The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1889-07-18
Conference of Republicans.

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place. 1t is stated that the occasion brought to
gether between 300 and 400 persons, among them
about 25 colored men. The list of those present
and published gives about 100 participating
and coming from 50 or 60 counties. The confer
ence was, we presume, made up mostly by Re
publcans from contiguous counties. Among
those present were the recently appointed Uni
ted States Marshals, the United States Attorney
for the Western District of Virginia, several mem
bers and several ex-members of Congress, and
a number of other prominent Republicans. So
far as numbers were concerned, it Il large
meeting 1t was likewise harmonious, for only
those who were known to be in accord with the
Chairman were invited. 1t was representative
also of but one wing of the party. After giving
the names of some of those present and the
counties they came FROM the DispGtci's report
says:
The convention was called to order by Gen
eral Malone as chairman of the State Commit
tee. The General spoke for more than half an
hour. In stating the objects for which the con
ference was assembled he said that he could
recognize but one Republican party in the State,
whose representatives he was then addressing
Despite the antagonism of a handful of dissent
ers this party must be considered the exponent
of the great Republican majority in Virginia.
This fact, he intimated, was recognized outside
of the State
The prime object of the Convention, he went
on to say, was to consider the present condition
of the party, its strength, and its aspirations.
For this reason trusty men from every county
in the State had been invited to come here and
to report in the presence of their fellows such
facts as all should know.
| A roll of counties was then called, a majority
! of which were represented.
! Five minutes were allowed each county to re
port. The reports of the representatives con
sumed several hours. All the speakers referred
to the condition of the party in their respective
counties. One of the speakers stated that he
! had never heard of the kckers until he got to
Petersburg.
The roll of counties having been closed, the
! meeting heard speeches from a number of dele
gates, most of whom were given an expression
of opinion as to the candidate for Governor
| Some of the speakers favored Park Agnew and
some Col. William Lamb; but the majority
urged General Malone as the candidate of the
party and as the man who by reason of his ser
| vices and qualities as leader would lead the
party to victory.
Among the speakers was Colonel Lamb HIM
SELF who spoke in behalf of General Malone
! The almost unanimous sentiment of the confer
ence is in favor of Malone for Governor, as en-
dorsed not only by the speeches, but by the ap-
| plause and enthusiasm that greeted every utter
ance of his name.
The place of holding the Convention was con
! sidered by the Committee and after considera-
BILE discussion as to the competing cities, it was
finally agreed that Roanoke be the place and the
Goth of August the time for the Convention tC
| assemble
The Baltimore SUMS Petersburg correspon-
dent, under date of the 10th, gives the following
as a synopsis of Gen. Mahone's speech:
The Republican conference of the Malone
| faction, which met here last night, in ses
sion until 2:3O O'Clock this morning. The chief
! feature of the conference after the roll-ca1l OF
counties, in which the chairman of each were
called upon to state the condition of the party
in their counties, was the address of Gen. Ma
hone, which was begun about one O'Clock this
morning. He laid great stress upon "Organiza-
ton" He said without it a political party
could not hope to succeed any more than
could army. Churches existed through
organization and governments OF cities, towns
counties, States, and the nation were main
| tanned by organization. He expressed his
desire for an organization that would reach tC
every county, precinct and city in the State
He had passed the time of life when it could be
expected that political victories and honors
would be of any value to him personally, yet he
of Bourbon Democracy lifted from Virginia
He hoped to live long enough to see the State
debt settled on an equitable and honorable basis
alike to the State and her creditors, and pledged
that this should be done were the Republican
party given control. The confidence thus given
to capital would cause such an inflow would
develop Virginia's magnificent resources and
again place her in the front rank of States. He
also hoped to be spared long enough to Viz
| ginia obtain place in the siSterhood of States
that would enforce an equal recognition for her
| interests and for her people at the hands Of the
! federal administration. With these results he
would be content for himself he asked moth
| ing. He had never but once in his life been a
candidate for anything, and he was not now a
candidate for Governor. He had no war to
make upon any individual There was but one
| Republican party in Virginia, and it's door stood
| wide open. All were invited to enter
He asked what would be the fate of Blush
whackers'' were StonewalI Jackson in COM
mand? He had never bOlted or failed to give
his most ardent ardent support to the nominees
of the party. More than this he asked of no
man. He had labored day and night for years
to secure the blessings of republican supremacy
in this State. He had never grown tired, nor
could he think that even advancing age with
| natural weakness could ever tire him in the
at defeat. When Northern Senator remarked
to him at Chicago, Malone, I should not blame
you, if you refused to enter the convention
again., he replied, 81 never bolt OF finch. A
man who went through Appomattox can stand
anything
He pointed with pride and as a lesson to the
power of organizing to the republican vote in
1880, of 1900 for Garfield of 139000 for Blaine i'll
1884, and Of 10000 in 1888 for Harrison and
asked "Where is the other State with such his
tory?' And yet, he said there are men calling
themselves republicans who would relegate the
party back to the condition of 1880. These were
the "Bushwhackers. Turning to the coored
men in the audience he asked ''Where did these
votes come from?" They come from the white
men; came from the democratic party-that was
the only source we had to look for recruits. The
intelligent, sober, conservative colored man he
always found was not so much concerned as to
whether a colored man should represent him as
Governor, or in Congress, or i'll the legislature,
as he was in the fair just and constitutional ad
ministration of the laws
The election laws in Virginia were framed in
the interest of the democratic party, to maintain
its supremacy by fraud, if need be, but fraud
even under cover of law, was powerless in the
great valley and in the southwest where brave
men met the democratic manipulators face to
face and man to man and said, Hands off, gen
tlemen fair play in this election, if you please"
He said the democrats maintained their power
through fraud in the black counties He in
stanced Halifax county, which, he said, with a
majority of 800 colOred voters, all republicans
returned l,50O democratic majority; Charlotte,
with 500 colored majority returning 800 demo-
cratic majority. He closed with strong appeal
to organize, to bring out the last man to the
polls in this crisis of Virgnia's history.
Frank Mussey, of the Cincinnati Com
mercidl- Gazette says the Richmond Dis
patch man is $50 narrow between the
eyes he cannot see through LADDER
Gen. Groner, Chairman of the anti
Malone Republican State Committee,
says he will shortly issue call for con
ference of that wing Of the party.
Emmons Blaine, son of Hon. Jas. G.
Blaine, and Miss Anita Mccormick, sec
and daughter of the late Cyrus H. Nc
Cormick of Chicago, of reaper fame, are
engaged to be married.
Mrs. President John Tyler died sud
denly in Richmond on Wednesday last,
aged 70 years Her maiden name was
Gardner, and she was a member of the