The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1888-02-16
AND CoNFIDENTIAL.l

PETERSBURG, Va, January. 1883.
DEAR SIR:-So much does the future of our
Republican party and the progress and welfare
of The state depend on the Delegation we shall
send to thee National Convention at chicago,
and the candidate there selected for the Pfes1-
aeucy that feel constrained byasense ofper-
sonal and political duty to invite your thought
fdl consideration to the certain facts and views
Remember that it was Mr.. Blaine who bar
gained with the Democrats when entered the
Senate in 'Sl, to de netting to help as here IN
VirQinid in consideration that the Democrats
would help the administration to defeat MI
Conkiing, and up to the day OF ms, Garnelds
death, his administration dld nothing for us.
During Mr., Garfield IS life as President, could
not get a Democratic petty post master or
route agent removed. Mr.. Blaine had bargafned
with the Democrats that nothing should pc
done to help US in Virginia, to promote the lib
eral movement we had inaug urated-the cleo
tiUn of our State ticket in ISL.
In 1884 when Mr.. Blaine was candidate for
the Presidential nomination, 1t was ne who got
up that Straight out delegation to chicago,
headed by Wickham, Parsons Co, ana on
which he turned his back, at Chicago, when ne
found that our admission there was the enthu-
siastic will of the Convention. Until then Mr.
Blaine and his personal partzans We're out
spoken in favor of the admigs on of the Wick
ham Straight-out delegation.
Mr.. Blaine had said before the convention
met that there nothing au01h Jtgftt7ag J0r an
Vtrginid except the taCenty-J0ur dete9ates TO ue
ConUenti0n. That was then and is now the mea-
sure of his concern for us, his sympathy for our
efforts to Republicanize the state. SO 1t was
that we had no help and 10 recognition at the
hands OF his National Committee IN Oh mere
was nothing then worth hghtlng I9r IN virginia
and the State was given the by ana Inc coId
shoulder Mr. Blaine himself refnsl-g to come
inside the state, when he was as near as west
Virginia.
In November, 1876 when we had just carried
the state by 10000, and elected seven ~ mem
beTs CT Congress there appeared IN the 1Ttoune
OF the lSth November, comm uhlcatloh slsaea i
'sRepublican of the valley attacking me anu
the organization rms conmn nlca Mo-, wa was
written in the Fifth Avenue HOtel, New loIK,
by Il. Q. Parsons and at the instigat1on or MI.
Blaine, as have reason to believe. Inc ldea
was then and there conveyed that tne Great
of myself and friends in the election in Novem-
Der last, was necessary to make 1T possible Tor
Mr.. Blaine 10 get the delegates winch we are
shortly to appoint for Chicago IN that can
vass of last fall we see the hands OF Mr.. Blahe's
henchmen in and outside of the state, actively
conSpiring tor the defeat OF our party ana It's
Legislative candidates. The Northern news
papers filvorlDg his nomination mad no good
word for us all during the canvass, While his
pretended friends in Virginia were outspoken
and the most of them openly active IN Their
efforts to defeat our candidates 1or the Legls-
lature. Ifanywhere pretending TO support our
candidates, all The same dong their utmost 10
defeat them elsewhere.
Mr.. Blaine knew that our success ana my
election to the Senate would lessen the posi-
biiity OF delegate for him 10 Chicago, because
he felt thai knew he was no friend OF the party
in Virginia, and that he had no concern Tor he :
publican development in any southern STATE,
no sympathy with their efforts. He knew that
] was familiar with his hostility to us-hls trade
with the Democratic leaders III Sl-Wnefepy,
he agreed to crush us out that he might unhcfse
Conkling. He knew that if l got back TO the
Senate and he should be elected to the Presi-
dency this year, thai l would be in position to
compel satisfactory appointments III virginia,
and protect our party against The machlna-
tons of kickers, .
What then viii be our situation and fate if
he should be the nominee at Chicago IN June
next? The National committee. the members
who viii conduct the ampalgn, WIZ be. as y
always the case, designated by the candidate.
AS Mr.. Blaine holds that lhere Is nothlhg IN
Virginia worth fighting for but the de egation
to the Convention, what Republican, honestly
desiring the success of the party III virginia
can be so blind as TO believe that we Will re-
ceiye any help or recognition at the hands OF
the National Committee if he should be the
nominee? What is it to us, as party, If Mr.
Blaine is elected and we are given the go-by
and are sacrificed? What hope is there for
those who have built up the party in Virginia.
and on whom it is dependent for future deVel-
opment and power, under the leadership OF the
kiclsers, TO whom Mir. Blaine would listen as to
ali Virginia matters?
None of Mr.. Blaine's friends or newspapers
speak qoa0 of Virginia as even possible Re
publican state at the election next November.
