority which only announced n
few hours before q general election that the
custom OF sending tickets TO the counties
would be departed from, and permitted a
great body of voters to be assembled with
ont ballots-solders going into action with
out cartridges-would have been visited
with general Indignation. But the Vir-
ginia Democracy is ever patient. The
Democratic principles were not defeated in
Virginia last November; it was the Demo-
cratic party that was beaten, and that by a
widespread incompetence among those
who had the handling Of its forces. A
convention that would remedy this sort OF
thing would be OF use.
And now az TO announcing anew its
principles. Our respected contemporary,
/ the Richmond Dispatch, thinks there has
/ been "no authoritative declaration oil prln-
cples and purposes Of the party since
! 1871 We submit that the best declara-
ton OF principles and purposes OF the
marty that the Democracy OF Virginia has
made since the days OF the Committee OF
Nine was its adoption and support OF John
T.. Massey for congressman at large. 1t
then and there declared that the moss
backed Bourbon idea that n Democrat must
be ruled out Of the party because he did
not agree with its leaders in everything was
dead and never hereafter to be put in
force. II was q declaration made by the
best authority, that OF over $1,000 Demo-
cratic voters at the balot-boX, without the
dictation Of any leader or leaders, and OF
their own free will. 1t was the declaration
that at last a new idea had been adopted
by the party, something the party had long
wanted. That vote was Il declaration
better even than authoritative" for it
came spontaneously from the individual
Democratic voters, that the purpose OF the
party was 10 kill the debt question dead,
never to be revived; that no future act OF
the Democratic party Of Virginia should
ever disturb the settlement Of the debt.
At that election also was settled the ques-
ton that hereafter in Virginia the ballot
shall be exercised without any tax prere-
quisite.
The debt question and the ballot ques-
ton being removed from State politics.
there remains in the field on which the
new voters of 1888 will muster party
headed by Senator Malone and pledged to
support the Administration OF a Republic
can President and TO elect only his sup
porters to office, and another party belong
ing to the National Democratic party,
which has Just carried twenty-five out Of
thirty-eight States OF the Union and swept
the Republican party Of the country
almost from the face of the earth. The
party OF General Malone has just furnished
five congressman from Virginia TO support
the Republican party in Congress, and the
Virginia Democracy has furnished five to
support the National Democratic party in
Congress. The people understand the is
sue well enough-it is Republican or Dem
Ocrat.
some who favor convention think it
will serve TO prevent Senator Malone from
consolidating" his party. We think his
party will he disintegrated by agencies
over which the Democracy have no con-
troll and the result Of which they cannot
hasten. Greed is the main factor in soon
solidating" it, and hunger will disband il.
It's life comes from the Federal capital,
and its death will come from the same
quarter. II the Democracy is patient, it
can wait with The assurance OF triumph;
il it is too impatient TO wait n little, it
may have to pay for its haste. In con-
clusion, we may say that il there were
any national election near at hand; il
there were any State question upon us, we
should advocate no delay in the assembling
OF the Democracy and a clear enunciation
OF their principles, but in the absence OF
these we cannot but help thinking a con-
vention snperiluous. The next elections
in Virginia are those OF May, and the Dem
ocrats OF the counties Will attend TO them
as they always do. and ii any necessity
arises later for a State convention one can
be held. But the Democrats OF Virginia
belong to the National Democracy. which
but month ago demolished the Republi-
can party throughout the nation,. TO hold
convention now, with no issue to pass
upon and merely to say where they stand.
is an action wholly superlluous, and we
believe would be so regarded by the people,
who want little rest.
Since writing the above we see that the
Manassas Gazette suggests Hon. John s.
Barbour for chairman OF any State CON-
mittee that may be chosen il a convention
be called, and the Richmond Dispatch also
suggests the name Of that excellent or
ganizer, Hon. Abe Fulkcrson, for promi-
nent place in the organization. II the
country Democrats of Virginia were sure
that by convention such men as John S.
Barbour, Abe FulkersOn, George ID. Wise,
John Il. Harris, General William ii. Payne,
and Others like them we could think OF,
would be put at the head Of the party and
the well-barnacled Central Executive Com
mittee would be dispersed to the four
winds, We believe they would willingly
and hopefully sacrifice their time to send
proper delegations to it nolc, but 1t is the
apprehension that such would not be the
case that makes them apathetic. The party
wants no new platform Of principles; it
wants HUe men for leaders. -Stdunton Yin
dictator.
STATE CONVENTION.
There seems to be a unanimi;y OF senti-
ment IN thinking the right kind OF con-
vention a necessity, but there is grave
doubt on the part OF some journals whether
such convention can be held.
The Democratic-C Conservative party Of
Virginia undoubtedly needs re6rganiza-
ion-re0rganization as to ideas; and it
needs most OF all Reorganization as
to men. Since Bradley L. johnson
left the State the party has been with
out leader, and has been drifting
hither and thither on the stormy sea Of
politics. With no settled ideas as to mea-
sures, and catching at almost any straw, it