The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-03-30
wattersonian Wit.

Mr.. WArTERsoS, in his comments upon
the resolution adopted recently by the VIZ
ginia State Democratic Central Committee
relative to agitating the tariff question,
makes the following point;
ave trust It win not be out OF place to
suggest To the Democratic STATE Committee
OF Virginia that little modesty would be-
come lt--at least, until Riddleberger and
Malone are displaced by men who VIII
vote with the Democrats"
We have turned WATTERsoS over 70
PACE McCARTY, whose leading editorial OF
this week smokes out the whiskey-ring;
but we will say In reply to the above that
II Is utterly destitute Of point and wit, see
ing that Mr.. BARBoUR and the Democratic
State Central Committee and the entire
Democratic party OF Virginia gained last
year victory which not only gave the
party entire control OF the legislative
branch Of the State government, bat
which made possible the election this year
OF Democratic President OF the United
States. The glorious triumph achieved
last fall under the leadership OF Mr.. BAR
BouR and his associates on the State Gen.
trail Committee revived the drooping en-
eroies Of the National Democratic party,
and placed it in the road which
leads 10 success. II Virginia had been
carried last November by the Coalitionists,
the solid South would have lost its solidity.
and the scenes Of 1876 and Heretofore
might have been repeated in every south
ern State. North Carolina would have
followed Virginia. Then co1rciye meas
ures on the part OF the Republican admin
istration would have resulted in compelling
the negroes OF Louisiana, Mississippi. and
South Carolina, where they constitute a
majority of the voters, to vote the Repub-
lican ticket in those States. Truly, sad
day for the republic would it have been
had Virginia voted the Coalition ticket on
the 9th day Of November last
However diversified may be the views OF
its members on the tariff question, the
Democratic party is the only national par
ty. The Republican party is sectional. 1t
has lived up to this time upon the animosi-
ties which have survived the war. II re-
cognizes the victory OF last year IN Nlr-
ginia as a victory OF the National Demo-
cratic party. and is seeking through the
SHERMAN investigating committee to con-
vince the northern people that the Demo-
Gratis did not fairly gain that victory. 1t has
been striving for months to induce that pre-
JUDGED committee to report that the negro
voters in this State were intlmidated
last year. in the face Of the fact that they
polled at least thirty thousand more votes
last year than they polled the year before
for JOHN S. WISE. They have also tried to
prove that many white Coalitionists were
induced to vote the Democratic ticket last
wear because Of the race-issue. low many
Ten thousand? If so, forty thousand
more negroes must have voted last year
than voted for JOHN S. WISE in 1882.
IL l. under these circumstances that Mr..
WATTERsoN taunts Mr.. BARBOUR and his
committee with the fact that MALONE and
RIDDLEBERGER represent Virginia in the
United States Senate. How would Mr..
WATTERsON like to be referred TO the vote
on the whiskey bill as showing bis intu-
ence in the House Of Representatives even
when backed by MORRISON, BLACKBURN,
and CARLISLE?
But we need not pursue the subject.
The vote Of the caucus refusing to make
the tariff test Of party fealty was real
victory for Mr.. BARBOUR and IN inglorious
defeat for Mr.. WATTERsON.