VIRGINIA. 



86T 



position on the State ticket of the Readjuster party, 

 has, under the operation of that resolution, vacated 

 the position of chairman of the Central Committee : 

 now, therefore, be it 



Resolved, That this committee proceed at once to fill 

 said vacancy by the election of a chairman. 



General Wickham was accordingly chosen 

 chairman, and resolutions were adopted in favor 

 of holding a Republican convention at Staunton 

 on the 24th of August. The following were 

 also adopted : 



Resolved, That the State Central Committee of the 

 Republican party of Virginia do hereby caution the 

 Republicans that the effort to disrupt our party inau- 

 gurated in the spring of 1880 is still being attempted, 

 and we urge upon all good Republicans to be watchful 

 of the interests of their party. We urge them to see 

 to it that their county and city organizations are con- 

 stituted of their best and most reliable men, and see 

 that the delegates which they send to the State Con- 

 vention are men who can not be swerved from their 

 allegiance to Republican principles t and who will not 

 yield the integrity of the organization of the Repub- 

 lican party of Virginia. 



Resolved, That the State Central Committee, now in 

 session, out of abundant caution, do adjourn to meet 

 in this place on Tuesday, the 28th day of June, 1881. 



At the meeting of the committee on the 

 28th, Mr. Lewis claimed that the action of the 

 previous meeting was unauthorized and inval- 

 id. After a warm discussion the differences 

 were composed by the withdrawal of botli 

 Wickham and Lewis, and the choice of J. W. 

 Cocliran, colored, as chairman of the commit- 

 tee, and an agreement for a convention at 

 Lynchburg on the 10th of August. A contest 

 was immediately developed in the canvass for 

 delegates between those who favored a co- 

 alition of the Republicans and Readjusters 

 and those who desired the nomination of a 

 " straight " Republican ticket. When the date 

 for holding the convention arrived, the antag- 

 onism was so strong, and the determination of 

 each faction not to yield to the other so de- 

 cided, that the State Central Committee di- 

 vided and engaged separate halls, and two con- 

 ventions were held instead of one. A confer- 

 ence committee, on the eve of the convention, 

 presented the following propositions to the 

 two bodies : 



1. It is recommended by the joint committee that 

 no Republican candidates for State offices shall be 

 nominated by the convention assembled at Holcombo 

 Hall, and no indorsement of any gubernatorial ticket 

 be made by the convention now assembled in the op- 

 era-house. 



2. It is further recommended that Republican can- 

 didates bo nominated in all counties and senatorial 

 districts in which the Republicans have a majority, 

 and in which the local organizations deem such nomi- 

 nations advisable. 



3. That the present State Central and State Execu- 

 tive Committees of the Republican party of Virginia 

 remain as at present constituted, and take no active 

 part in a campaign hi which the party lias no candi- 

 dates in the field. . 



4. That the members of this joint conference com- 

 mittee pledge themselves to endeavor to secure the 

 passage of these resolutions by the conventions now 

 in session. 



After some discussion these were unanimous- 

 ly rejected by the gathering which favored co- 



alition, and the following platform was adopt- 

 ed: 



The Republicans of Virginia, by their duly appoint- 

 ed delegates in convention assembled, do resolve 



1. That the Bourbon-Democratic party of Virginia, 

 by its most recent official utterances, has shown that 

 it is false to its professions respecting the credit of the 

 State, and that it again seeks to deceive both the peo- 

 ple and creditors by means of fab: promises which it 

 never means to fulfill. 



2. That the Bourbon-Democratic party of Virginia 

 is now, as ever in its past history, opposed to the true 

 interests and welfare of the people ; opposed to free 

 and fair elections and an honest count, as evidenced 

 by its determination to uphold the unrepublican laws 

 which require the payment of a capitation tax as a pre- 

 requisite to the exercise of the right of suffrage ; and 

 opposed to free pnblic schools for the education of the 

 children of all the people. 



8. That the Anti-Bourbon, or Liberal, party, has 

 shown by its acts, since it obtained control of the Leg- 

 islature and partial control of the State government, 

 the sincerity of its professions in favor ot the faithful 

 collection and honest expenditure of the public reve- 

 nues as designed by the Constitution and laws of the 

 State, in favor of free and fair elections, in favor of 

 impartial juries and the impartial execution of the 

 laws, and in favor of public education. 



4. That in view of this condition of political affairs, 

 and abating no part of our determination to deal justly 

 with all the creditors of Virginia, and to labor to pay 

 every dollar that she honestly owes her creditors, we 

 deem it inexpedient and unwise to make separate Hum- 

 iliations for State officers, and we declare hi favor of 

 hearty co-operation with all other citizens who sup- 

 port the candidates nominated by the Anti-Bourbon 

 or Liberal Convention held in the city of Richmond 

 June 2 and 3, 1881. 



5. That as Republicans we earnestly invite all other 

 Republicans to join their efforts with ours for the final 

 overthrow of Bourbon oppression, intolerance, and 

 tyranny hi the State of Virginia. 



The " Straight-outs " also rejected the con- 

 ference report, and voted down, 39 to 46, a 

 proposition to make nominations. They were 

 far from agreed among themselves, and held 

 another meeting the next day, at which the 

 following platform was adopted: 



Whereas, It is proper that when the people assem- 

 ble in convention they should avow distinctly the 

 principles of government on which they stand : now, 

 therefore, bo it 



Resolved, 1. That wo, the Republicans of Virginia, 

 hereby make a declaration of our allegiance and ad- 

 hesion to the principles of the Republican party of the 

 country, and our determination to stand squarely by 

 the organization of the Republican party ot Virginia, 

 always defending it against the assaults of all persons 

 or parties whatsoever. 



2. That, among the principles of tho Republican 

 party, none is of more vital importance to the welfare 

 and interest of the country in all its parts than that 

 which pertains to the sanctity of government con- 

 tracts. It therefore becomes the special duty and prov- 

 ince of the Republican party of \ irginia to guard and 

 protect the credit of our time-honored State, which 

 has been besmirched with repudiation or received with 

 distrust by the gross mismanagement of the various 

 factions or the Democratic party which have controlled 

 the legislation of tho State. 



3. That the Republican party of Virginia hereby 

 pledges itself to redeem tho State from the discredit 

 that now hangs over her in regard to her just obliga- 

 tions for moneys loaned her for constructing her in- 

 ternal improvements and charitable institutions, which, 

 permeating everv quarter of the Stato, bring fx-neflta 

 of far greater value than their cost to our whole po- 



