Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-09-26
WICKHAM WON'T RUN
HE SEES THAT THE REPUBLICAN,
PARTY is DISRUPTED.
No Convention CnIIed-The City Commit
tee Wants the Iedistricting Ordi-
nance to Stand.

Iessly disrupted and disorganized and
cannot elect their candidate If they put
one in the field.
Captain Wickham was mentioned about
six months ago rs probable aspirant. lie
has received many letters and appeals from
Repu blicans TO announce himself, 49,,
His letter declining to oppose Mr.: wise
is addressed TO Colonel Normand SMITH, Oi
Henrico county. and reads as follows;
" HICKORY HILL, NEAR HAsovER @. H.; VA
September q. 1880.
my Dear Sir.-I beg your pardon for de,
laying so long my reply 10 your very kinu
letter. in which you asked me Il would De
n candidate for Congress in the Third dis
trict of Virginia. l wished, however 10
discuss with myself. as fully a might be;
all the pros and cons of the situation. ana
after most earnest thought have, hnally
come 10 tho conclusion tnat at TINS cleo
tion will not be able to run.
PRIVATE INTERESTS.
In the first place, managing as do a
very large farm, | would be unable 10 spare
the time for an active personal canvass,
without which | could scarcely hope Tor
success, and my presence at home Il essen
tial too. for other entirely personal re'i-
sons.
Again. / find. on pretty thorough IN
yestigati0n. that the Republican party IN
this district is totally disrupted and dis
organized. without leadership, without
unity Of purpose. II would, fear. be ut
terly impossible 10 effect q complete and
thorough organization in the time which
will elepse before tho election. Unless
that could be done 1t would OF course be
useless for me 10 be a candidate; for to n9
elected | would have to poll the tull
strength of our party in addition 10 the
inroads | might be able 20 make into the
Democracy. Who or what is responsible
for that disoraauization do not say. Sui
fee 1t that the fact is so.
The CHANCES DOUBTFUL.
"Mychances forelection, therefore, would
be very doubtful-the balance being RAJ her
in favor of the Democratic candidate. L
cannot myself afford all the expense can
yass would necessarily entail and | would
not be willing 10 apply to the National
Committee for funds. which could be used
proftably elsewhere, unless l could assure
them THAI it was more than probable that
| could be elected.
~ reoret extremely that / am forced TO
this decision, for, aside from natural
personal ambition and the honor OF seat
In Congress. / believe although 1t may
seem egotisticai 10 say so, that as men,
Der of Congress might be able to do some
good for Virginia and the Republican
party in Virginia and the South. Az all
events that would have been my first and
chietest thought.
"lf the District Committee endorse or
convention nominate q candidate | shall
vote for him. otherwise | shall spend the
ith OF November with my dogs and gun.
and if you are fond Of sport viii be most
happy TO have you join me. Yours, very
truly"
The Republican Committee Fails to Meet.
The Republican committee Of the Third
congressional district were TO nave met
Yesterday 70 consider the adylsablhty OF
holding a convention to nominate candl-
date for Congress from tins district. Inc
only members present were Chairman
Wrav r. knight, of Richmond; ex-Mayor
Wilkinson. Of West Point, and G. w. har-
ris lcolored), OF Manchester. These not
constituting a quorum an adjournment
was had until October 7th.
In conversation with Dispatch report
or Alr. knight said he hardly thought his
marty would put congressional candidate
In tic feld from this district this year.
II understood that there will be con-
ferolco vi leading Republicans IN TINS city
Those in n position TO know are very
pronounced in the expression Of the
op,nion that thero viii be no Republican
nomination. Malone fayors this. ana hiS
wishes will doubtless be complied with.
sheriff Southwark Will run as an indepen-
dent.
The CIay-Ward Precincts.
4 called meeting OF the City Democratic
Committee was held last night 70 consider
fbe report OF the committee appointed
TUESDAY night to inquire whether 1t was
nracticable 10 ask the Common Councu
NOT 10 concur with the Board of Aldermen
in the repeal of the ordinance passed IL
June last so redlstrictlng tho CITY as 70
create an additional precinct IN Clay Warn;
Chairman James c. Lamb presided ana
Mr.. jefferson Wallace was at his desk as
secretary. ..,..
