Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-03-30
SECRET SESSION.
TIE MEETING OF THE STATE RIPUBLI-
CAN C0MaITTEE.
Malone Presides-The Plan of Organization
Earnestly Discussed Men,
bers Present.
Especial telegram to tn. pisnntch.l

PETERsBURG. Va, March 29.-ThC
Republican State Committee met in the
courthouse here tonight in secret ses-
sion, all persons save members of the
committee being strictly excluded.
General Malone, the chairman. called
the meeting to order and presided. Cap
tain Asa Rogers acted as secretary.
The following members OF the com
mittce were present
First District. Lawrence Tallaferro.
| Second District Hon. George f..
Bowden, Harry Libbey and Captain j.
j. Drier.
Third District Judge Waddill, b. T..
McCue, and G. W. Haincs.
Fourth District. Robert McCandlish
and Il. f. Jarratt.
Fifth District w. S. Gravely.
Sixth District. W. Wright.
Seventh District. J. G. Sims.
Eighth District. W. c. Elan. W. VI.
West, and Edward Burke.
Ninth District. W. =. Cecil.
Tenth District W. f.. Craig. Cesar
Perkins, and James A. Frazier.
The plan of organization was discuss
ed and was the theme OF lengthy and
earn st speech by Mr.. James a. Frazier
and OF shorter speeches by other mem
bers.
NON-MEMBERs RULED OFT.
Soon after the organization Of the
meeting the question was raised as 10
the right of persons other than members
OF the state Committee to be present.
for there were present at tins time n
number OF gentlemen Of the Republican
element known 10 be most intimately
associated with General Malone, none
of the other element being on the floor.
MIR. Frazier moved that all loyal Re
publicans be admitted, and suggested
that Colonel Brady and others were not
present. hut whose services cntitle them
to that courtesy. The offending visitors
immediately began to withdraw, and
Chairman Malone promptly ruled that
while the committee could admit any
one without that authority no one was
entitled to be present save the members
of the State Committee.
The next important thing was Ques-
ton which brought ont the reading Of
letters from Senator Jones, chairman of
the National Republican Committee, set
ting forth the limit of power attaching TO
n State convention IN the appointment
OF delegatesto a presidential convention.
MAHoSE's PLAN.
This developed General Mahone's plan,
which, to the establishment, and, it may
be said, to disqualification Of his Repub-
lican opponents, was to defy the autho-
rity OF the organization as he had done
that Of the people, who should contest
and elect all the DELEGATES from his State
Convention instead of delegating the Sc
lection TO the congressional districts. lie
also plainly showed bis purpose to OPP
pose any change il the plan Of organiza-
ton.
All these proceedings go to show that
speculation as to the meaning or sin
cerity OF Captain Wise's letter are idle
The only object of what General Ma
hone has done here tonight must be to
nullify all that Wise has said, for the
purpose of L. all as understood 10y
friends and enemies Is to select dele
cation by the force of the machinery of
the present organization and vote it for
Sherman under the unit rule. This
position was taken early in the evening
by his opponents. Neither his friends
nor himself lodged the issue. Ii was
apparent from the beginning that before
his own jury he expected to win his own
case, but not wanting were men even
in this select council to stand up for the
people.
A LONG AND ANGRY DEBATE.
The debate was long and angry. Mr.
Frazier, of ROckbridge, fired into the
majority all the logic and eloquence that
natural Indignation and proper resent
ment could suggest. The conclusion was
Of course forcgone. The vote showed that
Holland had been taken by the Dutch.
This they claim is the kind Of
victory which makes Malone the
favorite child of defeat. Republicans
are here from all over the State, who say
that such action, if persisted in, must be
even at the cost Of party de-
feat 1t must be remembered that this
with a few exceptions, is
composed Of men appointed by General
Malone himself, and the only wonder
expressed here is that in its membership
any should be found to antagonize him.
KICKING AGAINST THE Boss's EDICT
1t is positively said here tonight that
if General Malone persists in this plan
then district conventions will be called
against his edict. but in consOnance with
the rule of the Republican party to have
Virginia legitimately and fairly repre-
scented in the National Convention at
Chicago General Mahones plan was
which practically gives the
election Of delegates to the State Con
vention, and against this vigorous pro-
test was made by the minority, who are
firm in their declarations that notwith
standing the action of the committee dis
trct conventions will be held. No action
was taken on the unit rule.
THE TINE AND PLACE.
The committee fixed on Petersburg as
the place and May 18th as the time for
holding the State Convention. There
were also offers from Alexandria, Staun-
ton, and Richmond.
CHAIRMAN JoNEs's LETTERS.
The following are the letters from
Chairman Jones, above referred to, |
which were read in the meeting:
PITTSBURGH, Pa, March Is, 1888.
Hon. d. Yost, ~ e.:
Dear Sir,-In reply to your letter Of |
the 80 instant beg TO hand you here
with a correct copy of the call for the /
National Convention Of .
1855; also, copy Of the proceedings /
IF the Republican National Convention
IF 1894 relative 10 the method of elec-
ion OF delegates to national conventions, /
md TO say that | do not see how the (
meaning OF the language can be misun- |
lerstood The committees intended 10 4
nave the delegates represent their con-
gressional districts, to get them IN the
most direct manner possible from the
people, and to prevent the disfranchise-
nent of any. State conventions have
assumed the right to instruct
{ not 10 name district delegates. Under
he method prescribed by the convention
md the call that cannot be done.
Yours very truly, b. F. JOKES,