Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-01-24
LAMB FOR CABINET.
BAY Be offered a Portfolio II Virginia
Goes Republican.
ur uolps 4 CONFERENCE nnRE
r.,ams discussed for "e"'''
city Chairman Mr. Edgar "'
T.I,.. Plainly About
81. Present Conditions

os the anu-Waddih iaon'" ~
SNOW - cour,-house. The meeting
tNe -, very secret. and only &c"
~ that it was 10 be ne'u' .'e"o'S 80
-, tesn issued 70 admit those 10 '"o
.-,-,oon. &C.. Among those present were
-, Lamb. James Bahcn' j. W. Sou'"-
a Page. and few other whites
io,, Mitchell. Charles Young Colin
- pen. Vanderyaal. Colin Valentine
,,ssna Anthony. Josh Griffin, Dr. Gray,
a.u.sm Custaloe, John Wilmington ana
,ebt or ten other negroes.
,,,e meeting lasted about two hours ana
hslf when Colonel Lamb came OUT
- the courtroom. about half-past ~
,.oioch a Dispatch reporter questioned
him in regard TO the conference out ~
relused TO make any statement whateNel
~. ~ ,rhat had occurred, saying that lho
meeting was a private one. Otheis VIZ
- nresent also refused to talk Wh'H
,neetioned Later In the night, hoWeN'i'
,bo reporter learned a good deal as ~
r-bot occurred in this secret cohitiellS''
Tho information coming from rehaDi' ~, -
nubl!can sources. IL was said tha' NOiols'
Lamb after recounting his war icoooIu'
asked his hearers n they were Nh'it,7'
after all he mad sacrificed for the ,, i.Ip1vH a..
can marty. that he should be aSs'i'Ou -. ~
The chairman of the Repuon0d, ~
mittee OF the city Of Richmonu' L.. -
boen publishing statements aDous In -,
IN ,ha nav,enaners throughout the coun-
49,. coIoneI Lamb said. further, that II
HE friends came TO his aid, the present
~hairman should no longer hold that ONCE,
II they would draw up paper ana
seod a down 10 him i'm Norfolk py next
Tuesday. when the state commute
.,,o.ts ba would nut in place Of Mr.. Edgar
allan the present chairman any one
,bat those present might name. M.
Wrav r. Knight. chairman OF the Dls'ilc'
congressional Committee, would also pe
turned ont and Mr.. Southwark ana the
,.,,,or members of the committee. Including
Jobn Mitchell. could name any one theg
wished TO take his place.
LAMB FOR THE CABINET.
colonel Lamb. so the reporters in
formant said told those present that ne
had recently been North, and great
many prominent Republicans. whose
names he mentioned-among them Platt
Ouav and Clarkson-had begged him 10
come down here and save the Republi-
ran party. and this. he explained, was
his mission. These northern leaders mad
told him that If a Republican President
was elected, they would see that ne had
q position that no southern Republican
had ever held-meaning. perhaps. a CaDi-
net position. Colonel Lamb requested that
those present would get up meetings III
he wards between now and TUESDAY,
ma pass resolutions. asking MN 10 re-
move Mr.. Allan as chairman, ana 10
name some one 10 iii his place. Some
E.f B. uraufnH AIR South
ward for chairman. Colonel Lamp sald
ne had found out that Mr.. Southwark
lived in me county. and he had too much
sense to appoint a resident OF the county
as chairman Of the city committee. lie
said If Colonel W. F. Wickham lived in
the city ne would appoint him. (Air. Wick
nam lives in Hanover county,
Mr.. Southwark suggested that 1t would
be best before taking any action 10 ap-
point a committee of five to wait on Mr.
Allan. and ask IL he would not re-
sign: but colored leader jumped up
and exclaimed: "Oh. no. that won't do.
He been too long in politics, and knows
tricks just as well az we do. If you send
any committee 10 wait on him he get you
down while you are trying TO get him
down" 1t was finally decided TO ap-
point a committee OF six, to consist OF
one from each ward TO take the mat
ter In hand, and carry out Colonel
Lambs suggestion, as TO having the pres
ent city chairman removed and another
substituted in his stead.
An Interview With Mr. Allan.
At late hour last night Mr. Edgar
Allan. the chairman of the Republican
CITY Committee, and who has held
that office since his appointment under
the Malone regime in 1892, was seen
by Dispatch reporter, and asked II
he had anything 10 say in regard to Col
onel Lambs mission and action in the
city. Mr.. Allan i'm reply said; yes
will speak now. The time for silence is
past.
This trouble began" he continued.
because / opposed the election Of Col
one Lamb, or any other man. 20 the dual
position Of chairman of the State Com
mittee and member OF the national COM
mittee as creating too great a CEN
tralization of power and establishing
most perniciOus system OF boss-rule !
favored Colonel Lamb for either position
he desired. but no man for both. The
first time Colonel Lamb visited Wash
ington, a few days after his election,
l called 10 see him at Chamberlain's,
and not finding him In. left my card.
on the Monday morning following l
received a note from him containing the
single expression. commenting to my
consldera ton the beautiful words of the
Psalmist: 'Beholdl how good and plea
SAINT IL IS for brethren 20 dwell together
Ia unity' Meeting him the next after
noon We stopped and greeted each other
in an apparently friendly manner, when
] said 20 Colonel Lamb. by a strange
coincidence 1 was perusing the Psalms
OF David at the same time you We're
t.I 1 fal la ef
list verse Of the 81 Psalm Fret not thy
self because OF evil-doers. neither be
thou envious against the workers Of ini-
luity."' He turned upon his heel and
left" said Mr.. Allan. and now we
never speak as we pass by
ION Chrlstmas-Eve, Mr.. Allan con-
tinuod. Il received long letter from
Colonel Lamb. which | Will probably yet
publish. The substance OF Il was that he
was aggrieved al an interview purporting
to have been had with me by reporter
for Virginia paper. critlcising the
methods by which he had secured his
election at Petersburg. In that letter he
admitted that during the day on which
the committee met IN Petersburg his
OWN friends became alarmed and urged
PIN 10 announce that he was only a can
Aiate Tor one position. and that he there
upon TOOK charge OF the contest himself,
and secured his victory. lie demanded
u me 10 know how soon after the holi-
lays II would suit me for him TO come
70 hlchmond and hold a meeting al which
ne would Introduce witnesses TO disproye
tne stat ments contained IN the reported |
interview. 4 replied In letter that l /
regretted bis FIRST public appearance as /
political leader should be in a crusade /
asAinst members OF his own party. in /
stead OF an assault upon the lines OF the /