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

Is the purport OF our lncrenSo III tno
Democratic vote increases more rapidly
than our own? One would fancy read
ING General Mahone's statement that L
had charged past defeats to the defec-
tive plan OF our organization alone. L
did nothing Of the sort. l know how
much we are handicapped by fraud, sup
preston OF the vote, ballot-stufhng, and
the other things which he quotes me
concerning. All that | did was TO sug-
Cest an amendment Of our present plan
which will add to our strength IN the tls-
hIre. in my Judgment. Such absurd ar
gument is apace with his other claim OF
a glorious victory in 1885, as il he was
to anv extent instrumental in achieving 1t.
In what district did he operate thatyear?
challenge MIN to show it unless, per-
haps, in Bowdens district. The State
organization was not invoked or applied
in that election. IL was currently re-
ported that General Malone had gone to
Europe or to the Pacific Slope. He did
little or nothing He had no campaign
fund The people themselves took hold
of their affairs and won victory as sur
prising to General Malone as 1t was to
them. 1t was only after the victory was
won that we heard
THIS TALK OF WHAT WE DID.
It was very ,Oee, indeed, as far as tine
plan of organization or the work OF the
State organization was concerned. Let
any one who doubts this ask the present
congressman how much the State organi-
ko1,,aJ tbnro Il, THAR apata
His long statement about my "unfor-
tunate interference " in the Third district
has been promptly denied by my own
constituents. It Is part of his studied
effort at my injury. They have denied
his statements OF facts and told him that
his conclusions we're unjust and ungen-
erous. | may well leave him to their
indignant protest. The whole OF that
story is that some time in the spring OF
1856 General Malone dragged orr State
Committee out Of the State to Washing
ton. for his own convenience. Naturally
not many went there. Only one OF our
District Committee attended. ! refer to
that distinguished patriot and statesman
the Hon. b. Taylor McCue. Exactly
what Malone and McCue, in convention
assembled beneath the dome Of the ma
tional Capitol. determined to do with the
10000 Republican voters Of this district
never has oeen ascertained but the pub
lie announcement was that the question
of nominating = congressman IN this
district was left open for future decision.
In time il was claimed by MIR. Mullen
and his friends that II was not left open
at all. but that the three Ms had an I'M
derstanding ,hat big VI told m to permit
little NJ to run for Congress and make no
Republican nomination.
In due time Mullen came out for Con-
gress The Republicans generally, having
no information as to the NJ. VI. NJ.
arrangement, grew FESTIVE, especially as
Mullen opened his canvass without any
conference with our representative men,
and denounced all such who were likely
TO be competitors as tricky politicians.
While this was going on | was in Mime
sofa. Or INV return | found our party
on the verge Of open revolt against Null
lens candidacy. Sheriff Southwark, OF
Henrico, openly proclaimed that unless
we held district convention he would
announce himself an independent candl-
date, and that unless Mullen was en-
dorssd by Republican convention he
would not support HIM. Hundreds
of as true Republicans as We had
openly denounced the cowardice Of
holding no convention, ana SAID
they would not support Mullen I'M
der any circumstances. | saw no
reason to support Mullen. although |
would have done so if no had been en-
dorsed by our convention, and ] adj
vocsted calling a convention. Mullen
realized that to succeed he must be en-
dorsed, and himself asked Messrs. Wsd-
dill, McCue, and Harris, the district
committeeman, to call convention,
hoping to get its endorsement. 1t met,
refused to endorse him, nominated
Judge Waddill, and the concern
of -" Malone, McCue Il Mullen
Oimited) went into liquidation. When
General Malone carps at that action he
strikes his friends McCue, Waddill, Null
len. and Harris OF the calling of this
convention General Malone Was fully
advised, and subsequently, as chair
man, fully recognized the nominee.
Our people knew pretty well
what General Malone wanted, but
they knew also what they wanted
themselves, and they nominated a Re-
publican. After the convention General
Malone did nothing for our canvass. |
raised every dollar OF our campaign fund,
and he. instead of lending any helping
hand. permitted Mullen and his friends
to hold interviews and lmparlAnces with
him, thus countenancing in them the
nope that Waddill might withdraw In
their favor. Encouraged by such hope
Of recognition they hung together until
the Democrats made deal with them,
whereas if they had been left alone they
would have fallen to pieces and many
would have come into our ranks. We
worked up a larger vote for WaddIll here
than was cast in the gubernatorial cleo
ton, and might have won if General Ma
hone had not volunteered TO know more
about our own business than we did our
selves.
Just this sort Of interference by him IN
all portions OF the State has hurt the Re
publican party incidentally. His mes
sengers and instructions and secret cir
culars and what not worry out the peo-
pie and are the source of more bitterness,
discussion. and loss OF votes than any
thing know.
am speaking plainly, but not more
20 than he has done IN his criticisms Of
myself
When | remember the devoted labor |
bestowed here last fall in the effort 10
elect four delegates pledged to him for
senator, and then when read the thanks
he gives me in his published statement,
confess | feel disguised. Time and
again might have pledged those candi-
dates to myself They objected TO Ma
hone, and urged me to permit them to
support me. | refused to listen to such
suggestions. told them 1t mortified mo
to think they believed me capable of de-
serting my friend. Day and night, IN
season aud out of season, instant and
constant, was his slave TO serve my
friend. After full conference between
the Reformers and Republicans it was
determined that in order to secure the
Republican vote statement of the
terms of our coalition was necessary.
The candidates were Relormers, and the