Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1888-03-30


My Dear Sr,-I send you a copy of my
recent letter as TO what we should do in our
next convention, and I want you to read it
and help me carry out those views. l am
not at all jealous to have the plan adopted
in the shape I have submitted it, and am
perfectly willing to change it as may be-
found best upon conference but we are
bound 10 abandon the present plan Of cr
ganizatioD, which makes the State chairman
absolute autocret and leaves nothing to the
people, or our party is irretrievably gone.
The only preteuce On which the present
plan is justified is that it is necessary in the
Southeide counties. Ii may be necessary
but it has done no good, for we lose by
tremendous msjorities many Of those coun.
ties, and while it does no good in the Sec
tions ior which it was adopted, it hurts
us incalculably in the ether sections. Be-
sides, my plan places in the hands of the
district committee power TO secure us good
chairmen where those named by the people
are unfit or incompetent. That covers tho
point.
1t is better the district committee ehould
have this power than the State chairman.
The district committeeman are on the
ground, understand the peculiarities of the
surroundings, and being responsible direct
~ 20 the neighborhood are circumspect in
consulting the wishes OF the voters as we'll
as in procuring efficiency. Taking this
power away from the chairman makes him
stronger Il takes him out Of all the nasty
little local jealousies. The accumulation of
8 great number OF these on his shoulders is
now seriously impairing General Mahones
popularity.
AS to the unit rule, it is out of the ques.
ton. Nobody that have seen or heard Of.
except General Malone and those under his
im mediate influence, wants it. To pass it
now, after all that has been said and done,
will split the party all to pieces.
Now on these two points am right and
General Malone is wrong. You must help
me save our party from them. I do not
write as his personal antagonist On the
contrary you all know that l love General
Malone. | believe that in making this
contention am doing him real service by
preventing the triumph OF his bad judgment
on these points, end tie hopeless division
of cur party.
/ have asked for no assistance in making
this issue from that class of ynalcontents
known as "kickers," " or from the personal
enemies of General Mahone, lest be class
ed with them As 2 true republican, and as
Gen. Mehons's friend, appeal 10 you as
true republican and as his friend TO unite
with me in stopping him from ipjuriDg the
party and himself ny the course he is pursu-
ing. Let us, his friends, unite aud put our
foot down. Argument seems to have no ei-
feet with him. sLet us stop him by force OF
our firm refusal as his friends TO go his way
and then he will go ou. way.
am in favor of Gen. Mahono being our
chairman. Nobody else can serve US half as
well. But while Gen. Maho2e may know
more than any one of us, no man knows
more than all of US at any rate be does not
know what we want better than we do our
selves, and want the absolute power OF our
chairman curiaied, so that the views OF
somebody else than himself may have some
weight and that we may not be forced all
the time to 90 his way whether we wish to
or not. It is as much our party ~ his, and
when we do not want TO do particular
thing don't let's do it against our feeling
and against our judgment merely because
he wants it. We have INDUCED Gen. Ma
hone in this way long enough through a
false friendship.
Fed thus by our own folly, the result is
that he has hecoms more and more exact
ing. until nov re thinks it disloyalty to par.
ty and to friendship for any one to oppose
him. He does not nix with the people as
we do. He does not know how odious some
of the things lie proposes are to the people
And we have let friendship make US WeaR
and Welding until General Malone mas IN
;urad the party and himself. Nov let US be
afecticnate and kind with him, but ilrn
and unyielding in our demands tna5 these
thugs be amended.
Let us demand that he yield some OF this
absolute power with which he has WOUND
himself about lie has accumulated to MN
self all the functions OF all the offices or els
party, until he is like kitten in bail O
yarn-spoiing the yarn, yet so tying nersei
M that she cannot walk. Be firm and kind
and true With me, and let US get the party
and Ganeral Mahnna ont of this mess. Lei