Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-07-22
OLD-TIME POLITICS.
TUE FAMOUS SPARTAN BAND, OF
HAPPY DAYS GONE by. II
TIE DEMOCRATS IND WIGS.
Their bitter Fights, and How They
Conducted Campaigns Thomas
Richie and some of His IIlustricus
contemporaries.

The story OF the organization OF the IA
nous Spartan Band OF Richmond was told
me IN an amusing way by gentleman
whose father was one OF its most active
members in the early summer OF 1870 nv
informant was sent 10 school 20 one Han
regan. a clever Irishman. who occupied
rooms In a tenement in Locust alley. then
& highly-respcctable place. Upon arriving
there with satchel and shining morning
face the hoy saw himself the only
scholar. He took q seat. as directed at
one end Of a long table whilst the master
n. az the other. biting his thumbs. as the
saving goes in anxious expectation of
PROMISED pupils who never esme!t
As the days wore on with dull and te-
oious uniformity. the poor master became
discouraged. and finally fed 10 parts un-
known The boys father. being duly in
formed Of the sad plight in which the
school had been left, settled all arrears
o. rent. took possession Of the school
room furniture. and had Il transported
20 the Marshall Hotel. then kept by VIII
Jam Davidson, next below the theatre.
The afternoon OF that day the boy peep
81 into a hall OF the hotel upstairs, and
saw sitting on the school-benches and
around the long table James Bosher, Ma
fhanie DENLY. Samuel j.. Denoon.
Thomas n. EMS. Peter Gilmore, James b.
Foster. John Henry, Charles H. Hyde
d. NJ. George c. w. Gooch Daniel Pat
rick Johnson, G.. w. Munford, Thomas
PembortOn, Thomas Ritchie, William
Wallace, =. II. Taylor. William f. Wat
SON. W. Greenhow. Francis Wicker Glenn.
enc White, John Womble. w. ID. Wren,
and certain other well-known citizens.
This was the company that organized
fAc Democratic Association Of Richmond.
NOT A CLUB.
The above designation was not adopted
without discussion. The term "club"
having been proposed by a member, it
was voted down by a large majority on
the motion Of William Wallace. The
Wings had already adopted that odious
English orlgnal-they had styled their
organization THE Tippecanoe Club. No.
would IL be becoming in a fraternal
democracy 10 follow their example? A
thousand times No! exclaimed the radi-
cal element Of the company.
The hall at Davidson's being too small
10 hold comfortably the crowds that as
scrnbled there. other quarters were es-
tahlished I'm a tobacco factory then stu
ated on the southeast side Of Eighth
street between Franklin and Main. This
place came to be an attraction TO face
tous Wings. who dubbed it in derision
''The Sweat House"
Whilst the unterrfed Democracy coun>
rclled together here, the Wings assembled
lower down the city, in an immense log
cabin, which had been erected by ANA
tour hands on the ruins OF the old Eagle
Tavern. From these two headquarters
IN limo
Of various character and purpose. Rich
nond became a battle-ground of contend |
Ing hosts. father and son marched under
hostile banners. and brother encountered |
brother in windy. but courteous debate. |
The Wing and the Enquirer were the !
two fiery advocates respectively Of Whfg- |
gerry and OF Democracy. The Wings APP
peared to view everything political |
through the glasses Of John Hampden !
whilst the Democrats, with a |
like surrender Of their faculties, viewed |
everything political through the immacu- |
late glasses Of Thomas Richie. There |
were at that time no more earnest, no |
more honest, no more courageous cham |
pions Of the cause either espoused than |
these two men. The pen OF Peasants was |
sometimes pointed with the delicate satire |
Of Horace. Ritchie's famed with a fire |
that warmed every invectiye OF Juvenal. ]
SOME LIVELY TILTS. |
Their Tits in the feld-thcir champion |
not. however, always mark |
ad with the chivalric temper of the Ar
thurs and Rolands of legend and fable. |
shafts flew thick and fast |
rom one side to the other and the Won
Ter is that so few duels were fought, |
where so much temper was lost. 1t is an
1rror of opinion TO suppose that the old
ime politician was n saint. Let him who
links so refer 10 the old-time records.
-.et him read what Randolph said with
egard TO the coalition between Clay and
Adams Or let him look into 1.-THE Tri- |
ngllar Correspondence between certain |
Jew Workers. from which ne will observe !
low Henry Clay, that great man, was !
laughtered in the house of his friends.
The term "Whig" was first used In the |
ampaign Of 1870 II was generlc-it united |
n one mass all the dissatisfied elements |
Z the old Federal party. all the old Re
ublicans of the State-Rights school, |
Who saw in Jackson's finance bill and /
reclamation the deadly poison of fede-
alism, concealed under the honey of |
Besides these the Whig
arty drew 10 it's standards that mighty
of unreckOned reserves who
sually tip the balance in all the con-
ssts OF political parties.
THE TERN 'DEMOCRAu.' 4
The term Democrat, which was likewise
Emphasized during this time. included the
dds and ends Of a disrupted party, that
'as supposed 20 be held together chiefly
81 the cohesive powers of public plumber,
nd by an unquestioning fealty to the
arty lords. The adherents of Jackson
nd Van Buren, were not dignified by the
artisan editorials of that day as Re
ublicans or Democrats. They were call
/ Federalists, or Monarchists, by their
1pOnents, and more frequently Loco
ocos
In this ever-nemorable campaign the |
Wigs displayed more adroitness i'm the
neral management than the Democrats.
Dc women were aroused TO a sense of
leir duties as mothers. wives, daugh-
rs-they filed the dogs" OF Eagle
luare with their beautiful presence. and
ceived with smiles the great Daniel, of
Massachusetts,. They were invited, upon
10 meeting Of the Wing convention in
ctober 10 decorate the Capitol, 10 illu-
innate the city. Every profession, every
ade, was summoned 10 the lists.
RED-HOT POLITICS.
Young mems clubs, young mems com
ittecs swarmed in every precinct of the
iy Boys clubs marched In procession
iCys IN their teens" shreked the edi- Z
y OF the Enquirer. The party retained
home their best advocates, ana I'M !
rted from abroad the most distinguish
orators. They even called upon the
ets 20 contribute songs: every resource
thin the reach OF an energetic orSani-
ton was used to its advantage.
The October convention OF the WINGS Z
stod three days. Every state OF the (
lion with one or more exceptions was =
presented by imposing delegations. Log