Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-08-10
The EIGHTH DISTRICT.
Matter OF Course-The Repnbii-
cans Waiting.
IFrOm Our Regular Correspondent

From Our Regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON, August 9, 1890.
II is generally conceded that General w.
! II. +. Lee will have no opposition strictly
within his own party tor the nomination
before the Democratic convention OF the
I Eighth congressional district OF Virginia,
soon 10 be made at Leesburg. General Lee
| j. now serving hissecond term in the House
rs Is well known, and his supporters think
that re Is fairly entitled 20 at least another
term. One by ono the counties Of the dis
trict have been insiructing their delega-
tons for him until all Of the counties IN
the district are apt to send solid Lee dele
cations.
Messrs. Z. r. Meredith. Of Prince VII
liam. and Frank Hume, Of Alexandra
| county, have for several years been looked
upon as ambitious aspirants for congres;
siouil hOnOrs. They have been ayowed
candidates. and each has had considera-
bic backing at different times.
OPPOSITION II 1886.
In 1856 when General Lee was first nomi-
mated it will be remembered that MIR.
Hume and Mr.. Meredith were also IN the
race. The first convention held did not
succeed in making q nomination. Mr..
Hume was very strong III Alexandria CITY
and county, and liS supporters stood
by him 10 tho last. He had also many
warm friends in the other end of
the district, and the fight between
the Lee and Hume advocates in
some Of the central counties was simply in
tense. Mr.. Meredith had his own county
of Prince William solid for him, and but
for the warm support which Fauquier,
Loudoun, Fairfax, and Culpeper gave Gen.
eral Lee he probably could not have Sc
cured the nomination in 1886. He was, of
course, elected by a handsome majority,
his opponent on the Republican ticket
having been W. c. Elan. of Louisa, who
came out late, and who really never had
the ghost of show at the polls.
wALK-ovER.
In 1883 there was practically no opposi-
tion TO General Lee, it being the We'll
established custom IN the district to give
the sitting member o second term without
contest in the party. He therefore had
@alk-Oyer that year in his own party. DIR.
Parke Agnew, the present Republican post
master of Alexandria. was the oppo,I-
ton candidate III 1883. MIR. Agnew
is businessman of good standing,
is possessed of some means. spent money
literally, is quite popular at his own home,
and be naturally made a stronger run than
has been made by any straightout Republi-
can in many years in the Eighth district. He
il q Republican on the score OF tariff more
than anything else, and has never voted
for the local scum" nominated by the
Republicans of his county from time to
time.
Mr.. Meredith and Nr. Hume were again
candidates this year, but it became appa--
rent weeks ago that General Lee would
again capture the nomination, and they
both withdrew from the race.
HUMK's POSITION.
Within short period there have been
rumors TO the effect that Mr.. Hume can be
induced 70 run as an Independent Demo-
cratic candidate if the Republicans do not
make nomination. OF course he would
have no hope of being elected should the
Republicans place a stralghtout candi-
date in the field. 1t seems hard to believe
that Mr, Hume would enter into bargain
to disrupt the party in the district, and
some of his staunchest friends are con-
tending that he will not be in the race. On
the other hand, he has declined 10 state his
position, and some people declare that
the dlsgruntled elements in the district
are urging him to come out as an indie
pendent a. soon as the Leesburg conven-
ton is over. Mr. Hume is undoubtedly
strong and popular man III Alexandria
city and county, and if he he were TO run
would cut largely into the vote that Gen
eral Lee would otherwise receive in that
part OF the district; but in other portions
of the district neither he nor any other
bolter could possibly draw of the Demo-
cratic vote from the regular nominee.
REPUBLICAN Foley.
The Republicans are keeping quiet, evil
IDENTITY awaiting results before they decide
whether OF not To place candidate in the
field. Sampson p. Bayley, Jr., of Fau-
quier county, is the only Republican now
known 10 be after the nomination. He
was formerly United States Consul at Pa
lermo, and has been ANXIOUS for years to
break into Congress. Postmaster Agnew
cannot be induced to run again. He has a
paying Office that gives him local promi-
hence, and he prefers to keep 1T rather
than enter into a contest that would wind
up with certain defeat.