The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-10-29
COL. LAME no Gonn DEMOCRATS
sSis Card So the s.Snunu Money, Dem.
Ocrnts OF thfs District

The following is the card of Col Will
liam Lamb published in the Petersburg
lndcX-Appcal and addressed to the
gold Democrats of this district, which
has caused 50 much comment:
To the Sound Money" Democrats of
the Second Congressional District:
take it for granted that you are de-
sirouH OF carrying the State OF Virginia
against Bryan. and defeating for Con-
Sress in the Second District MI. Young
| would call your attention to the fact
that in the last fair election we had in
Virginia, in 1883. that the vote in this
district was II, los for Cleveland To 20 So
for Harrison-a majority of 6,421. IsA-
sides, there were nearly 500 votes lost
in Norfolk county by informalities
which the commissioners refused to cor
rect.
by the census of 1890, the voting pop
ula,ion OF this district stood. 2G.s04
5000 more colored voting population
than any other district In tho State has
The Second District was the banner
district in the state In 1855. Only two
other districts gave Harrison major,-
ties. The First gave JIG and the Fourth
$50
1t will thus be seen that the margin
for elccting Dr. X. ~. Wise is greater
than that of any other Republican Con-
gresham in the State. While. as the
color5d voter naturally votes the Re
publican ticket, we have 5000 more col
oEcd votes as reserve from which TO
draw TO defeat Bryan in Virginia than
in any other district. Recognizing these
facts, Mr.. Hanna, chairman Of the Ma
tional Republican Executive Commit
tee, promised me that all opposition to
the regular nominee should be with
drawn. Mr.. ingalls, promised me that
there should be no sound money" can
didate put up in this district, which,
beyond all others. belonged To the Re-
publican party.
1t is estimated by those who had
thoroughly canvassed the district. that
of the 20,352 votes pollcd I'm 1883 for IIar-
rison, about 10000 were colored votes
The available colorcd vote now Is about
22,ho0, which leaves OFF the usual 10 per
cent. of non-rcgistcrcd voters. We esti-
mate that there are | 400 sound money
Democrats in this district, and we do it
after very careful reports from the diff
fercnt cities and counties.
The fact. that Republicans have joined
sound money" leagues, and as a rule,
attend In force, Sound money" meet
in2s. has created the impression that
there is a large sound money" vote in
this district. Very nearly all of the
most distinguished men in the Demo-
cratic party are with the sound money"
party; but the rank and file, as n rule.
have stuck to what they consider the
regular organization.
The practical question in politics to
those who desire to defeat Mr.. Young
in this district. is whether. in n Repub-
lican district. the party should aban-
don the field and try TO get over 20. 600
colored voters, large majority of whom
can neither read nor write. to transfer
their vote To Democrat whom they
very justly consider particeps criminls
in dcfrnudmg them OF their right Of
franchise in former elections: or to get
some l,500 intelligent gentlemen, with
property interests at stake, To vote for
what they may regard the lesser evil a
sound money" Republican, instead of
Mr.. Young, free silver Democrat.
1t seems to me an absurdity TO sup
pose that the colored vote could be
transferred in Presidential year: and
any attempt to do so will be to put the
voters in the market as between two
Democrats.
We do not think that Mr.. Whaley's
real vote will exceed 500 for no one in
their right mind can fail to see that to
vote for him is to cast half a vote for
Young.
The most serious result from the
nomination OF n third candidate Is, the
opportunity it gives the dishonest
Democratic judges to transfer votes in
tended for Wise to Whaley.
WM. LAMB,
Chairman Republican Party.