Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1854-11-08
ISIS STAUNT0N:>-ss'
WEDNESDAY. xovrMoES s. 'S'''
rrAuhls. Of .ss Democracy.

The Richmond Enquirer OF Tho S's' "i''' Gun
asoce. an a.ticlo 81 follows
.syN. beljeyo the conviction is universal that sne
D,,,,.ra,c Marty of This State has not been IN 50
s.;,ic.l a condition since the great overthrow oil
1870 Tho ranks of the enemy are largely re-
.,ra;t.l from a variety Of sources, and, wnst Is
80 onr own strength is seriously impaired by
.no,hered spirit Of dsaffecton.'
The above ia frank confession OF the aPPrehen-
.;ao experienced by oar Democratic friends at the
present juncture Their perPlexl'y and alarm are
indseI distressing, but as the trouble is all In Inc
ta:njly outsiders can Do nothing to help them
THIS Enquirer proceeds to charge "that certain IN
,;yiadsls of the Democratic party ara engaged IN
\ olot''-H,rrible! What can it mean! Are We
20 have a"Ryellouse Plot" Do MIR. Wlse's OPP
p,nen,s contemplate assassination Or tmay be
.,C,nnpowder Plot. 10Y which the Democratic Con-
yeo,on and the whole party are to be blown up al
S,suo,on? Even So. 1.-The scheme is 10 introduce
in the approsching Convention, resolution con-
isnnatory Of Mr.. Hunters Land Bill" aid this
step. the Enquirer says, "will result IN rupture
and oossiby in hopeless defeat" Alas that should
be a.. but we fear that our Democratic neighoors
IF this county are Implicated in the 'Pl"t'" AT
,Aeir meeting to appoint delegates to the Conven'
lion. they adopted resolutions "condemnaiory oil
Mr.. Huater's Land Bill, and the delegates are
thus virtually instructed to make that question
,s., in the nomination of State ticket. They
declined to express their preference for Governor,
Ant they laid down platform Of principles Inns
vas very imprudent in our Democratic TRENDS
True there is an important principle involved In
tluo,er's Land Bill; the bill surrenders point
uoon which Virginia politicians have specially
D;onsd themselves but the harmony and success
Of the party are now in peril, and principle must
ret the go.by. The Enquirer'S plan is decidedly
jSdicous. The Convention Is not called To pre-
.cribe platform. but to nominate candidates y
By pursuing this course sundry troublesome ques-
lions besides Hunters Bill will be avoided
What principles the candidates entertain, is MAJ
ter not worth the trouble ofenqajring into @
The Lexington Star of the I'd inst. takes the
ann. view Of the subject as the Enquirer. 1t de-
useca,es the introduction Of Hunters Bill INTO Inc
Co,vention. Just as well, says the Star, intro
sss. resolutions in regard to Mr.. Guthrie'S tariff
Recommendations, or Mr.. Davis Pacific Railroad
sebeme. What, the Star asks, will the Coy
.-nor I,icutenan. Governor, or Attorney General
"bavs 70 do with Hunters Land Bill. or Guth-
rios Tariff Bill, or Davis Pacific Railroad
scheme 2" We'll, here are the three questions
soon which Wings and Democrats have been at
;,,ae--the Public Lands, the Tariff, and Internal
Improvements-and leading Democratic paper
discovers and confesses that they should not be
r.carded in the selection Of State officers. We
congratulate you, gentlemen, upon the discovery
We hone YOU will stand up to it. and who knows
but ,hat-Federal politics being thrown out o
view-your Convention may nominate some go"c
yybiq for the Office of Governor Surely yor
will not be influenced by the magic OF name
when YOU acknowledge that there is no principe
:, preyent. The Star, of course, would repudt
CT. the idea of nominating Wing, but no argu
ment can consistently be urged against 1t by those
Democrats. who, in order to hnrmonizo the party
would disregard all principle.