Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-04-26

was because no did not take the trouble
TO inform himself.
l have never charged that the majority
has not ruled in our conventions, bat L
DO aver that when the present plan, de-
vised by General Malone, was adopted
10 1884, il was not upon any such grave
deliberation Of the convention as entitled
its action TO be considered as the intelli-
gent decision OF our party and further
aver that there was no discussion of the
plan on its merits, in the only conven-
ton We have had since its adoption.
Away, then, with General Mahone's
talk about his being the humble guardian
and executor of the will OF the people as
expressed. &c.
Away, then, with all the things he says
about the wisdom thht devised the plan,
the repeated assaults it has withstood,
&c, &c.
He is simply praising and guarding
hiso plan, which had never been IS
sailed or discussed. L claim fair dis
cussion and an end of this lodging. II
our party wants the plan and adopts it,
that ends all discussion. If it does not,
let us get at the will of the party. When
it was attacked in 1885 we passed it by
on the score that the attack was too late
and too sudden. Now General Malone
objects to our beginning too early and
moving against it so deliberately.
How it Is Sin evidence that the plan
I propose is the view OF the minority is
not made plain, and i'll his statement that
his pet plan has been defended and
sustained through various conventions 10y
undiminished maiorities he is mistaken.
No convention, save the one that in 1884
adopted it, has ever considered it on its
merits.
General Mahone's argument that it Is
"good policy to let we'll enough alone
would doubtless silence me if he be the
Judge Of what is "well enough" But
who is to decide? A great many good
Republicans do not think the present
plan is "well enough" Are they q mi
nority The convention will show. If
so, let the present plan stand. Are they
a majority? The convention will show.
If go, let the plan be changed. Let
mono of us, mean while, argue that it is
treason, or bad faith, or ingratitude, or
folly to differ with our views The sug-
gestioA that it would have been wiser to
leave the discussion TO the convention is
very gentle and persuasive to DO sure. If
so, why did General Malone find it neces-
sary to send around his secret circular
arguing in favor of the unit rule and
against Blame? Why did he not wait
for the calm consideration OF the conven-
ton? To one who knows the history of
the last sttemptin convention to raiss this
issue, and who knows how tue committee
referred to by the General is appointed,
there is a touch Of genuine humor IN his
notion. General Malone knows he IS
chairman, and designates temporary
chairman, who appoints committees
Unless some great change has come over
him that chairman will receive from
General Mahones hand a ready-made
committee. 1t is manifest throughout
his statement that the General regards
me as a weak, inconsiderate person, but
[ have sufficient wits left to know the
absurdity Of expecting anything from
that committee.
He says the moment is not "a fellci-
tons nor propitious one " for change. l
fear the General will not regard any mo-
ment at which his length of rope IS
shortened asa "felicitous moment, and
am satisfied he will never discover the
propitious" time.
His fears are aroused about discussing
a change,
"THE THoUGHTLEss PREJUDIcEs OF
COLOR"
"the low ambition OF persons who
make trade Of their political influence, y
"the white demagogue," &C., &c. All
these, according TO General Mahone's
theory, make it necessary that he or
somebody else should be guardian for
100000 Republicans. The plea is spe-
c;ous. But if General Malone will read
the history OF personal autocracy through
out the world no will find that every
despot who ever ruled with a rod OF iron
and denied all voice or right Of self-gOy-
eminent to his people has built up and
justified bis power by just such argu-
ments under the plea that his subjects
were ignorant corrupt. and incapable OF
doing for themselves as well IS he could
do for them. The dangers from low am
billions arc not the only ones surround
ing parties, and white demsgoGues and
professional politicians are not by any
means confined to the lower strata OF
politics.
/ deny the position he takes that
more liberal plan OF organization il adj
vised or urged by our enemies. They
delight in the present plan, which makes
our party simply Synonymous with the
name of its chairman. They tremble at
this moment lest in our wisdom we shall
so amend and liberalize our plan OF
party government as TO make Republj-
can principles more prominent and put
in the background personal issue on
which they rely as worth thousands of
votes to them. If the wisdom OF our
convention mot the committed shall de-
terrniao to leave our present plan intact
no one will bow mere obediently to the
decision than myself / desire to avoid
no responsibility for the present plan
prior to my assailing it. am not aware
of having attacked the administration,
and to the extent | may have profted by
it was fully appreciatiye until 50 often
reminded.
General Malone parades figures with
an evident purpose of showing that when
l was at the head OF our ticket in 1882
and 1885 va fell off from our vote of the
previous and succeeding years. If this,
like the remainder of his statement, had
not been ingeniously framed to prejudice
me, he might have explained that our
vote OF 1l3, coo in 1881 fell of in 1882
TO 100, 600 because 1881 was a guberna-
torial election and 1882 was an Oil year,
aud because, also, his quarrel with Mas.
sey had caused us loss of several thou
sand. He might also have mentioned
that in 1882 the law requiring payment
of poll-tax as prerequisite to voting
was abolished, whereby the vote of both
parties in 1888 was largely increased.
When he stated our vote Of IA, coo in
1884 and coupled mention Of my candi-
dacy in 1885 with the smaller vote Of
l35,00O, be failed 10 mention that the
election of 1884 was a presidential cleo
ton, which always brings out the largest
vote, or that in 1885 he was as prominent
an issue rs candidate for senator as | was
as candidate for Governor. lie must
haar bia ehara Of the rpgnOnsibilitv |