National Republican., 1888-05-28
FURTHER ENLIGHTENMENT.
Mr.. j. w. Porter's view on the situa-
tinn in Nirginin.


Elam's letter in REPUBLICAN Of the 25th Is
likely to give a wrong impression as to the
condition Of affairs in Virginia.
lie talks large of maiorties and of having
GA delegates left, after the withdrawal Of
Gs as he says;
Why, bless him, there were not 800 dele
gates IN attendance, nor was 1t expected
there would be, for 1t Is Il part Of the plan
| by which the chairman can, under the
| power he has, thwart the wishes of the peO.
! pie For what else Is a delegated body Of
| 200 people summoned from all parts of the
| state, but that 1t enables him to use one or
| two hundred illegitimatclyY strangers com.
| ing together for the first time are not per
| mittCd to know anything Of the credentials
| of their CO-delepatCs In districts other than
| their own. We charge that In the last
state conventions, held IN Richmond,
that the chaiman's present extraordinary
and really autoCmtic power was secured,
| not 10y Il choice Of the people, but by his
controlling the convention, summoned Just
as this was-rcally to ratiy plan laid out,
all cut and dried for use.
Some 200 delegates asked To leave their
avocations and pay their bills, these hard
times, in n state which only calls about 1870
| men to make its laws
And for whatY To name four delegates
tOChicagO and four Nhernates and two elect
Ors. surely they were not called to provide
| more Republican organization of the
party. That was already provided for, for
II is stated that IN many counties no popu-
lar meetings were held, and as the chairman
had the power to appoint Tom, Dick, of
Harry 10 a craftsmanship of II county, 1t
were an easy matter to bring n two hundred
delegates. named duly, but represented by
few prONy-hOldcrs appointed by him.
Why, sir, the whole thing Is burlesquc
on republican institutions. Shenandoah
county is a fair illustration. The regular
chairman, who had served three years by
election (apponted also hy the state chair
man, called the county convention TO meet
| May T. May 3 another chairman, just ap-
| pointed without the advice and without the
| approval of the Republicans Of that county
| "A man who aided TO defeat the Republican
candidate for the legislature in 1SS7-alsO
called a convention IN the same town to meet
the same day.
The first named met, aud the attendance
| was stated by reliable gentlemen to he not
less than 400. II elected eleven delegates
to attend district convention and the state
convention. This delegation was headed by
Senator Riddlcbergcr.
The other convention" was composed of
the new chairman, mainly. The statement
is made that hut five Republicans attended,
and 1t was considered a good joke that the
editor of the Democratic paper there was
| present and cast vote.
Now, in the name of all that Is Just and
! honorable, what was auCll a farce originated
| for?
| This man attended alone the state con
| vcntion, certifying his own credentials aud
| those of ten Others he proposed to vote
where it would do the most good for the
| man he served.
Bear in mind, credentials, under this
selfpraisod "plau,n that has shacklel
Virginia Republicans tor -four years, must be
certified by The county chRirmaH. (ln this
case an appointee not recognized by the
freemen Of Shenandoah.)
| OF course this made him the delegation
from Shenandoah, and he was recognized
ON 'prima facie" evidence, and was on the
floor and platform MS such,
And the freemen of the great Republican
county Of Shenandoah We're DISTINGUISHED
and that RiddlebOrger, the "kcker' (the
euphonious name Mr.. Elan has heretofore
used to dignity all who protested against
the workings Of this most monstrous sys.
tenn, might be killed as a delegate.
This was in the 'broad sunlight of pub
| liCityh and known Of all men.
The indefensible plan of organization
| which presents such enormous abuse of
| power is what we protested against, and It
| Is what we intend To combat until II Is
| broken. III G enforcement Of the unit rule
| IN fairly represented convention is Il light
| matter compared with this.
Mr.. Elam knows that entire counties are
| against 1t. lie knows that all the Republi-
can papers, but one little sheet, are earn
estly against the present plan Of organiza,
| tion.
Why, at our county convention IN this
| great central county Of Albemarle there was
not one voice or vote for that Or for the
| unit rule.
| Mr.. Elan esks "What law authorizes
these men to pursue their courscof factious
| dissension aud disOrganization, IN defiance
| Of the regularly constituted representatives
| of the people and party, supported by tie
| almost unanimous voice OF our Republican
| voters?" Qtalics mine.) Our Republican
voters, he says: Surely with the means of
| Knowing which he possessed he cannot
| mean all, for he must have seen and heard
the storm coming. He must have known
that entire counties were against him, and
that the press Of our state have been full of
| IL for months
| lie is newspaper man and must read.
Can it be that lie is so blinded by his zeal in
| uphOlding sour managerial policyn that
the reyeille of revolt alone can awaken
| him?
But for the law he asks. II Is tlll.iIrt..
stinct of freemen which supplies tlg law.
| The Republican party sglghhg into life in
| an aspiration of free96m.
True Eeppbb1icans are Gree, and will not
be slayes.
1--we are not to he ''tied under tue wagon"
Our principles are dear to us and we have
| borne much and could bear more if there
We're a prospect of their triumph by so
| doing. But when a party leader turns his
| guns upon his own party 1t is about time
for revolt. The attack on Blaine supple
| mented by the outrageous abuse of every
| Republican in the state who had the courage
! Of his opinions, and then the palpable efforts
| made to prevent the selection Of such men
| as Wise, Riddeberger, Yosu Cameron,
Brady, to his convention is Il matter which
| iustiiies our action. This is no question of
who shall be leader. That is small matter
/ considered in connection with the life Of the
! party Where before has such spectacle
been presented of a self perpetuatiDg autoc-
| rNcy under the form and in the name of Re
| publicanism? Never, we venture to say
Hoping almost against hope, many went
TO the convention thinking that they could
| have the opportunity TO secure reform under
the present leadership, but they We're griev-
ously disappointed when they saw sham
delegates and delegations admitted to seats
and platform, and such gallant standard
bearers Of the party as Hon. j. Yost, who
carried his district so yictoriously in 1885,
| were left on the sidewalk.
| Our brethren throughout the country will
have an opportunity to judge of the correct
| ness OF our conclusions, and the necessity
of our independent action. To these we
| appeal. j. w. PORTER.
CHARLOTTEsvILLE, Va, May %.
|