BY ali of these she is set down in the Southern
column OF certain Democratic States. All who
speak for him now make his election depend
enntnnon Northern and Western states Vir-
ginia is not mentioned asa possible State-not
one for which any effort is to be made-in case
he is the candidate Is that what honest Re-
publicans OF the party here desire? In my
Judgment, no! and yet we are foretold that such
viii be the result if MIR. Blaine is the candi-
date. No merely possible state Will be fought
for unless the candidate desires and directs
that it be.
Mr.. Blaine, in 'S4, had only to say to the Ma
tfonaI Com M ittee fiyht for Virginia. help the
Republicans in their brave struggle there. and
it would have been done. But Mr.. Blaine had
said there was nothing in Virginia worth fight
ing for bat the delegation to the National Con-
ventlon, and that is manifestly his opinion and
his policy now.
If he be nominated now no one should doubt
that we shall be given the cold shoulder as in
S4-that we shall be absolutely Abandoned
given neither help, recognition nor encourage
ment, unless by the very soliGity and manly
RI Ion n 1plPontiOH Chicago
compel these considerations. This we may do
if we go there unit. aud it, is our only safety
in the event of his nomination and election.
do not believe Mr.. Blaine will receive the
nomination, and there are but few who believe
that he can be elected, Even among h1sdevot-
ed friends, it is believed that he cannot oe
elected, and hence we hear so much about his
ndecsion-that he will not accept unless ten
dered the nomination with decided unan1mlty.
When such prominent leaders of the party
as Ex-Governor -. of Ohio. says, as he said
to me lately in New York, II aOould rather see
country, bat zoe cannot elect him and ONO IS Sottd
for iShernaaN--he is our man,, we may well I'M
derstand what is the sober underlying thought
of the men who control results. Clap-trap and
crackers VIII not control in this supreme mo-
ment OF party concern. 1t was allowed to have
it's way in 81. but the representative men OF
the rarity and the great interests of the country
mean now to assert themselves and give the
party a candidate with which it can win.
Mr.. Blaine will not get a majority of the del
egation from New York, have good reason to
believe, and will not carry that State il no1nl-
mated. / do not believe any republican caHQl-
date will Mr.. Blaine, of all men, cannot carry
Indiana, while any other Republican can and
will. Indiana and Virginia, independent OF
New York, will elect cur ticket, and for these
two States and West Virginia the fight ought to
be earnestly made, and viii be made with any
other candidate than Mr; Blaine
My judgmentis that Mr.. Sherman can be
nominated and now stands the best chance OF
all the aspirants named. No man is more
thoroughly equipped for the high duties of the
Presidency in all our great country. He is
brave and he is honest. He is q Republican
all the way through, and If elected will give us
a high-toned. pure Republican administration.
He has been our friend from the start sympa-
thzes with our efforts and believes in our ulti-
mate triumph. II he is nominated, Virginia
will be fearlessly and earnestly fought for.
The National Committee will be told to help
and sustain US, The is elected, and he certain,
his hands the most cordial recognition, and
every help will be given us to regain supreme
cy in the control of State affairs,
Who should hesitate to our Republican
and party duty in this matter Not you or
or he who would do that which is manlfestly
wisest for the party, its future, the State and
the nation.
In 1889 we are to have a State election. COM
prising State officers, a full House of Delegates
and q members of the senate. The Legislature
then to be elected not only re-apportiohs the
State for representation in the General Assem-
vention, if Constitutional Convention
shall be ordered at the election in
November next, as most likely Will be. If we
lose in that fight, the party here goes down
forever. If we win, as we may. with Mr. Sher-
man as President, we shall regain control of
every department of the State Government.
and can hold it.
We can only hope to win in that paramount
contest, when we have administration at
Washington that will heartily stand by us and
give US its powerful aid, actively and earnest
ly. All this we would. sure, have at the
hands of Mr.. Sherman and most likely at the
hands of any other man in the Presidency, ex-
cept Mr. Blaine.
1t is the great stake to be fought for in that
political field of 1882 that gives me greatest
concern in the campaign this year. If there is
no future for the party here IN Virginia, and
there is none, unless we win in 1889. it is of
little matter what becomes of the result in No
that fall to the lot of a Peterborough, and
these should concern no man who is a Republic
can in the honest belief that the policies of
that party best subserve the welfare of this
State ana the country The Republicans,
called, Xix the kickers who are for revenue
only, have no sympathy with these views, and
prefer Mr.. Blaine for the very reasons l have
given why should not They aim to ree-
gate the party to that dilapidated andipowerless
condition in which we found it, as serving best
for them to get some place.
In my judgment every effort should be made
to send such delegates to our Conventions as
will select delegates for Chicago who can be re-
lied on to stand shoulder to shoulder and cast
the vote of the State a,tit as majority
may decide TO be best for the party.
The delegation we send to Chicago, is nothing
more nor less than representative Conven-
ton, the same as a county Convention to NOM