Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-10-19


minaiion OF this very matter? II 80, did
II so determine and appoint?
The very assertion of the wrong set
up shows that it did exercise the juris-
dictiou, which if IL possessed leaves no
room for any one to say that 1t did
wrong. Tbs party authorized TO act has
acted, and there is the end OF ii.
II tie conventions action is not con-
elusive in this matter who else has that
power?
But the exclusion OF these delegates,
however unfair. could not vitiate the
action Of the body. when outside OF these
delegates there was large quorum re-
naming Of delegates about whose seats
there was no dispute, aud especially
when the presence or absence of the ex-
cluded delegates could not and did not
make any change in the results reached
by the body. Even wrongful exclu-
SION cannot vitiste the action of re-
naming quorum. The present Federal
House has unfairly unseated many mem.
bers Does this whistle the action OF
that body so that It's legislation becomes
nugatory ? What court IN all the land
Will so decide
LEGALITY OF TIE CONVENTION ISDIsPUrA-
BILE.
It is urged, however. that the delegates
to this September convention. too, were
not fairly chosen that the Tillman men
got hold Of the party machinery and car
ried things TO suit Themselves Ii that
be the case, did tho people Of the coun-
ties come up here 10 cay 30 II they did
not, who is to speak for them at tins late
day Z How many delegations were there
whose seats were contested? Sumter
and Fairfield are all we hear any talk
about to-day. The great body OF that
convention held uncontested seats about
which there was not word OF objection
uttered.
Now il was plainly the right and
plainly the duty OF the strsightouts, II
they thought and believed that the sep
tember convention was not a legally
chosen body, to say so, and TO decline
altogether attending such D body as a
vicious usurpation OF the peoples rights.
Did they do that ? No They went into
that body and took their seats in It
as delegates after submitting to the same
their claims as members thereof. They
raised no point whatever as TO tho
vicious character OF the body OF
which they consented to be members
and they submitted to 1t for nomination
several straightout candidates. III these
men had been nominated would not they
and their friends have accepted the
same? II so, what is meant at TINS
eleventh hour by setting up the claim
that tine September convention was no
better than a cheat and fraud!
ASSUMPTION OF THE HASKELL FACTION.
But We are now boldly told that the
Haskell conference the call Of which
excluded in its very terms all Democrats
who did not agree with tEem-alone rep
resents the true Democracy OF the State.
Nobody knows how many such men
there are in the State. The great mass
! of the Democracy were by the very
terms OF the call excluded from oil par,
ticipation in making the ticket presented
Inv that BODY. We must all take 1t as II
comes from the hands OF those who have
assumed to speak for the freemen OF the
State. who have not been permitted to
say for themselves whether this nomlna
ton should be made or not Not a
single primary has been held or q single
instrumentality Of the Democratic party
used 70 authorize, direct or justify thl
nomination,
fRefore these plain facts, how can we
eAcape the conclusion that this new
movement is a revolt againssshe recog
nized party authority? We behold II
such action no crime on the part OF these
| Carolina freemen. 1t is the funda
mental right OF all freemen when they
believe that a party fails to fulfil the
purposes for which it was established &c
withdraw from that party and to Torn
such new political associations as they
deem necessary and proper for then
safety and happiness. And anything
short of this is party servitude, party
slavery. utterly inconsistent with that IN
dividual liberty which Is an essentla
part. If not the foundation principle, o
liberty itself.
HASKELL IN REVOLT.
Nevertheless. let us call things b.
their right name. These citizens canno
depv and ignore the authority of III
Democratic party, it matters not i
whose hands it may be, and yet claim I
he its proper opponents. They are i
revolt. II this revolution be an ine1ol
able social necessity they must show
10 be so, when it becomes rlghteou
revolution and not before. Let thes
free citizens not fear name
,, and epithets, but take their place
like men squarely rs they stanc
They need take no shame !
themselves for so doing, and we woul
be tine last to hold up such GO
duct to shame and reproach. 1hei
freemen claim that all they have dor
and propose to do is unselhshiy unde
taken in the best interests of the poop
of the State. Let us frankly admit tn
as the honest purpose of these men,
I whose number are such men as Gener
a Herllee and ex-Chancellor johnson.
4 is plainly against truth, reason, and con
= mon sense TO attribute ignoble motlv
$ end q wilful disregard OF the best i
n terests of society TO such men
Nevertheless, these gentlemen n
n bound. as are all other men, to recogni
a the facts-the memorable facts-of OF
q situation and the heartfelt conviction
\ touching the same felt by other men b
sides themselves. However honest, ho'
- ever pure their own motives, and ho
Y ever above reproach they may be as M
i and citizens. they must permit the
I fellow-citizens. freemen like themselvc
|. TO ask What, after all, if these go'
q men be mistaken? What if, while tn
q mean and can mean no evil thing for
Y or themselves, they should precipItatt
. social and political crisis upon us iearl
IS in all It's consequences
TIE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE.
n Along with other things, it is soler
'e Fact that the men OF this moyeme
If should consider that the press OF t
s. state from one end OF it TO the 9TH
it with an unprecedented unanimity, co
a Gemn the action of the Haskell conf
t, once as deplorable and sure to prove d
estrous TO the best interests OF the Stt
and her people.
II is true that these men OF the pr
y ere no more prophets than are 9th
III NTH the difference. however, Il