Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-11-07
TUESDAY. NOVEMBER 7. 1893.
The Decisive Day.

rr,v7nuch as not only our city readers
hut many Of our country readers living
,,or- the various lines Of railroad run
MINI, into this city viii gee this mornings
r,ls,stoh IN time 20 read few words
IN the subject Of the elections Of to-
dav ,gc will add few words TO what
ve blvo heretofore said as to the duty
which the voters Of Virginia have TO per-
form tbis day as citizens Of the grand
60, country I'm the world. and as de-
,oel,ariss % tho greatest trust which
has ever been placed in the hands OF
men.
First OF an. let the voter recollect tho
almost unparalleled record Of which the
State administration can boast, and nsk
himself whether anything could justify
him in failing 70 SGT the seal Of his APP
provaI upon the work Of Governor Nc
Kinney and the Legislature. The pub
ltc-sabool system has grown in elf
riapc. and favor The State debt has
been settled upon honorable and yet
favorable terms. Tho old soldiers have
not been forgotten. The oyster laws
have heon oVerhaulcd. and improved. The
institutions established for the unforlu-
mates have had liberal appropriations
In word. no public duty has been left
uuasne And vet the state taxes are
lower than such taxes are in most OF
tho STATE. Of this Union. win you de-
sort tAe Democratic party under such
circumstance. and worship false gods?
win you seek new party associates In
State which has thus wcathered oil the
storms of an adverse fate for the last
thirty odd years. and yet never faitered
IN the 6ischarco Of a single duty?
We believe 10 was John Randolph. who,
elected to Congress at an early age. and
presenting himself 10 be sworn into ONCE
ras asked ly tho clerk Of the House
pf Representatives whether he was Il
years OH. and replied: ASK my consti-
tuents" So Colonel OFeuall can say as
20 the charges rejecting upon him as a
man. Go" he might say. land ask the
Democrats of the old Tenth Legion,
who have elected me 10 Congress over
1nd over again in contemptuous disro-
gard Of these charges" Go ask the men
who for fourteen years have followed
his lead and arrayod themselves under
his standards. and who came to Rich
mond in fun force to the last Demo-
cratic State Convention and signifed i'm
the most impressive manner that they
were for Charles T. OFcrral for Gov
ernor though they had previously heaped
upon his head al the honors at their dis
posal.
But tho fact IS that the Democrats
are not asked to stand by Colonel OFFER
rail-. but by the representative of the
ttIne-honored Democratic party. Nobody
charges him with having failed In the
discharge OF any public duty. Nobody
fears that ne will blot his Ane record
"a a public servant Nobody opposes him
for any good reason. The ilimsy ex
cuses for deserving his banner which are
presented TO the public by chronic boilers
and dissatisfied grumblers afford the
only pretcnce OF justification for such
desertion which these classes of voters
can avail themselves of. His opponents
I'm the Democratic party will feel sore
FOR the next twelve months IL they de-
sert him under the circumstances which
now environ them. Tonight they will
begin to realize that they made an
egre,dous blunder when they deserted
the Democratic party to align themselves
with the shortIliyed Populists.
Don't desert! Look at the Jackson
Democrats. and stand like stone wall