Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-04-25
A CONVENTIONS "cHEEK."

A CONVENTIONS "CBEEk."
The state Republican Convention, which
was held I'm stanton on yesterday ana
the dav before. boosted OF its numbers
and responsibility: but a negro member
Kissed the name of Stonewall Jackson
when Il was mentioned. and any one VINO
has read the platform adopted there can
not bet see that the Republican party OF
Virginia is to-day the same old Repubh-
can marty that we have always known.
Its identity with the party OF the past
was disclosed in the platform II adopted
and particularly In that plank OF IT re-
ferring to a constitutional convention
The charges made as to the purposes
Of the Democratic party of Virginia in
submitting the convention question TO
The people are outrageous. Well the con-
yention knew that the Democrats OF this
state have no purpose 10 attack the
public school system; nor any 10 inter
fere with the homestead provision OF the
State Constitution. nor any to subject
the Friends and Dunkards TO compulsory
military service, yet all of these charges,
and many others equally untrue and I'M
founded. are brought against us. Yes,
here we see the platform Of this so
called great party charging US with
designs that we never entertained and
denouncIng US for thoughts that we new
haroored,
OF course. II was to be expected that
the Republican convention would oppose
the action OF our Legislature In sub
uniting this question to vote OF the
people. but we had not believed II pos
sible. even for a Republican convention.
10 nut forth such a tissue OF malignant
MISREPRESENTATION az that which appears
in it's platform, where that instrument
denounces the convention matter.
The Republican convention also mis-
represents the fact in stating that the
action OF the Legislature was the action
of the Democratic party. AS yet the
Democratic party OF Virginia is not COM
mitted to the calling Of constitutional
convention. We admit that those mem
hers of the Legislature who voted In
favor Of submitting the question 10
vote of the people are Democrats; bnt
a number of other Democrats voted
against the proposition. our, legislative
caucus did not undertake to commit our
Marty 10 the proposition, and could not
have done so If it had tried. Al the
same time we recognize the fact that
our party will be held responsible Tor the
acts OF the Legislature.
Whether the constitutional convention
shall he made a party question will be
one of the things that will probably be
Democratic Con-
yention 20 be held nj Stanton on June
sth. That was "a fine Italian hand
xVhieh drafted the convention plank OF the
Remblicap platform, and its evident
purpose was 10 make Democrats distrust-
ful OF the constitutional convention
seneme. AS for the Republicans, they can
Of course. be counted upon to vote against
any proposition advanced by Democrats.
SINCE the development Of the purpose OF
some of our free silver brethren to throw
an apple OF tiiscord into our ranks in the
form OF the unit-rule scheme we cannot
hut wish that the constitutional conven-
ZION question were not in our way just
nov. What with the unit-rule project and
This convention question, and all of the
rout,ne business that must be disposed of
al stanton, we fear that our party con
xtation will have more work 10 do than II
can do well in one or two days. How
ever we are now confronted with the
daring assertions OF the Republican plat
forrn. and we must take notice OF them
in one way or another
our State Democratic convention may
anoroye the constitutional convention
scheme 'out and out" or It may approve
the scheme and declare the policy that
would guide our party should consu-
tutional convention be ordered and our
marty entrusted with the control OF H.
This was the plan suggested some time
aeo by Governor o'Ferrall. and which
No dare say. Is more favored now than II
vas then. OR, our party convention may
declare tout and OUT against calling a
convention TO amend the Constitution al
this time. or II may be altogether ST.
-ltnt, witch would be equivalent TO leav'
ing the proposition TO be decided by q
united Republican party and a divided
Democratic party. One other course may
be left 20 us--to answer the Republicans IN
our platform as they deserve. and ther
provide for the calling OF party conven.
.lons say Ia March, 1897. TO determine
- whether or not the Democratic party OF
Virginia would make the vote upon the
convention question a party issue.
such a the situation as We see It.
NTH the unit rule on, OF the way al
staunton. possibly our State convention
s8lsht have the time 10 take up the
other question and discuss II fully ans
.llsposc OF II Wisely and well. But if our
state Democratic Convention has both OF
these subjects 10 deal with-4nd this
within the space Ct the few hours time
that ID usually giyen 10 such MATTERS