Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-11-14
Tile Causes of Democratic Digsafi,fac
linn.

70 tie Editor Of tie DiSpG'ct:
often bear the question asked nv Demo
crats, What will be the effect OF oar e..
cant revcrscs on the elections neX. fill for
members OF the Legi-,ature?' and ! hear
predictions and boasts freely made by r.
publicans that they Will carry the Lc9iSli-
lure next fall. and thereby be enabled 10
eject . senator to succeed Eiddlebergtr
With the assistance Of others who have
preceded ne in the discussion Of this sub
ieCt | shall endeaNOr TO answer sali.facic.
lily all anxious. doubling DemOcr.tS, and
TO demonstrate TO the arrogant. bO1stful
Republicans, who are shouting Themselves
hoarse over what they claim as 4 Demo-
cratic defeat which Is 10 determine the p.
hiiCal status Of our St1tc for ye.rs 20 come.
that they gre reckoning without Their hosts.
Numerous are the re2eonS which have
been ASSIGNED for the defeat Of four DOR the
election Of Hopkins cannot Justly be r.
garded rs q Dcnocr atc defeat Democratic
candidates for Congress in Nirginia-Y'Z..
the Presidents ciyil-Scrflce policy. the Tall
urc Of Congress 10 enact the Bllir school
bill, TO abolish the internal revenue system,
TO revise and adjust sal >'act IIhV The
tariff, and the continued existence
q business depression and hard tlmef'
which later spraDg up under Ec'
pubhcan rule Bach OF these reasons
heretofore assigned by Other writer.
doubles. has had some eflfct IN diminish
irg our vote and IN causing the defeat ~
several OF our candidate. But. in fly
judgment, there is one cause which. more
than al others combined, led 10 the d'>l'-
tcIs We sustained. Isludc to the fact that,
IN Consequence OF the poVeIty Of our PEG
pe. or ii large number OF then, one
NTH Of al the Democratic voters IN each
Congres -iOnal district either were aopli-
tant~ for Office under the FedeI a Govern
lutnt or they had friends who they thought
were entitled TO expect some public posi-
lion. Thi, was entirely natural, and Is
alWays more or less the ease when new
AJmin.t. alton comes into power. Ihcex-
teusiye disappointment i1eyi BY growing
out OF such expectations and hopes among
q large hody Of p.Itisans has, l am sure.
been the cause 81 the failure o. various
Administrations 10 bc sustained by The pco-
pie 81 the general elections reNt succeed
no the presidential election. Mr.. ClcSe-
Lard came into the presidency VA Ter very
pecuiiar and adverse circumstance. NJ
Democrat, with the exception 81 Nj. Til
den land he was cheated ont 81 the prc,i-
dcncO had been elected for twenty-five
Vc.rs. No Democratic Administration.
therefore, had been ~ power Tor iAl,
length Of tine. Hence, Nnn Mr.. CleI
and was elected there We an al
most universal dc ire upon the pir'
u the Democrats that the Republican Az
gean stables should be sweet olsaY-tllt
corrupt and incompetent officials should De
removed, and that honest Democrats should
on th,ir places. Under nearly every rae.
ceding Administration the hone { a. well
q, the corn apt Federal officials. almost -
mag. ftll before the rUth'css hand oi The
political cyccutioner, lnstigat'd iy plrtF
malice, p3rty clan'or, and what VS. IN
ctiyod % be parry policy. But. uufOrtu-
uatcly, by the enactment by trgr' o.
IS bat is known a. the els il-,trNice laT,
Mr.. Cleveland came int Office shorn 10y
clear, distinct, binding 81 nut OF large
amount Of the power 10 appoint CTS old
Ger, which had always been enjoyed by b.
predecessors in Office. But FOR thi, INV
which lac ha, no more right 20 yio' tte tIau
be hss any other law upon The Federal
statute BoOls--thcrca are thousands OF Cdi'c-
urdCr the Government now filed toy Re-
Eublicrus which he would gladly hi with
good, honest Democrats. Hclcc, II Viii De
spcn that, under tie cNitscfNitc lass.
lsCcCGirg Admiuistra ions, have been used
IS PATRONAGE 10 pcrpcuaie them il power
can no l0rgcr be thu. u'sd. * thcy cOu Z
be bestowed upon worthy Democrats o.
would diminish 10 some cNtcut the d,ss4L..
faction now existing in the parry, bus &C is
lie 10 say th1t even in this cT..t
there would s:i.l exist an amount o. o.--
li,fact.on among thousands o! Democrats.
,1 account OF The fact that there are no.
places ioT al. which f,r a -hoi, spIcr %
IMe vii render unpopular and cmJlrls>
.tc present Administration.
THIS state OF things, am sure, lies 10 the
bottom II the defeat a several or ogI iur-
mer r., IF, s,ni9tVes in ConSrcs, and >tr1u.-
~ threatened thc defeat of others. have
f. hundreds al instances heard complaint,
made against one II The most faithful, anl-,
md tMcicnt representatives, that virginia
has .u CONGRESS "a man who was GOsi
.rcictIr end iiItless i'm hls cHpr,, 10 adj
vance the interests Of Nj constituents
cause o, did not secure ohicc- for tn- com.
pla.uaut. or their friends. In not one in
.iauce did bear It Illtged against him tll1the
had failed 10 Discharge faithfully and @cll
his rcDrc>cutgtiSct ~Gsss. Il j. true thai lie
was elected. but not 5y The majority that be
destrV,d tc be-, or would have been but for
The reason before given. and over which III
could excrci.o no control. allude TO the
iIon. G,0r.c y. WISE. The same reason,
ann ,uro. prevailed chiefly in the clses Of
lbo.o able ard i.itbiui Democrats and re-
,pt.tivts- the Hon. George e. Cabo'l
End tbe Hon. II omas s. Cr0XtOn. The
other Democratic candidates Who were de-
featod were new men, hat were doubtless
greatly b. ndic .pped by the failure " their
Predecessors 10 ave satisfaction in respect
10 ofliee which their constituents expected
Of them. add which they lid moi have /! IN
heir power 10 do. ,
IL i my deliberate JUDGMENT that all
correct In the expression Of the foregoing
views. Aud believing that the caii>e OF our
reyersss is not but 10 small ex.fnt more
deeply rooted, entertain no apprehension