Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-08-13
TUESDAY AUGUST IS. 1889
ThnConvennon.

Tomorrow will assemble here in Rich
mond the real representatives of the white
men not Of Virginia only but of the United
States. We suppose there have been Few
DAYS from the time Of the meeting OF Con-
cress December. 1865, until now that the
Democratic party did not include within
;,s organization a majority of the white
men of this country. IL was critical mo-
mont in the history of the Union when
that Congress- net If from all the south
ern States Representatives and Senators
had been permitted 10 take their seats
they and the Democratic Representatives
and Senators from the North would nave
constituted n majority Of Congress. But
the Republican officials had the army and
navy 10 back them, and tho southern con-
gressmen were denied seats. though the
theory of the suppressors of the so-called
rebellion" was that the southern States
had never been out of tho Union. If they
had not been. they were just as much en-
titled as the northern States TO be repre-
sented in the Congress Of 1865. We III Nlr-
pinia had chosen representatives who were
supposed 10 be acceptable TO the Unionists
in Congress.
The Republican party owes its present
ascendancy to the negro vote. Mr.. HAIR
D1soS carried New York last November by
aplurality Of 1904; but there are about
% 900 negro voters in that state. A ma
;ority Of the white men in New York, there
fore. voted the Democratic ticket. 80 IN
Indiana there are some II, 600 negro votes,
and HARRIsoS's majority IN that State was
only Z, 992. We need give no more figures.
The Democratic party Is the white man
marty of this country in all its extent, and
the Republican party is the negro party
and owes its success 10 its treachery to the
white race. Mr. CLEvELASD's majority OF
the white vote last year was perhaps o
million.
The Democratic party is also the only
national party in this country. The Re
publican party is sectional party. 1t Is
as false TO the Union as it is to the white
race. 1t lives upon strife. 1t glories IN
sectional hatred. 1t thrives upon ignorance
and prejudice.
The convention which is to assemble
here tomorrow will represent a national
party and party which does not depend
upon negro votes for its success.
HoRAcR GREELEY once said that the Vir-
cinia politicians (as he termed them were
the shrewdest in this country, or perhaps
he said in the world. If their advice had
always been followed by the national De-
mocratic party the history of the country
would have been very different from what
it is. Fully concurring in MIR. GREELEY
dictum. we expect the convention of to-
morrow TO exemplify the wisdom with
which Mr.. GREELEY in his day credited the
Democrats of Virginia. We know not who
il 10 be nominated for Governor, but we
are confident that such representative
body of good men and true as will make
the nomination can be confidently relied
upon to select a candidate worthy OF the
high honor.
IL will be a high honor. But it will i'm
pose upon its recipient burdensome re-
sponsibility. The aspirant who fails to re-
ceiyeit may congratulate himselfthatheh has
escaped burden which is heavy enough
10 weigh 10 the ground many man who
Aatters himself that he could carry 1t.
The aspii ant who receives it viii on the
other hand feel that the heaviest burden
cannot but become light If he has before
him the prospect of being the choice OF
the people Of Virginia for the most exalted
Office within their Gift.
Let us so electioneer for our favorites, il
We have favoritos. as we shall soon wish we
had done; for whether we succeed or fail
,,-a ehan a fauy weeks bpnce wonder that We
let our zeal run away with our judgments.