Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-07-18

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Special Dispatch 20 the EVENING STAR
RIcHNoNp vA.,July ls.-When it organised,
much the most reputable convention conducted
under the auspices OF General Malone since
the Mozart Hall convention OF February, 1879,
was that which adjourned In the small hours of
Thursday morning. In the character OF
its white membership, IL will compare
creditably with any recent political gath
ering I'm the south. Unfortunately the
strutting insolcnce ot some OF Its black mem
bers supplemented the folies OF some OF the
white leaders Of position and prominence. t
was n strange spectacle, that of the negro Har-
ris, who made speech of remarkable power
four years ago in seconding Riddlebergera
nomination Tor Senator. now arraigning that
senator before convention of his party. H
was hardly less notable that negroes should M
sail Col. Sims "self-constituted defender of
their race" while the memories OF the pertla
encountered by Sims during what the negroes
themselves call the "Danville massacre" aU
still fresh.
RACE FEELING RAMPANT IN THE CONVENTION.
There can be no question that the existence
ofthe convention an organized body waa
seriously threatened by these occurrences. The
white republicans OF the southwest and the
valley are sensitive to the last degree over any
assertion by the negro Of the right to do more
have guaranteed him. One OF the un-
known factors I'm the coming campaign
Is S me eN.en. ,l 10 which me democratie press
strongly white sections by portrayals OF the
spectacle OF United states senator nercely ar
raigned by a negro orator I'm the presence uf
hundreds OF white men, and of a wounded Con-
federate soldier jeeringly characterized by ne
gn,es ..S;s Tor ior his part In opposing disturbances
OF this factor the republican leaders from the
valley and the southwest are now thought
full. The southwest has In the main been re-
"A = Al fi-fa
cratic movement In Virginia, but like the VAL
ley, II has wavered more than once under pres
sure upon its local sensitiveness, and last year
and the year before both these sections Joined
the democracy. No party has ever won a victory
In Virginia without the support OF one or the
other OF these stalwart sections. What the val
ley and southwest will do In the coming cleo
ton is the question OF prime Interest here.
Generally they have acted together. In race
instinct the people ofthe valley and southwest
are closely akin VIII they divide. or viii they,
as a., usual, co-operatec Wise Is certainly strong
his father just thirty years ago, when he beat
the knownothings, linger I'm the hills and val-
these are no mean help 10 the vigorous young
orator, who has made his own mark In more
than one canvass In that region.
HOW THE REPUBLICANS FIGURE 1T.
The assurances OF exCongressman Bowen,
who was always a strong possibility for the
gubernatorial nomination, are encouraging to
the republican candidates. Mr. Bowen tells
your correspondent that the southwest will be
easily aroused for Wise. Blair and Wood, both
from that section, are very popular there Mr.
Bowen believes that the tender of two places
on the ticket to the southwest, supple
for the governorship, secures the south western
counties by large maJortties. Ex-Marshal
Watts, just removed for offensive partisan
ship, concnrs In this view, as do all the leaders
from the southwest who fingered after the con-
vention.
Against these sangune calculations put dem.
ocratic pleas, sure to be artfully made, against
negro insoence as asserted i'm the late conven.
tion, and some of the conditions OF the fight for
the southwest are revealed. "As goes the south.
ives: so will go the state" may Just as well bs
written down now by the prophets.
RIDDLEBERGER's POSITION.
The valley gives no nattering assurance OF re.
publican triumph. Senator Riddlebergers
prophecies and threats, uttered publicly and
quoted by newspaper correspondents, are Of less
consequence than the question of his ability TO
meet i'm his section the challenge he will en-
So from e. 20 explain why he was
sell 10y the negro Harris. Ii has been tele-
graphed from Richmond that Riddle
not support the ticket, and that the Junior Vir-
ginia senator predicts wises Overwhelming
defeat. These are possibly exaggerations. Mr..
Wise friends felt no resentment at the Scua-
tors preference for Bowen, aud they do not now
apprehend very dangerous opposition from ths
Senator. Until the democratic convention shall
have met, there can be no safe forecast as 90
the attitude OF the Valley in the bitter fight
ahead.
REPUBLICAN, LEADERS ALREADY AT WORK.
Few.deiegates TO the late convention remained
In the city during yesterday. Most OF thexn
saw General Malone, and consulted with him
and Messrs. Wise and Blair 70 the opening
campaign Democratic opinion varies as TO the
outlook Tor the republican ticket Local feeling
here Is pronounced against Mr.. Wise's politics
The strength of the republican tickets In the
southwest, the battle-ground, Is not denied by
the democrats, who expect TO win By q com.
bination OF the intense popular feeling against
Mahone, aided by dissensions In his own pssxty,
and also helped by democratic adminlstra.
ton, which looks to supremacy in Virginia
with hardly less interest than to the retentio0
OF New York in the administration column,