Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-08-10
THE FOURTH DISTRICT.
The Democrats Ready and ConfIdent-Re-
pubiicans Divided-Langston's Cam
didacy-The Color Line.
Correspondence of the Richmond Dispatch.l

| publicans Diyided-Langston's Cam
didacy-The Color Line.
| correspondence of the Richmond Dispatch.l
PETERSBURG. Va. August 9, 1890.
Tho Democratic party Of the Fourth dis
| trict is quietly waiting for the two factions
| OF the Republican party IN the South Side
| TO take the initiative before entering upon
an active campaign. While there seems TO
/ he an apparent apathy and indifference,
/ this is only superficial. At the proper time
| a strong fight will DO made, with every
probability in favor of making II asuccess-
| ful one as we'll. The split in the Republi-
can ranks is as pronounced now rs II was
| two years ago. and General Malone will DO
re active factor now in his opposition 10
| the Lsngston wing OF the party rs he was
| in the fall Of 1888. Moreover, his friends
say he has additional reasons now for
crushing Langston.
TIE DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE.
Indications ali point 10 the denomination
Of Hon. l.. G. Venable. who is now repre-
senting the district. and Of whom 1t may
lie SAID that he is the only satisfactory re
preventative that the South side has had
In Congress since the war. IL Is highly
probable that when the convention meets
Congressman Vennble will be renominated
by acclamation, since there appears to be
practically n unanimous demand for HIM
bv his constituents. While Mr.. Nenable
does not seek a second term and while he
would under no circumstances enter INTO Il
race for the nomination, his friends be-
lieve that he would be willing 10 serve
another term if the united pressure OF tho
party be brought to bear upon him, as Will
most likely be the case.
READY FOR TIE FIGHT.
Captain Francis Il. Lassiter, tho district
chairman. said to the Dispatch reporter
to-day that while a call had not been is
sued for the election of delegates 70 the
nominating convention, the party mana
gers were by no meansundeclded rs 10 the
policy to be pursued. 1t is highly I'M
portant, however, he added, that the Re- |
publicans should first show their hands. |
and the Democrats can afford TO wait |
awhile for the developments that are sure |
to be made. The party organization is |
good and the people ready for the tight: |
Two years ago when Mr.. Venable defeated |
Langston the Democratic organization was |
admirably arranged. and 1t has lost little |
OF its compactness and efficiency since |
then.
LANGsToNs coIoR-LINE POLICY.
John VI. Langston has already announced |
himself candidate for the nomination, !
and if he continues TO be of the same |
mind he will certainly receive the vote OF |
a great many negroes. He has drawn the |
color line in this district more closely |
than was ever done before, his strongest
argument being that this is negro dis
trict and ought to be represented IN Con-
gress by a negro; that he is negro and
ought to be the congressman. He has de-
clared his intention TO make the fight ON
this issue, and speeches In advocacy of his
candidacy have already been made by ne
gro orators at some Of the county court
houses. He has a newspaper organ here
which works the color line for all
that it IS worth, bitterly invelghlng
against white people whenever 1t has
an opportunity, its last performance
being an absurdly "insulting" article
based upon a silly rumor that white .prln-
cipals were to be placed in charge of the J
negro schools in Petersburg. To "a very |
large extent Langston Will conduct his
campaign upon similar plane, and 1t Is
understood that he has already begun the
reorganization of the campaign clubs
which he formed in 1888. the membership
of which was composed of negroes e1clu-
sively-men. women, and children.
MALONE Is wATcHFUIr-Two TICKETS.
Meantime Malone is watching the field |
with an interest and shrewdness that Is
ominous. He will fight Langston to the
death this time and more effectively than
he did in 1888, although in the memorable
campaign of that year he left no stone I'M
turned, but used every means within his
mower to compass the defeat of the negro
carpet-bagger. Malone, therefore. will
certainly have q candidate IN the held IN
November next, regardless OF Langston,
and he will do his level best to elect that
candidate. He has tho party organization
and he is fighting on his own ground.
Moreover he has learned a good many
points since Judge Arnold was defeated
by Langston, and he will make a
more intelligent and desperate fight
now than he did two years ago. who Will
be his candidate no one OF his friends can
now say. Malone may run negro or
white man, the color of the nominee TO be
regulated by circumstances. IL he puts
no negro it will be with the design
Of dividing the negro vote, and A. w.
Harris, an ex-member Of the Legislature,
will doubtless be the man. Harrisis law
yer. a pretty shrewd politician. far
speaker, and out-and-out opponent OF
Iangston. IL the nominee is white man
no one can guess his identity.
GAINES IN THE FIELD.
1t is true that Hon. w. Z. Gaines, of
Burkeville, Nottoway county, IL IN the
field, having held convention of one and
duly nominated himself through the news
papers of the district. But Gaines is not
Malone man, neither is Malone a Gaines
man, but rather the opposite. seeing that
the General was bitterly opposed 10 Games
ever going to Congress, and fought INN
tooth and toe-nail several years ago. when
the gentleman from Nottoway carried the
convention and got into the House despite
the Generals opposition.
In fact, the indications all point to two
Republican candidates, bangston and a |
Malone nominee, with Hon. L. G. Venable
aga INST the field, with every probability OF
q Democratic victory.
THE FARMERS ALLIANCE.
In this district the members OF the |
Farmers Alliance are for the most part !
Democrats who are taking no part in poll
tics, but are contented with the principles !
aud conduct of the Democratic organlza-
ton There will therefore be no inter-
ruption of Democratic harmony from this |
quarter, hut on the contrary, ahearty sup |
port OF the Democratic nominee. Alto
gether, the contest promises to be most
interesting one, with al organized and
harmonious Democracy opposed 10 two /
Republican factions, each or the latter
trying to destroy the other.
A sUHkIsE.
And vet there ia q surmise that the Re- |
publican District Committee, which IS
composed of the personal and political |
friends of General Malone, may retusei to
call \ convention to make any nomination |
for Congress. Under the rules of the con-
ference recently held in Washington the |
matter of holding conventions and making |
nominations in the several districts IS left I
To the discretion of the district commit |
tees. A failure to call convention here /
would throw LangstoD under disadvan-
tage and compel him TO take the initiative