The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1888-04-12
regret to detect that feeling in your writ

ing mySell is lnat 1T las Deen FuIHolet
for some time that Captain Wise was goln&
out OF politics. or going back to the Dem
ocrat ic party Now, touching this rumor
/ want YOU 10 do me personal Kindness
| hope we are not So far apart that can
not call on yon in this way, if it be only
for "a uld Lang Syne. OF course yol
only state this rumor to give me an OPP
portunity to deny or confirm it. l re-
quest YOU, as one who thinks me a "gen
ius, an orator. &C.. y to tell the next mar
who repeats this rumor in your presence
that | declare it to be a baSeless and mean
accusation. originated by enemies. and now
circulated to do me injury in my own party
and weaken the force of my views. dc
not trouble yourself about the part relat-
ing to my going out of politics. That may
be right. From the temper of your letters
you may intend to knock me out of politics
and politics out me. And you may succeed
But do not, pray yoI. permit people tC
"rumor behind my back that | am going
back to the Democratic party. | deny al
such rumOrS concerning Yourself Doyou
know that 1t has been rumored for some
time past that Mr.. Elan was writing ed
itOrialS for one or two Democratic papers!
My Republican brother. | never suspected
you of desertion, and although | heard IL fa-
mored You were going back TO the Democratlc
party L never puDilSneN lne i'u'
frankly will confess to yon that hearing you
were writing for the Inaer- Appeal, ! read The
paper and for the life OF me, could not tel
which editorials were yours ''for revenue
only" and which were written by the Demo
cratic editor. Still, you know may not have
deliberated enough to determine
did not want you to go, d q not want 10
do anything to drive you IN that direction, ana
| therefore did not regard the rumors or publish
them. | hope you feel that way towards me
Seriously sir, your publishing this runor looks
| as if your wish ran with the rumor. friend
would not have published il or believed it, NOS
have fortified IL with partial question giving
color to IT. You pretend to quote from me. and
| give but half sentence not conveying the
| sense OF the whole. 1t is an old habit which
have Often seen you indulge in the Hhiq but !
cannot think IL bright, or fair or friendly. The
whole sentence, part OF which you quote,
reads:
'The radical difference between the plan I
shall propose and the existing plan is that my
tied and absolute power now lodged in the
| State chairman under the name OF Executive
Committee and place it where it beloEgs-to
wit: With the people. The argument on which
| it was ken away is not good, and is a denial
OF their Just rights ifthey are not fit to act for
themselves. we had better go into some othe,
| party where the voters have sense enough not
| TO need a guardian
| You snatch from their context the five words
| counss ling deserton. l car but regard such
| special pleading as a mere trick of unfriendlt-
against me in the minds Of those YOU wish to
| Lead away from me-
| If you imagine have any purpose to leave
| the Republican party abandon your delusion
| forthwith. That party represents my political
| faith and hope, and the democracy of this coun-
| try to-day has no tenet or aspiration which
endorse
| 1t may be true that influence only my own
| vote. am not a fool who iaDcies he has fol
| lowing, But that vote is my own. and You can.
| not drive me to cast il for Democracy.
You and your associates may have 1t IN youl
made others feel heretofore that II there was
| any place to which might fly TO be rid of your
tyranny would do 50; and Yet l will not go
| because am Republican and could not be a
| Democrat. Thank God, do not feel that way
| yet, and trust never may Meanwhile, take
| care that when the returns come in from the
next election you able to show as good re-
| suits of jealous Republican work as l exhibit
| here. Do not advertise your defeat In advance,
| and be as jealous in scattering rumors against
| your political adversaries as you have been
| with your party friends AID the returns from
| your own home will show better.
regret that you seem incapable OF atLflout-
| ing my action to any motive except one SPRING
ing from selfish hope or spite. 1T argues badly
| for your own mental and moral motive power.
have no personal com plairt is to make. made
none. Malone has always been kind to- me,
| and more 1ndulgent with me than with any
friend he had. l f1attered myself | could,
through affection, accomplish more with him
than anyone else. Personally, have been
honOred by the party more than deserved, no
doubt. understand your covert illusions to
professional emplOyments. They are in eX-
ceedngly bad taste. But what has all this to
do with the issue? am simply contending for
principle, and If such fire brands as yours cap
be extinguished, decision can be reached
without bitterness. You seem to think that be-
cause the party has given certain young men,
myself included, fat offices, we are to be con-
tent and quiet as fat cattle. Your mind seems
to run on the good wages paid by the mana
gerial policy" of the Republican party, as atom
ing for all else. Twill not be dragged into such
a discussion. Iwould rather live on crust in
garrett than be queted into sleek silence
against conviction by the richest pay of your
managerial policy" and If you loaded me
with office, hoDors, and profits, it was not to
make me slave, but because as your peer,
was found valuable and earned my promotion
To admit that my honors were otherwise be-
slowed were disgrace to both recipient and
grantor. TO suggest them as adequate price
for silence now against measures 1 oppose,
argues worse for him who makes the sugees-
ton than as against him at whom the sugges-
ton is directed.
