The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1888-05-17
In the Circular Business Again.

uuulDtT vi lDeUl WERE III ClCulooioh, Az
tended to be read by and to influence the
delegates appointed to State and District
Conventions. Circulars of similar import
have been circulated in every district
where Conventions have been called to ap-
point delegates to the Chicago Convention
in obedience to the orders of the National
Republican Committee, but signed by the
members of the Committee who are
in accord with the illegal and revolution
airy policy recommended by the Chairman
of the State Committee.
1t will be observed in this address that
no mention IS made of the terms OF the
call of the National Committee, relating
20 district conventions. In that call 1t is
specifically enjo.ned that delegates shall be
selected to represent the districts as can
didates for Congress are nominated in the
districts. The authority for the course
prescribed by Gen. Malone is his own plan
of State organization, which confers upon
him supreme authority, and withholds
from the pr ople the rights which properly
belong to them. Had he desired to con-
suit public sentiment, and secure a far
and honest expression of what the people
| want, there could have been no palmer or
more appropriate mode to reach that re-
suit than to have conformed to the law of
the party as laid down by the National
| Convention and the National Committee.
1t was the simple and the right way to
proceed To have called the District Con-
ventions to assemble within the districts,
| thirty days before the meeting of the Ma
tional Convention, would have been di-
rect appeal to the people to convene and
gates selected and to respect the law OF
the party. To manifest confidence in their
integrity and their intelligence by relegat-
ing to them the whole duty and work of
selecting district delegates would have
indicated his devotion to the party, a
desire for harmonious action. and pur-
pose to act in concert with and in obe-
dience to the highest party authority. IL
would have inspired the confidence of the
Republicans of the State, would have
stirred them to enthusiasm, and mar
shalled them in solid and aggressive COL
umn for the work of the campaign. 1t
would have shown that confidence was re-
posed in the wisdom and sagacity of the
| National Convention, and that the Repub-
lcans of Virginia were ready and willing
to march under the lead of any one of the
great men of the party who might be des-
ignated for that responsible position.
But this he did-not do. In direct and
fragrant violation of the law as laid down
by the National Committee, he secuted the
rights and duty of the Republicans of the
districts, usurped the authority of the
District Committees, and ordered that
Conventions should be held in Petersburg
to select district delegates, in defiance of
the definite and mandatory order of the
National Committee. These Conventions,
| under his call, are to lie held at the time
of the meeting of the State Convention,
in his own town. and under the shadow OF
his own home. lie had issued his ''perso
Nil aud confid initial circular TO pack a
delegation TO that convention in favor OF
Sherman, in which he had villilird and
slandered the recognized leader OF the party
a I'd one of the greatest of American states
mel-James e. Blaine. 1t was given out
tn 1t he would deliver to Sherman the "a
votes of Virginia i'll the Chicago Conven-
ii IN, and 1t was to accomplish this, as well
as to assert autocratic authority over 140,
| 1,.,t lnt do
vi sed aud an effort made to execute it. To
do this he prescribed in the call for the State
Convention methods and conditions by
which only such delegates DIS might be
willing to serve his selfish purpose could
be admitted into the Convention. To make
his scheme sure, he removed county and
precinct chairmen not fully in accord with
him; and where the primary conventions
we're opposed to his plot and his. candidate,
they were ignored. and other meetings
] held and delegates designated so that only
such delegates as he desired to be present,
would receive the necessary certitication of
their eec, ion. from other chairneD after
wards designated who would submit to his
ders. Where they could not control the con
vention, his servle appointees either boil
ted, or called separate meetings. and what
ever the number of Republicans present the
persons designated as delegates, and GER
titled to by the bogus chairmen, will be re-
cognized as delegates TO Petersburg. This
was the case in Shenandoah, Franklin,
Norfolk, Richmond. and other cities and
counties. In Augusta county, where the
majority was clearly against him, his fol-
lowers, failing to elect delegates or pass a
single proposition they favored, left the
Convention without the Formally of ad.
journment. and then changed the delega.
tion after the pretended adjournment,
which they claimed to have endorsed. The
purpose was clearly to break up the Con-
yention, rather than to submit to the will
of the majority. Yet persons appointed
in this way will be admitted to the Con-
/ yention, for the reason that they will hold
certificates of election signed by the chair
man, who permitted himself. either witt
| ingly or unwittiDgly, to be made subservent
for the occasion, and the county chairman,
who engineered the revolutionary proceed
| ings.
1t is delegates appointed in this irregu.
lar and illegal way, who Gen. Malone de.
sires to constitute the District Conventions
at Petersburg and it is for that purpose he
framel his call, and issued his circu.
lars. Of course, with district cOnven-
tt ms thus held, his plot to have appointed
a solid delegation, under his command, to
vote for Sherman at Chicago, would be an
easy tt ig. And because this nefarious
purpose has been thwarted by the people,
and district conventions have been held,
he has issued his ''warnings'' aud full
minated his Thu eats.
i But the people have moved. Conven
| tion5 have been held in nearly every dis
triat, if not all, in compliance with the
call of the National Committee. Dele
gates have been appointed in conformity
with that call. and they will be admitted
to seats in the National Convention. The
plot to stile the public voice and sup.
press Republican sentiment in the State
will fail, and those who have conspired to
mi represent the party in the National
Correction will find that they will not sue