National Republican., 1883-07-30
THE BOURBONS OF VIRGINIA.
They Are Not Entirely Happy With Their
New Self-Adjusting Platform
The Old Liners Think it Comedies Too
Much to Mahone
The 0Olored Voters Not Likely 10 Be Caught With
Promises to do Impossible Things
The Railroad Monopoly'S Plans for Run.
ming the Campaign.
Speciai Letter


held in Virginia. The signs of the times in
dicate this and already the contest is begin
ming in earnest, and tho political watchfres
are being kindled on every side. The action
of the Lynchburg convention has afforded a
theme Of conversation for the old as well as
the young. The labors of the bourbon lead
ers at the polka dot" entertainment, held
in the city of many hills, does not meet with
that hearty approval among the more humble
members Of that thrice defeated faction that
the leaders would like to witness.
The Lynchburg convention Is thing of
the past, and its platform is before the coun-
try for inspection and criticism. 1t has sur
rendered everything that was democratic, and
has gone over horse, foot and dragon to
readjustment. The Riddleberger bill is in-
dorsed colored principals colored superin-
tendents and teachers are recommended for
the colored schools. This is positive iu-
dorsement of tine color line in the public
schools, and if an attempt were made to put
the plan in operation it would require change
in the state constitution. This little bait
thrown out to catch the colored man will
hardly tempt bite since 1t is not suitable
for use just now in the political waters of
Virginia. The war cry of tho convention,
anything to beat Mahone," will prove a
boomerang. 1t has already been happily
turned about by the readjusters, who will
rally at the cry of " Malone TO beat any
thing"
Already there are signs of dissatisfaction
and disintegration in the funder ranks The
Lebanon Nelrs, of which L. M. Anderson is
editor, published in Russell county, re-
nounces the democratic party and charges it
with gross Inconsistency, and pertinently
asks why, If the democrats propose to in
lorse the readjusters, they do not go into the
them n T..
to n successful fruition. the ideas and princi-
pies for which they have contended for the
past four years, and against which the entire
funder party of the state has persistently
wrought and invariably been beaten?
1t gives credit to the readiusters for the
manly and courageous manner in which they
have, through continued storm of vitu-
poration and abuse, led their party to power,
and describes as puerile and foolish the idea
that they propose, in the zenith of their
success, to surrender to minority tho man
agement and control of affairs.
This detection on this part of the Netcs means
more than appears upon the surfaceas the re-
suit in Russell will show next fall. Barbour,
the man selected to take charge of tho desti-
nies of the democratic party for the coming
campaign, is one Of those who, it is said, as
sisted in the dismemberment of the old state
of Virginia and largely aided in the construc-
tion of the present state of West Virginia.
He is the henchman of John w. Garrett, the
railway monopolist, president of the Balti-
more and Ohio railway, the greatest enemy
Virginia has. He is the man who is fighting
the Riddleberger settlement as the agent OF
Garrett, and is himself the representative of
the greatest monopoly in the state He was
selected as chairman of the state committee,
which announces in its platform opposition
to all monopolies, yet gives the lie to its
declarations by foisting upon the party a
M liat inf Of itn,
nized by all men as SUCH
He announces in advance his disregard for
and want of confidence i'll platforms and COM
p''ttees generally, and personally appoints his
tive committee ian innovation upon
all estapr41ed customs in this state), in fact
monopolizes the entire party machinery and
starts out as kaiser, king and autocrat of the
whole concern. 1t is even said that head
quarters will be established at Alexandria,
and the campaign will be conducted from that
ancient town. Richmond-big Richmond
the hotbed of bourbon democracy and hatred
of Malone, is to be given the go-by along with
poor Kelley, Alas poor Yorick. There seems
to be an entire absence of enthusiasm among
the late delegates and prominent members of
the democratic faction here, and they are
doing little of their customary growing. The
law is well represented numerically on the
state committee, twenty-six of the forty-hve
members representing that profession
Readjusters throughout the state are well
pleased with the work of the polka Dots, d"
and while they apprehend nothing serious
from the declarations and platitudes of tn e
p. D's are each and all Of them bending
every energy to the accomplishment Of the
most brilliant victory they have ever won.
"A well informed read ulster to-day said: "We
will win the house of delegates by II majority
of at least twenty, and the senate by three or
four. At least one if not two of the big
nnrN Nutt1 ha laft nt hntnn haN ngr
already been repudiated by his constituents
In the spring elections"
The first week in August the read busters
open the campaign in the southside, the
southwest, and northern portions of the
state, and by the fifteenth their speakers will
be upon the hustings in every section of the
commonwealth. The campaign bids fair to
be very warm one, the warmest in fact
ever known in the annals Of Virginia poll
tics.
The democrats say they want it hot, and
the readjustcrs propose to administer all the
caloric the most exacting among them could
desire. 1t is said that CardwelPs selection rs
secretary of the fundcr committee is intended
as boom for that gentleman for senator
:, from the Hanover district, which they con
9fr rather doubtful. If he gets the nomi-
natnSn, as he will very likely, he will have
to "bushyhack Hanover district morning,
noon, and night, and let committee work
severely alone And then the tide will ruG
against him.
1t is said of Peter the Great, emperor OF
Russia, that once, when out in sailing boat,
he became SO angry at some ofense given by
one Of the men that he seized him and was
about to throw him overheard. The man
had but time to say "you may drown
me, but your history will tell of it," So with
the democratic party of Virginia. Their his
tory confronts them. Upon its pages are
written in emblazoued letters glaring fraud
and prescription laws, to be seen and read by
all men.
Their object is to mako poor sambo the
shuttlecocl, to be tossed about in mental en-
barrassment by democratic resolutions till by
his help they are reseuted upon the public
saddle which bestride5 the already CALLED back
of tho laboring tax payer aud then the reso-
lutious passed by the Lynchburg convention
will go whistlng down the winds of time.
Promises will be forgotten, oaths abjured, re-
adjustment unsettled the ballot again loaded
with such a price as will practically exclude
the negro and poor whites, public schools
closed the negroes thrown upon the money
paid in by themselves to support their own
schools; all the blessings and reforms which
have sprung from readjustment will, IF the
democrats win, be remanded TO the solitude
of the past, aud only bourbonism, funderism,
and pseudo democracy will stalk abroad in
the land.
Turn it how you will, when the campaign
opens in Virginia it will be fight between
the railways and the people, fight between
bondholders and the Taxpayers.
The Great River Convention.