Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1897-10-13
VIRGINIA REPUBLICANS.

The executive committee OF the Vlr-
ginia State republican committee, OF
which Mr.. Park Agnew is chairman,
met in Washington yesterday and pre-
pared the following address to the re-
publicazs of the State regarding the
ticket nominated by the Lamb republi
cans at Lynchburg last week.
ITO the republican voters OF the State
of Virginia:
1.-The State executive committee OF
the republican party Of Virginia deems
it incumbent upon them to address the
republican voters upon the peculiar,
unusual, and somewhat embarrassing
condition of party affairs at the present
time.
tits well.known that at regular and
full meeting of the State committee,
held at Lynchburg on August Is last,
which meeting was held after confer
ence and correspondence with the
most trusted, reliable, and experienced
party leaders in every section OF the
State, the commit. determined, after
full and careful consideration and by
an almost unanimous vote, that 1t was
inexpedient to hold State convention
for the purpose of nominating repuo'
lican State ticket.
"As far as it was deemed best for our
party interests, the committee published
then an address, setting forth some OF
the principal reasons which led to the
conclusion reached by them as body.
The most prominent OF these reasons
was the opportunity which seemed to
be presented for a vigorous and etfec.
tive campaign throughout the State,
looking to the election of a legislature
which would secure repeal OF the pre-
sent iniquitious Parker act, and the
enactment in its stead of law framed,
intended and operated to facilitate the
right to vote instead of obstructing
that right, aud to secure a count of
every vote cast in lieu of the bonfire Of
ballots at every precinct which has
heretofore proclaimed the methods by
which democratic victories have been
achieved.
"The address referred to contained
an urgent appeal for organization and
co. operation, where practicable, in
order to secure this desirable end.
Similar action was taken this year by
the republican State committee of New
York. That committee, however, went
further, and after declaring it mex
pedient to call convention, as only
one Office had to be filed, the commit
tee itself nominated the republican can
didate for that position. In New York
State, with loyalty to party organiza
ton, the action Of the committee Vas
acquiesced in, but different condition
confronts US in Virginia.
1.-THE chairman of the republican
party of Virginia q. the time the COM
mittee's action was taken was present
in the city of Lynchburg, but did lot
attend the meeting. AT later date
and when no longer State chairman be
called State convention, and conscious
that the organization of the party
throughout the State was in accord
with the action of the State committee,
be encouraged and invited the holding
of meetings regardless of any republi
can organization for the purpose of
electing, or rather selecting, delegates
to his supposed convention at Lynch
burg on October 5, 1897. AS was
natural under such circumstances, the
gathering when assembled, as well
as the work it performed, ut
terly lacked all representative
character, and save for the
presence of comparatively few of the
supporters of that movement it could
not have been recognized by any anal
ogy to any republican convention here
tofore held in the State.
"This gathering thus brought togeth-
or not only named State ticket, but
established dual organization in the
State, contrary to party law and to the
detriment of the party in the State and
its organization, thereby seeking to
supplant the regular organization OF
the State, of which your committee
are the official representatives, and as
to whose legality no question can be
raised.
This action thus taken, right in the
midst of the campaign, by this body,
which had no local organization and no
legislative ticket in the field and when
it was too late to name them, operates
only to dishearten and demoralize the
republican voters in the State. Your
committee is we'll aware that prior to
the action of the State committee some
of the most prominent, able, and infu-
entail party leaders favored the hold
ing Of convention, but with few ex-
ceptions they yielded to the practically
unanimous vote of the committee and
to abide by its decision.
"Such course followed by all would, in
tine judgment of your committee, have con-
tr1buted greatly to the welfare of the repub-
lican party. 1t is hardly necessary for this
committee TO refer to the irregularity of the
30. called convention at LyncEburg, as each
city snd county in the State represented in
said committee is thoroughly acquainted, both
with the men and the methods used in pro.
curing delegates to that body. suffice it to
say that one third of the counties in the State
sent no delegates at all, while the majority of
the counties, claiming representation there,
were overwhelmingly against the action
taken By the self-constituted delegates that
attended.
"Your committee renew, repeat and reiter-
ate that portion Of the address of the State
committee which looked to securing in the
next Legislature of the State a majority in
favor of such changes in the election laws of
Virginia, as will remove the stigma which
has 80 long attached 10 her, and will proclaim
to the world that elections in Virginia are
once more free and fair. No loyal republi
can will disregard this injunction, or Will let
anything interfere with this programme.
"Hsd the regular organization OF the party
called and held State convention, it would
doubtless have nominated ticket that we