Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1854-06-05
Party Lines.

county elections. Our neighbors Of The
Spectator jump at the bait, and make i
the text for an appeal to Wings to rally
as one man to resist the encroachments of 4
party which is disposed to show them Nc
quarters that would grind them int
dust" These are expressions which
sound as though they had been reluctantly
,vrung from our innocent and persecutet
opponents, who heretofore had never per
mitted party feelings to influence them
and are now driven to the position they
occupy in self defence" As an origina
question, divested of extianeous circum
stances, we are not prepared 10 say tina
we would approve the drawing Of part,
lines in county Offices which are purel,
ministerial in their character. In TACT
the writer Of this, through another medi
um than these columns, at a former time
commended that it was best for candidate
for county offices to be placed upon thei
intrinsic merits before the people, ant
with them sink or swim. But when /
has become evident to the most casual oh
selvation that the Wings. while they or,
no party TO the Democrats, secretly appea
to the party preIudlces Of Wings and art
animated by party feeling, it IS necessar,
in "self defence" for Democrats to assume
distinct and unmstakable position. L
was from such considerations that we
made the announcement we did last week
and it is from such considerations that we
shall! endeavor to maintain that position. -
1t is useless to attempt to conceal the fac
that wings (and it vii. not be depied) did
make the o,...ee of Sheriff political in the
last election, while it was generally under.
stood b. Democrats that party was not tc
enter into the contest. 1t is true few
Democrats did rote from party influence,
but they did not elcctioncer upon party
grounds-not one single VOTE to our know
ledge was approached from party conside-
ratious. The Democrats were. deceived.
and it is to prevent a like result in future
that we contend for a strictly party issue.
The Spectators allusion 10 tie stake"
and the 'branda in the darkest days of
into!erant superstition as an illustration
OF the spiri, that dictated our remarks last
week, is mere elap-tfap to catch the sy IA
pathies of the unsuspecting. Such sen.
fences are nonsense, whose object the
merest ty,o can discern. 1t is true we
were animated by a spirit Of political re-
yenge for the gross deception that had
been praetieed on Democrats, when we
penned our article last week But the
spirit was engeudered by the practical ex-
hibition Of a political tyranny and malig-
nifty as intolerant as the spirit of religious
revenge which erected the stake" aud
'kiudled he brand" Wings approached
their fellow Wings on party grounds, and
knife the Democrats p They
approached Democrats, ard whispered, it
is not a party ISSUE, therefore vote for Col.
McCne, if you prefer him personally. In
this way Mr.. Baylor received nothing
like the party vote, AMI Col. McCue's sup
porters were nearly one-thrd Democrats.
These facts speak louder than,words; and it
is f.facts we must Judge. The Wings have
introduced the system, and we appeal 70
Democrats to stand to their party cclors,
and cripple the power that would stigma
tise them as "beggars. who must demean
themselves as such, and be content will.
the crumbs" that fall from the table Of the
Wings. The integrity and prosperity Of
the party demand this course. Therefore,
it should be the pride oe every loyal DEM
ocrat to struggle to uphold his own pow
er and interest, and crush the fell spirit Of
tavoritism that has ever existed with the
wings in this COUNTY. Democrats are as
good by nature as wings, and WI can see
40 reason why they are not placed in Off
CtS VI uOnOI du0 SIbOiuillclt. 1INCi} VI
flee i'll the county, heretofore, of any profit
has been held by wings, which is the
strongest evidence that party feeling and
prediction have animated them in such
selection. Shall til, mark on the capaci-
ty and honesty of Democrats longer exist
Shall those who have been born the peers OF
wings, ever remain "hewers of wood and
drawers of water?' Shall they by inaction,
tacitly admit that they are inferior in quail
iicaton to their opponents' We trust not.
We hope sense of seli-respect will nerve
them in every contest, and kindle within
them zeal that will never rest contented
until the County and its offices, are Dem.
ocratc-irretrievablv Democratic.
The issue has been forced upon Demo
Gratis. The announcement has long since
been made by prominent wing in this
county, and published in the Spectator
that il should be a war to the knife tina
Democrats should be held IN as utter con
tempt and disrepute as the iilthiest begga
who has ever staggered along our streets