The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1884-05-01
The State Convention.
DECLARING FOR THE REPUBLICAN, PARTY
-PLATFoRM--EL ELECTION OF DELEGATES

the Readiuster-R Republican Convention, tl
nominate delegates to the National Repub
lican Convention, which meets in Chicago
June Sd, met in the theatre at Richmond
Va. From the Wing we copy the follow
ing report
The interior of the Theatre was taste
fully and appropriately decorated about
the stand with flags and bunting witt
notices.
There were from 800 to 1000 delegate.
present. whose credentials were taken III
at the door, and were then furnished witt
tickets of entrance to the inner halls Of
the building. 1t was at least an hour before
the delegates had been seated.
The principal newspapers of the coun
try were represented by special CORES
pondents, showing the interest felt by the
public at large in the events of this Con
vention.
At1o'clock. Gen. Malone appeared upor
the stage and was greeted with prolonged
and deafening applause He called the
Convention together and said:
GEN. MAHoNE's REMARKS.
Tie high consideration and confidence
which it has been my proud privilege tt
|
and the friends and the people whom vol
have the honor to represent, have laid mt
| under profound sense of gratitude which
| will last with life itself. Applause. Tit
welcome which you now extend to me EN-
bodies and presses my heart with the love
I and affection which [ have always borne
to you. [Applause.] 1t gives new life t
| that devotion and to that affection which
gives but increased vigor to my determine
| tion to stand with you for the great prin
ciples of civil liberty in our old Common
wealth of Virginia. [Applause.]
You are here, [ need not remind you
nv friends, by the joint call Of your State
Readjuster and Republican Committees
| [Applause.] You are here to take grave
and serious concern of public affairs. Yol
are here to concert measures which shall
make life, liberty and the pursuit of happi
ness and maintenance of justice in Vir
| ginia possible. need not bespeak in ad
vance of your election such harmony anl
unity in your proceedings as shall give eff
feet and confidence to the great purposes
you are here to treat with.
And now, my friends and fellow-citi
zens, not intending to trespaSs upon YOU
proceedings and time by any review of thu
| past or reference to the future, the duty
devolyes upon me, with the consent an(
! appreciation of the associate chairman, tt
cause to preside over your convention {
| temporary chairman. [ shall hope to give
you the name of gentleman not only
known and well known to you, but one Of
the true. tried, faithful, and one known
| throughout the broad limits of this Com
monwealth. I now ask that Colone
William Lamb preside over this meeting
Col. Lamb stepped forward and was
4 greeted with loud applause. He spoke a.
follows
COL. LAMBS SPEECH.
Gentlemen of the Convention Upo1
your deliberations much which concerns
the honor and welfare of this Common
wealth depends. We have assembled to-day
as the representatives Of the good people
of Virginia, without regard to past p0lit
| ical differences, and in response to cal
| for all who are In favor Of. eleyating ani
Identifying American labor protecting anG
| elevating home industries giving free
popular education to the masses of the
people, securing free suffrage and an
honest counting of ballots effectually pro
| tecting all human rights in every section
of our common country and who desire tC
promote friendly feeling and permanent
harmony throughout the land by maintain
ing National Government pledged tc
these objects and principles. But above
all, we have come with high resolve to dc
all that can be done by thorough and eft.
| ficient organization to rescue our mother
State from the hands OF the despoiler. By
force and fraud the voice of the people has
been stifed, and the Legislative branch OF
our State Government captured by the
leaders of Bourbonism. The proceedings
of the late Legislature, for usurpation and
| tyranny, have no parallel in American his
tory, and are only equalled by the acts Of
representative assemblies which have
drawn their inspiration from the subjects
of despotism. They trampled under their
feet the Constitution of the State, and
violated the Bill Of Rights-the palladium
our liberties. They deprived the Execu-
tive Department OF our Government of
| it's legitimate authority and power. and
sought to destroy the independence OF our
| judiciary by intimidation and removal.
They deprived constituencies of repre-
sentation, rejecting the choice of the peo-
pie and seating in their stead those who
had been repudiated at the polls. And
they have sought to perpetuate their
| tyrannical reign by placing the machinery
of our elections in the hands Of unscrupu-
| lous paftiZans, in violation of decency, lib
| time-honored name Of Democracy they
have burdened and oppressed our people,
and brought shame and dishonor upon the
| fair name of our State.
At such time as this, does it not be-
hoove every patriot to do all in his power
to break these chains of this political
slavery and set our people free? Can l
not confidently appeal to you, then, to have
harmony and unity in our deliberations
Let us sacrifice upon the altar of patriotism
all personal prejudices and ambitions. We
have powerful and INSCRIPTIONS foe to
contend with; they hold the citadel, and
we are treated as aliens and strangers in
the land of our fathers. We cannot afford
to have dissensiOnS in our midst but in
these days of danger and of darkness we
must preserve the touch of the elbow,
and, with unbroken front, press on to re-
cover our rights and liberties under the
Constitution and the laws.
We have met to-day for still another pur-
pose. We are on the eve of a great Ma
tiOnal political contest, and it is for the
people Of Virginia soon to choose with
which party they will ally the fortunes of
the Old Dominion. There was time
when those, who, like myself, had worn
the gray and followed the fortunes of the
Lost Cause, " felt that honor demanded
that they should cooperate with the Ma
tional Democracy for it's sympathy with
us during the civil strife and the trying
period of Demonstration /; but happily those
times have now passed, and men in the
South who formerly differed with the Re-
publican party can support it for it's prin-
ciples Of protection to American industry,
impelled by patriotic motives, as well as
men in the North, who formerly differed
with the Democratic party, can join it for
it's principles of free trade. There must
be two parties in every free State, and we
Virginians have reason to feel that in the
recent struggle between the People and
Bourbonism the cause Of Liberalism in our
State has received from the National Re-
publican party, through it's administration
and Representatives In Congress, a con-
sentative sympathy, which demands our
respect and gratitude.
To-day we meet to celebrate the union
of all elements in Virginia opposed to-
BOurbOniSm, under name which reviveS
the memory of our great jefferson, who
was the first Republican President of these
United States, and as members of MAJ
tional party which practically enforces the
grand theory of 1.-THE equality of all men
before the law
Under it's banner let all rally who love
our old Commonwealth with her present
hopes and past renown; who desire to see
her cities and towns teeming with trade
her plains and valleys bright with golden
II N