Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1854-06-07

For The Spectator.

rOf We SpecLdlU.
Are we Dogs to be spurned and Spit Upon
Ipropound this question in all seriousness TO the
Wings Of Augusta, and ask them to ponder it
well. Certain unmistakable signs Of the times
| leave no doubt Of the disposition and purpose,
Of the leaders Of the democratic party, where
ever they have the power, TO trample under foot
their political opponents. speak not merely of
political offices, where we have not the right to
| complain, il tley outnumber and beat US by fair
and. bunofablc means-because there it is natural
that ulen should support those who represent their
political opinions-but ] speak OF that yuiture-
| like rapacity which seeks to devour every thing
that comes. in its way. No man can doubt, who
hasbeen an observer of events IN our midst for
the past few months, that the leaders OF the demo-
cratic party have resolved to appropriate to
themselves every office, where they have the
power TO reach, it. 1t matters not what 1t IS, or
| how well ii has sbeen filled and Its duties DIS
charged, if the incumbent be Wing, and lean
lank, hungry democrat wants it, the Wing must
walk the plank to make room for him. It's only
a question of power, and Of party expectancy. IL
Nhig is shared it is not for his own merits rs a
man or a officer, but because party interest does
not demand his removal. A spirit has been ex-
hibited here on more than one occasion lately,
which leaves not doubt on my mind, that if par
ty purpose could be advanced by it, private rights
and private property would be unscrupulousy lnva-
ded. i'll chance to be successful merchant,
mechanic, lawyer or doctor, what thanks do owe
the leaders OF the democratic party for not taking
me by the nape Of the. neck, and pitching me head
long out Of my store. shop or office, and putting
In my pace one of their own stripe2 None what
ever The strongarm of the law protects me,
and not their sense of right.
We have what seems 10 be an instance OF party
rancour of recent occurrence In our midst, OF such
brazen faces unscrupulous affrontery, that it is
absolutely disgusting. Officers in the humane
and noble christian charities located here
the Asyums for the afflicted of our race-have
hitherto been deemed sacred from the whitening
touch of party, and the pollutng breath of polit-
cal anmosty. Are they to continue so? The
fact is heraded to the world in the last number OF
the democratic organ here that without cause,
the democratic Board of the Deaf Mute and Blind
ASYLUM, by unanimous vote refused to reap
point DR.. Waddell the physician to the lnstitu-
ton, and put in his place another. DR.. Wad.
dell is a Wing, DR.. Fuqua Democrat.
do not intend to to draw an invidious compar-
ison between Drs. Waddell and Fuqua. The
former is and has been during his professional life
one of the most eminent and popular men of his
profession in the Valley of Virginia. He has
been the physician of this Asylum from its organ
izaton, at the trihing salary of some 5000 year,
and has always discharged its duties successfully
and to the entire satisfaction of every one inter
ested. Yet without one whisper plant from
mortal man, this Board held meeting-after
night have heard-on the evening of the late
election for Sheriff, when one of their party lead
ers was defeated, and (the indicator says,) by
tod I0r IN fha
held up to that time by DR.. Waddel. | intend
no disrespect to DR.. Fuqua. and would not dspar
age him. He is gentleman and may be most
skllful in his profession but we do not know it.
He is stranger here, but recently come amongst
US is young unmarried man, and without one
hundredth part Of the experience Of DR.. W.
Many of the inmates of the Asylum are females,
making it obviously proper that the physician
should be married man, rather than democrat.
The Board may know more of DR.. F. than do, |
and he may be altogether worthy of the station
do not intend to say that he is not-and still it |
does not excuse the motives of the Board If has
politics governed their votes | do not undertake |
to say that any member of that Board would not
enirust the treatment of his wife, sister, mother |
or child TO their appointee, in case OF extreme
illness, but lay 1t down as sound proposition,
that as a member Of such board, the man who
will vote TO appoint as physician to attend upon
the poor blind and deaf and dumb children in the
Asylum, any one on merely political grounds,
whom he would be unwilling should attend
member of his own family in sickness, would be
unworthy of his position in the board, OF of assc-
citation with gentlemen. | hold that a visitor Of
that Institution, who would deliberately, and on
mere party grounds without regard to professional
qualifications, vote for any man TO attend the sick
bed and administer medicine to those poor little
children. in whose hands he would not risk his
own case, is actuated by the spirit of a murderer
make no personal application of these remarks
to any member of that Board. unless he Is con-
scious of the actuating motive | denounce. 1t
merely political considerations governed their ac-
ton they deserve public denunciation, and uni |
versa condemnation. If party rancour controls
the actions of men in such stations, it is time the
country knew it. Such spirit Of fierce intole.
rancy lighted the fagot of persecution, and filled
the dungeons of the Inquisitiou with victims; and
unchecked would do it again. II strikes at the
very foundation of society, in seeking to degrade
one portion of it. by total exclusion from office,
and to create governing class, with but one SIN
gle qualifcaton-par,y fidelity. Such spirit
we should resolve to resist even if it became ne
cessary to proclaim, "wnr to the knife" Two
can play at that game, and we can at least par
tally protect ourselves by RESISTANCE.