Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1855-01-10
No. VIII.
From The alexandria Castle.
virginia Politics.

Ie ltseIf about lnt course Vi tHe U"6'
Virginia, in the coming contest for State Of
ficeIs. Whatever they 60, it may be as.
sured, will be "on fair feld'-and their
effort will be openly made against "an O.
pen foe" Nor need the Enquirer bope,by
Its exceptance of "challenge,' which It
thinks are thrown cur BY the public press.
and by addresses to the political predellc-
tions and associations Of the Wings, to in-
duce that tried, steady. faithful oand OF cit
izens to adopt policy. which would but
play into the hands of the dominant party.
and enable that party to continue in power
and place, and 10 perpetuate its doctrines
and policy. The Democratic party have,
under their old and regular organization.
nominated their candidates. This announ-
ces their determination to- administer the
affairs Of the State, under the system which
has prevailed for years IN Firginia-not
only deadly hostility 10 every Wbig meas
ure, to every Wing sentiment, TO every,
Wing principle, but rigorous excluslon OF
every man who has the courage and inde.
pendence 10 be Wbig, from every 9tilee
of honor, profit or trust in The State. REQ.
ple sometimes talk of '.ihe close political
corporation" that used 10 exist in the days
of Isaac Hill, and bis compeers, In New
Hampshire, when Wig there, was as
much excluded from any share IN the gov
ernment under which he lived, 10 support
which he was taxed, and 10 defend which
he would have been called on 10 sacrfic"
his life if he had been Hindoo or Hoi-
tentot when the Barons were all Demo-
Gratis, and the peasants and serfs all Whig'.
But was this state Of things very different
from the present condition Of affairs in our
own State, under the rule ofthe Democrat
lc dynasty, as settled and established Tor
the last few yearsl Is any Wing, no mat
ter what may be his qualifications, no mai
Ter how worthy he may be, no matter no"
useful he may be, or how much the inter-
est of the community may be advanced by
bis employment, allowed to receive an sp-
pontment from the Executive or any 9TH
er State source? How many Wbig Rail-
road Presidents, Directors, or Proxies are
there, the selection Of whom is given TO tho
Governor, and the Board Of Public Worksf
How many Wing Bank Directors ara cho-
sen by the Goyernori Nay, the exclusion
IS carried down to the Inspectors OF flour.
beef, pork, f>h, and guano-and no Wing
can claim to know as much about provis-
ions as his Democratic neighbor Nay.
still farther, due care is taken that even
The Visitors 10 onr Charitable Asy lums, and
10 our Universities and Educational lnsti.
tutions, have due preponderance OF the
right stripe, for fear that Wbiggery should
raise itself above ground, or presume to
show its face, IN the old Commonwealth.
where it has nearly equalled on several oe.
casions the vote of its rampant opponent.
An ostracism more complete-a taboo-lsm
more perfect. has seldom been seen in any
country claiming to have the forms OF free.
dom and to acknowledge the equality Of
all citizens under the law.
Now, does the Enquirer suppose that, in
this state OF the case, the Wings. by ally
possibility, can be csjoled into doing any,
M;ne which will contribute to fasten this
bondage upon them? If it docs, il is mis-.
taken; totally mistaken.
Nor are the Wings Of the State reconcil.
ed to this exclusion by the superiority ofany
of The measures of state policy adopted and
carried on by their political opponents.-
Whatever is good and best either in the pol.
icy of internal improvement, commerce, or
manufactures, has been forced upon them.
for the most part by the Wings, or obtain.
ed by long perseverance on the point Of the
great majority of the Wings; whatever is
most liberal in the constitution or laws has
been procured principally by the exertions
Of Wigs. The leaders Of the Democratic
party in Virginia have, in nine cases out Of
ten pursued standstll, do-nothIDg policy.
the fruits of which We experience in onr
day and generation, by seeing this glorious
state behind other states in power and great.
ness, when she ought 10 be the bright.
particular star" in the constellation Of our
Union. Up to this time, the leaders Of the
Democratic party have refused to let the
people have, Tor the education Of their poor
children, our share Of the proceeds Of the
public lands, 10 which We are lawfully and
Justly entitled. And this instance is but
one of many. wherein the true interests Of
the people have been sacrificed to mere
party considerations.
The first aim, as we'll as the first duty Of
the Wings, then. as political party, is TO
break dorn ihe political organization which
upholds the system we have described
If they have not the strength to accomplish
this, themselves, are they quietly to sue.
cumb, or, what is worse, help that organ,-
cation? We think The. Enquirer itself will,
if it throws off the character Of a partizan.
and meet us as friend face to face, answer
no! Ii is not to be expected even by The
Democrats themselves.
There is a great deal of talk about "fu.
sion," SC. We hold all this 10 be foreign
to the matter IN issue. There is a practi-
cal point of view OF this subject, which
practical men will take and act upon.
Suppose now-and We take supposi.
ton onIy-that wanting the strength to Of.
feet the most desirable political object in
their search-the prostraton of a political
system, which is hostile to them their in
terests, and their principles, the Wings,
some month or two hence, should have
presented to them as candidates for the
State officers, honest, capable men, who are
opposed to that system and organization,
and who will tear it up by the roots, and
enable them once more to have fair field,
and fair chance and determine to support
these candidates. Is the Enquirer to tell
US, or to iell the Wings, that they must not
vote for these candidates, because thew
have not been nominated by regular Whis
conventions? Does hot the Enquirer see,
that acting according to our supposition,
would not be contrary to Wing policy, or
rather to the policy which practical Wings
should adopt? Ignorant, unfaithful, incom.
petent men the Wings will not vote for
but, we repeat, honest, faithful, and espa.