The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-04-25
BEHIND THE SCENES.
HOW MALONE WORKED DELE.
GATES,
Interview With a Dissatisfied Delegate as
90 the Way the Boss Managed the Conven-
tion ON Wednesday.


days--gives an inside view Of how that
body was manipulated by Senator Malone |:
Reporter: What do you think Of the
action OF the Convention?
Delegate: Well, that Is rather a general
question, aud not very easily answered, for
in some respects / think its action wise
and Ia others exceedingly foolish.
What did you think OF the manner OF
conducting business?
have been in many conventions before,
but never have seen or heard OF con-
ventlon which in reality had less to do
with the work 1t was called to do. The
delegates came here ostensibly TO select
delegates 70 Chicago and TO adopt q plat
form for the party. In reality those dele
gates were chosen long In advance by Ma
hone and Brady, after going through the
form OF a consultation with some few OF
the Generals henchmen. The resolutions
were not only "cut and dried" but dc-
t,tGlly printed and presented to the different
congressional delegations, NTH virtual in
Str1Icti0Ds from Malone, sent through sub
Seruieni delegates, 10 haze them adopted !;
that the harmony Of the party depended
upon their adoption, &C., DC.
Is it possible that so large delegation OF
what are supposed TO be freemen could be
thus dictated to?
Why, yes; when you consider that while
there were a large number OF respectable
and intelligent delegates in the C0nven-
ton, yet the majority was composed Of
Federal office-holders and men elected by
them, IL is very natural that Malone should
have no difficulty in making these men do
his bidding absolutely. They did not dare
refuse; for well they knew that their off,
cial heads would tumble into the basket as
soon as the despotic Boss saw fit to wreak
his vengeance on them.
What did you think OF Colonel Lamb as
presiding officer?
Colonel Lambs speech, on taking the
chair, was eloquent and able, and pro-
duced good impression on me. He had
not occupied the chair, however, five min
utes before it became apparent that he was
determined TO press the cut-and-dried -
Malone programme through under gag
law and by unfair partisan ruling. Why,
suppose it was fact which was observed
by all persons in the Convention that
Malone kept position not far from Lambs
side all during the proceedings, and several
times when Lamb seemed to hesitate about
what action he should take Malone actually
had the brazen effrontery to go up behind
his chair and to give him what and many
Others supposed 10 be directions as to how
he should rule.
Allow me to ask you whether you think
Malone made any serious mistakes as
viewed from Republican standpoint?
Undoubtedly the resolution instructing
the delegation to vote as unit and yirtu-
ally instructing them to vote for Arthur
was mistake. 1t will have the tendency
to unite the friends Of all other presidential
candidates against the admission OF the
Coalition delegation. 1t won't do now,
after The emphatic action Of the Conven-
ton, for us TO declare that there was no
instruction for Arthur. The fact remains
that the delegates were instructed to Cote
as unit, and that General Malone him.
self introduced resolution emphdhcGIly
and enthusiastically declaring preference
for Arthur'S denomination. The language
OF the resolution is: ave give emphatic
expression to our preference for his nomi-
nation at Chicago"
No amount of explanation made for the
purpose OF reassuring the friends OF other
candidates can rub out the facts. The
delegation which now goes to Chicago is
one which is absolutely under General
Mahone's control; and il Arthur has any
chance TO be nominated, it will be voted
by Malone for him; il Arthur has no
chance, then 1t will be used to go into
any combination which the Arthur men
may make.
will not the Straightouts" use this
against the admission OF the Coalition del
egation?
Undoubtedly they will; but their own
action here on the 30th instant is likely
to make Just az strongly against them,
for / have no doubt they will endorse
Blaine, and unless Blaine has q clear
majority ouer all other candidates put to-
gether It is extremely likely that the Ar
thur, Logan, Edmunds, and Sherman dele
gates win combine together to prevent so
strong candidate as Blaine from getting
the twenty-iour votes from Virginia. IL,
however, the "Straightout" Republicans
should content themselves with an ar
raicnment OF Arthur for ignoring
what they style "the Republican par
ty of Virginia." and should indicate
clearly that any Republican candidate
who was not committed to "Mahone and
repudiation " would be acceptable to them.
then they would interest the friends OF all
other presidential candidates in their be-
half, and secure at least partial recogni-
UlOn aL CnlcdSO. DuI WIN IhO ohUi 'oiSh ShUSN
policy which has characterized their pro-
ceedings in the past, they will probably
endorse Blaine uDequiyocally.
Reporter: understand that the friends
OF the Hon. John i. Lewis are quite in
dignant at the treatment he received at the
hands OF Malone, and that he himself was
not in very amiable mood.
Delegate His friends undoubtedly have
-. a % at treatment.
and Hon. John +. Lewis would be a
much meeker man than he is did he fail to
resent the intentional suub which Malone
gave him. When "the slate" was an
nounced a day or two before the Conyen-
tion. and IL was seen that Lewis's name
had been omitted as one OF the delegates at
large. and had been placed on the electoral
ticket, a number Of his friends went to see
him 10 know il this was agreeable to
him. and il it was done by his consent.
He replied that the state OF his health
would preclude the possibility Of his max
ING an active canvass, and that he could
not accept the place. But be added that
even n his health admitted OF his taking
the nlace he would not consent to be q
,,ortI tn any device invented for the purpose
~ forestajling the free action OF the Conven- |
ton. esaid. however, that DIS cnlel reason
for refusing was that he Would moi, uhuer
any circumstance, consent to go TO- Chi
csgo bound by the unit rule, which ne
considered to be 6agrant VIOLATION Oh
the principle OF district representation.
Notwithstanding this declaration, Malone
nut him on the slate, knowing full well
that be would not and could not accept.
There Is no doubt, however, that mad .
motion been made TO insert the name OF
Hon. John +. Lewis either in the place OF
Major s. M. Yost or Colonel j. d. Brady
he would have been elected, and elected py
a large majority; but under the instruc-