Captain Frederick Peasants, the newly
elected member from Monroe Ward, VINO
succeeds DIR. Jud. b. Wood, resigned, was
introduced to the committee by Mr.
Knowles. He thanked the body Tor the
honor conferred upon him and Indicated
his intention TO do all III his power 10 ald
Democracy.
THE COMMITTEE REPORT.
Mr.. Lamb then stated that the object
of the meeting was TO hear the report OF
the subcommittee, and after ealing MT.
Tenser 10 the chair he read the report,
which was as follows;
To the ctr Democratic COMMITTEE;
The Undersigned, who were appointed spe-
eisl committee to inquire aud report To thls 1oin-
mittee whether IL IL practicable 20 repeal the
recent ordinance creating an 6ldltlonal voting
precnct In Clay Ward, respectfully report rs
follows:
Tina. they proceeded at once 70 iniorn then-
selves as 10 the facts in the case, which they
found 10 bo the following: The recent ordinance
changed the boundaries Of the First and Fourth
precincts Of Clay Ward and cre2tel an eull-
tionsl precinct called tho tiith. Ihe Sec0hi
and Third were unchanged. 80
After the passage OF TINS Or1lnance inc hIe hIec'o-
raj Board of the city appointed tho regsuaTs
for the several precincts. hooper oelhs ap
pointed for the Fourth, Lewis LOT tue rhst, anI
Jacob for the Fifth. Immediately upon tuelr
appointment the registrars (llOoper and LeWlsl
began the work Of striking on from their DOCKS
the names OF the voters whose voting places haa
been changed by said rearransehent as ro-
quired by section -, Code lnSi, hhu ths. NOlA
has been completed, Hooper, OF the tourth pre-
circt, transferring TO Lewis, OF tue flrst, more
than four hundred names, and Lewis Hahs-
ferring 10 Jacob. OF the fntn, moro linn siA nuu'
dred Names Jacob has not yet qlallned as re-
gistrar of the Fifth precinct snd ua- nol enlerei
the names so transferred 10 him on the regstra-
ton books Of his precinct Your cOmmItteo Iui-
ther learned that a great many voters whose
voting pla aces have been thus changed have al
ready applied 20 the Democratic headquarters
Tor Information, and that arrangements nave
been made at headquarters for personally hOu-
fying every voter Of the location oil MS ne"
yotng-pleco.
THE REAL QUESTION.
Win these facts ascer.ained, the question
which presented itself was this: II the ORDINANCES
should be repealed aud tho old pIecincIs re,
(more than 1000 In number whose names
had been struck from the poll. BOOKS ana VINO
mad not been reregistered In tho new ptevuc. 7
Upon this question your coInmlit9o tooA .no ~ au-
vice Of counsel, and they are lnIorhei thAl uh-
der the circumstances OF the case thero is no 40
mode prescribed In the law WnoIeDy lnooo
voters could be restored 20 the pOll-oooss' eA-
cept by being rorsgistered In the mauher pro-
vided in the statutes
Your committee therefore report that III .heir
Judgment a re zeal OF said ordinance az ms tim Q
would De bolu impracticaOle and ins1pe1lehI =
They believe that such repeal wOuI1 result IN
great confusion and the loss OF many 'oseS az
the ensuing election.
TOO LATE TO REGISTER.
1t Is now too late to order a general registra-
ton for those precincts under section .. oi suo
code because that section requires sA1y uess
notice before the day Of regisuallon hnu mnIlo
voter cen apply 10 be regslefcd az any unio,
and one day Is set apart for resntauoh usloto
the election, yet when We consiuer no" uiisa an
~ IS 70 secure the registration ol eFsu 'io hasu
raj Increase OF voters IN tnis way tno Ia
bility Of restoring these loo names 70 ths poii-
hooks hatxa.r ,et. and rho day OF election 10