The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1888-05-17
The Despotism Uncovered.

The DespOtism Uncovered.
AS plea for the perpetuatiOn of the |
present plan of organization. those VINO
support it, have constantly pointed to the
counties in Eastern Virginia, where there
is "a large colored vote. They assume that
to secure efficient county organization, it
is necessary that the Chairman OF the
State Committee should have the power to
appoint the county and precinct chair
men, and have absolute control of the ma
chinery of the party. They further have
stated, with great deal of emphasis. That
the counties which have a larger white
vote-especially the Valley and Southwest
counties. had not been and were not to be
treated as some of the eastern counties
that the Republican voters could indicate
their chairmen and it would be respected
by The State Chairman. This was only
plausible theory. propounded to allay the
dissatisfaction that is prevalent, and make
a pretense of consulting the will of the
people. 1t was but theory, presented to
mlsiead and deceive, as has been amply
demonstrated in the Shenandoah case
There Mr.. j. F, Keller, an intelligent law
yer and efficient chairman, had held the
DOS. ion for years. But he was not a ia
vorlte of Gen. Malone for the reason that
he believes that the State Chairman is
wrong in this controversy. Eenre, to &C
complish the purpose for which the per
sonal and confidential circular" of Gen.
Malone was writer, and the call for the
Stue Convention to assemble at Peters
burt-Gen. Mahone's home-was issued,
Gen Malone. on the eve of the assem-
bling of the County Convention to appoint
delegates to the State Convention, issued
a midnight order removing Mr.. Keller
and appointing R. j. Walker in his place.
w ,lker issued a call for another county
convention, in obedience to orders from
Malone, ignoring that of Keller, so as to
certify to Petersburg list of delegates
WHO do not represent the Republican sen
timent of that county. Eleven Republi-
cans participated in this meetil G, while 800
OF 400 were in attendance at the Keller
meeting, But the Walker delegation will
be admitted at Petersburg, on tickets
from Malone who will issue them to none
that have not the coveted signature of his
proclaimed Chairman. Walker is faith
full follower of Malone. Last fall he
boiled the Republican Convention and
openly opposed and assisted in defeating
the regular Republican nominees for the
Senate and House of Delegates because
they were not Malone men. In this we
see how much sincerity there is In tie
present plan of organization. The terms of
the call for the Convention; the manner
in which delegates are to be certified: the
unauthorized and illegal man ner in which
district delegates are to be apponted-all
converge to one point, and that the abso-
lutte control of everything connected with
the party, its organization, its representa-
tion in Chicago. and the interests of the
organization in every respect, by the un-
challenged power of the State Chairman.
The plot is thus exposed of the purpose
of Gen. Malone to throttle the 10000
Republican voters in Virginia. to dictate
the delegates to the State Convention,
whether from the white counties or the
co"nties with large eolored vote, as well
as the delegates to Chicago. In pursu'
ance of this desperate purpose, the law of
the party, the rights of the people, and
the common decencies of political organi-
cation, are violated ard defied, in order
to enthrOne Gen. Malone as autocrat of
the party-tO make his will supreme and
dwarf the manhood Of the Republicans of
the State.
To all true Republicans who recognize
their primary allegiance to the principles
of the party, these desperate plans and
purposes of Gen. Malone will he viewed
with disgust, and invoke a resentment
that will teach him lesson he will not soon
forget. In no other State of the Union
would such brazen usurpation be tolerated
for a moment, and from every intelligent
source of Republican sentiment, from
Maine to California, there is but one ex-
preston of opinion. and that is of unmit-
igated condemnation of the insolent and
outrageous despotism. Take the whole
program, from the personal and conf
dental circular" on through the call for
the Convention and the conditions of GER
LITIGATION of delegates: the arbitrary reno
vi of precinct and county chairmen, who
w,re not subservient to his will. and e
fad that one paramount object prevails, al d
that the unconditional and absolute absorb
tion in himself of all authority, all rights
and all power, to do and to act as he may
feel in ;lined; Indifferent to public senti-
ment, scOrnful of public protests and
reckless of the true interests of the party
Such monstrous usurpation and despot-
ism were never before known amonga free
people. Surely the Republicans of Vir-
gina will not tamely submit to it, but will
assert and indicate their manhood, in the
defeat and overthrow of the despotism
that is sought to be fastened upon them.
The purpose is uncovered. 1t IS now
for the people to act.
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