National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1885-07-20
THE VIRGINIA CAMPAIGN.
PROSPECT OF STIRRING TIMES IN TIE OLD
DOMINION

DOmlNlONs
If Fitzhugh Lee shall be nominated
for governor, us many of the bourbon
leaders expect, the contest between him
and Wise will not only be fierce and
stubborn, but il will be marked by one
feature peculiar to Virginia politics and
which will have no uncomfortable infu-
ence on the result. In no other part of the
Union is the possession of blood and an
cestry regarded as of so much value in n
political rs well as n social sense, as in
this state, where the laws of primogeni-
ture and entail are still held by the de-
scendants of the First Families" rs
among their most cherished traditions.
The leaders and prominent men among
the bourbons, Ms q rule, hold themselves
to be superior to the common herd. One
of their organs divides the people of vir.
ginin into three Glasses, the "bona-fide
people, meaning the bourbons, "the
common people," pnd the negroes.
Although he is one of the most demo-
cratic of men in his sympathies and
habits, John s. Wise is descendant of
one of the Oldest and most honored fam
lilies in Virginia, and. for the reasons men,
toned, contest between him and Lee
would be in no small degree one between
pedigrees. One is n nephew of Robert
+. Lee, while the other IS son of Henry
A. Wise, formerly governor of Virginia
and major general in the confederate
army. John Wise, the paternal ancestor
of the Republican nominee for governor,
emigrated to the colony of Virginia in
1886, and settled in Accomac, where he
had received large grant of land from
the crown. For $50 years the Wises have
been known and honored in Virginia.
When boy of only seventeen, John s.
Wise joined the confederate army and
was wounded in the action Mt Newmarket.
His gallantry was rewarded with com
mission, and he was the officer who car.
ried and delivered the last dispatch of
Gen. Lee to jefferson Davis, before the
surrender of Lees army. He then made
his way TO North Carolina and Joined
Johnston's army, with which he was sur.
rendered. He is extremely popular
among the young men of the state. II
is also true that, with the exception of
Gen. Malone, there is no man in whom
the colored voters have more confidence
or for whose political preferment they
would work with greater zeal. He is IN
earnest aud sincere Republican and well
deserves the support of Rupeblicans.
Judge Wood, the candidate for leuten.
ant governor, is also man of ability,
and is in the prime of life. He has served
several terms in both branches of the
legislature, and was for some time presi-
dent pro tenn of the state senate He is
n man of means and of the highest char.
acter, and has large personal and po'
litical following.
Attorney General Blair is well known
and highly respectful throughout the
state and il n man of excellent ability
Both he and Judge Wood represent
southwestern Virginia, in which the pro
portion of colored voters is small, and
the proportion of white Republicans
extremely large as compared with Other
parts of the state. The geographical
distribution of candidates is less regarded
in Virginia than in some other states
but the Republicans will reap some ad
vantage from the selection of two Of
their candidates from that part of the
state which has become strongly Repub
lican within the last few years by means
of accessions from the bourbon ranks
Richmond Correspondence NeD Yorl
Tribune.