what propose. If so, will stand corrected
when they speak have no desire to be their
upon by you do not prove the propositions you
lay down. 1t was upgenerous and unfair in
You to try to show or at least to infer that
was responsible for any falling off in our vote
in the years 1882 and 1855 You managed the
party organ in 1882, and while was not alone
in the opinion that it's course throughout the
campaign cost the party thousands of votes. You
are my witness that never charged ycu with
it,. Ii my vote fell off from the Presidential
vote of 1854, when ran for Governor i'll 1888, it
was you who wrote the grotesque platforms
with which was handicapped, and Malone
was as much an issue Tor Senator as Wise was
an Issue for Governor.
You and Malone ought to be willing to bear
your share of the responsibility. and should
not forget that, whereas polled $4,000 votes in
1885, Malone being the issue in 1887 and be-
ing out, he could poll but 122, 900 votes in the
entire state. And iffigureS are to be the test,
| you shall not carp at my managementin Rich
mond, for l. managing for Malone here in 1887,
| cast 300 more votes than under the manage
ment of 1885 by Malone, he brought out in the
gubernatorial election when he was a candi-
date for Senator, If figures be the test. please
explain howl is that the city of Petersburg
has so sadly fallen away from her old-time
majorities and your own county of Louisa that
once gave over 700 majority Is now very close
county and elected Democrat as your prede-
cessor; and then compare these sad declines of
Republican strength with the ever faithful vote
| of Richmond. where we have pushed the vote
up from 57S in 1880 to 1856 in 1887 and in which
we have gradually reduced the Democratic
maj rity from $500 to 900, with an untiaggng
purpose to defeat them before we stop In our
upward and onward march. When you have
reflected on these figures trust you will make
no more disparaging illusions to Richmond
Republicans who, although neglected always by
the managerial olicy,'' treated as forlorn
hope, and unaided in any way, fight their own
battles, paddle their own canoe. pay their own
bills and SEM aid to you, and grow stronger
after each defeat
Ifyou had been less incisive in your criti-
cisms your closing compliments might have
been more acceptable. Placed as they are, at
the end of a very unkind. uncharitable, and
uncalled for letter, you ma keep them to your
self. One remark of your own concerning me
take the liberty o. transposing and handing
lack sobri ETY. Of Judgment and steadness Of
character" Perhaps | do.
suppose in the same spirit, retorted that
| you lack Judgment of character and steadi-
| ness of sobr.ety ~ You would think it very
! ill-tempered.
But if did so would cry Judgment"
hope you are correct in stating that my de-
fiction, you call it, is the loss OF but vote,
and that my letter has brought back several
| former straggerS. If so it is clear gain to the
party, for am not lost to it, and your bilious
| fever is all unnecessary.
You are welcome to your boast that the three
members of the state Committee from this dis
| trict are in accord with the managerial
| policy" and opposed to me. 1t is true. They
were not elected with reference TO the issue
have raised, and have the right to decide upon
1t as they see tit. But wait until this district
| speaks upon this question, and ii | mistake
| not. you will plainly see whether they repre-
sent the views OF their constituency;
| sure you that in all have said have tried to
| be parliamentary. know have uttered good
many unpalatable things, but you set me the
example, and in replying Tried to keep within
the bounds of legitimate retort. Ifyou think
have gore beyond them in any expression con-
| slider 1T unsaid, for do not desire to claim that
you have done or said anything unworthy
| All that have sought to do was to give you d
dose of your own favorite medicine, and let you
see how bitter is and how little calculated 1T is
| to make brethren love one another. Its a pity
it has always been pity; that these inter
| nec1ne determinations take place in Republl-
can ranks. But in this case claim the old
| privilege of pleading that in determining re-
sponsibility we shall go back to the first FAULT
committed.
policy of the Republican party will stop the
| very bad habit you have, and OF which you are
! the leading spirit, ofspouncing upon every man
| In the party who does not agree with every
| thing you wish, and treating him as kicker,
| a "disorganizer,' a "deserter;' - if you will
| fairly submit disputed questions to the decs-
| ion of the party, and let them be disposed OF
upon full Consideration and without this per
roRr in1ir NOT In will how q n