The Passing of a Congressman
August 11, 1894
Summary
An incumbent in Virginia’s 3rd Congressional District is defeated in the Democratic primary, creating disunity in the party.
Transcription
The Democratic element in this district is anything but united, and the indications are that there will be a spirited contest ahead.
The overwhelming victory of Col. Tazewell Ellett in the Democratic primary on the 2nd inst., leaves many sore-headed Democrats who would like to apply the [unintelligent] to his successful lordship.
It is plainly evident, too, that Hon. George D. Wise, the defeated aspirant for reelection is not in the best of humor if we are to accredit the newspaper statement that he declared he would not throw his delegation in favor of any one man. The voters of this Third Congressional District are sick of Democratic inactivity and propose to rebuke the policy of “do nothing”.
It is plainly evident, that there is a deep under-current in the Democratic ranks which will tend to a permanent disruption of that organization unless something radical is done to check it.
Discontent and hard times are everywhere apparent, and the dominant party is rightly held responsible for it.
The retiring congressman has been a partisan of the worst stripe and rewarded his benchmen to the detriment of the cause he represented. He was confident of being returned to congress at least so far as a Democratic convention was able to have him returned, but his hopes have been blighted, and he returns to the bosom of his friend in Washington, no doubt with tears in his eyes and bitterness in his heart. He can now sing with a realing sense of its full force:
“I was Democratic congressman in eighteen ninety-three,
I voted for the Wilson Bill, to set the people free,
And now I heard a new song, they sing it every day.
The chorus is, I’m going home, I’m goin’ home to stay”
The overwhelming victory of Col. Tazewell Ellett in the Democratic primary on the 2nd inst., leaves many sore-headed Democrats who would like to apply the [unintelligent] to his successful lordship.
It is plainly evident, too, that Hon. George D. Wise, the defeated aspirant for reelection is not in the best of humor if we are to accredit the newspaper statement that he declared he would not throw his delegation in favor of any one man. The voters of this Third Congressional District are sick of Democratic inactivity and propose to rebuke the policy of “do nothing”.
It is plainly evident, that there is a deep under-current in the Democratic ranks which will tend to a permanent disruption of that organization unless something radical is done to check it.
Discontent and hard times are everywhere apparent, and the dominant party is rightly held responsible for it.
The retiring congressman has been a partisan of the worst stripe and rewarded his benchmen to the detriment of the cause he represented. He was confident of being returned to congress at least so far as a Democratic convention was able to have him returned, but his hopes have been blighted, and he returns to the bosom of his friend in Washington, no doubt with tears in his eyes and bitterness in his heart. He can now sing with a realing sense of its full force:
“I was Democratic congressman in eighteen ninety-three,
I voted for the Wilson Bill, to set the people free,
And now I heard a new song, they sing it every day.
The chorus is, I’m going home, I’m goin’ home to stay”
About this article
Source
Location on Page
Lower Left Quadrant
Topic
Contributed By
Carlos Serrano
Citation
“The Passing of a Congressman,” Black Virginia: The Richmond Planet, 1894-1909, accessed February 19, 2026, https://blackvirginia.richmond.edu/items/show/1501.