Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-07-06
yirgin,a-The southern states.

The total vote In virginia IN tue pfesiden-
tial election OF 1880 was about 211,0o0. In
the election for Governor In 1881 the total
vote was about $4,000. In the election for
congrcssmsn-at-large In 1882 the total vote
was little under 200. 900. In the election for
members OF the General Assembly In 1888,
the total vote was about 271, 900. In this
last election the Democrats polled about
144,00o votes and the Coslitionists about
$4,000. The Democratic majority was
therefore about 1900.
Thssc figures show that the Democrats In
Virginia cannot be induced 10 turn out
generally on election-day unless q warm,
after the MAHoSn victories In 1879 and 1851
that hundreds OF voters had staid at home
in order to allow their reighbors 10 carry
the elections in favor Of readiusting
the State debt. However this may
bave been, the facts seem to indicate
that full vote Is necessary 10 Democratic
success in Virginia, although the total vote
Of 1880, when the Democrats carried the
State for HANCOCK, was only 2i1.000. But
the regular HANCOCK ticket received only
about c6,000 votes, whereas the regular Re
publican ticket and the MALONE ticket to-
getber received about 10000 votes.
Nobody knows what the result would have
been had there been only one HANCOCK
ticket in the field.
How IL full vote TO be secured in Viz
GINA, 1t must be secured, IL at oil, by sn
active campaign. II BLAINE, SHERMAN,
ISoBRscLL, and a dozen other Republican
speakers from the North could be induced
to stump this State next fall, the Democrats
would carry It by a rousing majority
larger. perhaps, than that by which they
carried 1t last year. The same sort OF re-
suit would probably be brought about by any
attempt upon the part Of the Mahoneites to
bulldoze the voters by stationlng deputy
marshals and supervisors at the polls, and
threatening 10 arrest election officers, as
was done here IN Richmond two years ago.
Eternal vigilance is the price OF liberty
But the people become careless when all
things work smoothly, and elections are
quietly and peaccably held; consequently,
they do not exercise that sort OF vigilance
which IL necessary to the perpetuation OF
the liberty to cast free ballot and have Ii
fairly counted.
But IL will not do for the Democrats to
rely upon the Republicans to rouse the
voters 10 sense OF the dangers that threat
en- them. The Democrats must make 1t
their own business TO show up Republican
ism upon every stump, and see that she
voters are brought out from every house.
The State must be canvassed from the
Atlantic TO tho Kentucky line, and
from the Potomac to the Dan. II
we know that success can be assured
only by untirins efforts. It will be the duty
Of every Democrat 10 use his utmost exer-
tions TO convince the voters that to lose
Virginia this year would be to give new
lease OF life 10 MALONE, and to render 1t
certain that the southern States would be for
at least four years longer the victim OF the
malignant efforts Of the LoGANs, CAAERoNs,
sHERxANs, HoARs, CHANpLgRs, and AR
THURS.
The Republican party waves to-day, as 1t
has waved for twenty years, the banner OF
the bloody shirt. Let the Democrats once
secure control Of the Government, and that
banner will be furled and the country will
be at peace. Sectionalism will he at 3 dis
count. A virginian, or a Texan, or South
CaroIinian. will feel that his State is not
prescribed.
There will be no more examination and
recriminstiop between the sections.
The Republican party is sectional party.
II II were not for the negroes, who have
been banded together against their best
friends, that party could carry hardly
county In any ono OF the sixteen States
STYLED "southern." In order 10 break
this solid pbalanx Of negroes, light
ing every year for the Republican
party, the Democrats must show their
ability TO get control Of the national gov.
ernmept. No wonder that the ignorant
negro considers the Republican party and
the national Government one and the same
thing. Perhaps he has never sesn Demo-
cratic postal clerk, or mall agent, or letter.
carrier, or internal-revenue official. Let
the Democrats once show their ability to
elect President Of the United States, and
dispense official patronage, and the negroes
will soon cease TO be solidiy Republican.