Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1855-06-30
U. s. natorship-.-f1on. = M. Macon.

q. 8. 6enatorship---H Hon. J. M. Mason.
There Is a scheme on foot by the polIt-
zeal wire-pullers, to succeed the Hon. Jas.
NJ. Mason in the United States Senate,
with Elk Governor Floyd, Of Washington
county, 1t is claimed tina, the trans-Alle-
ghany IS entitledto the next U. 5. Sena-
tor. The plan is to have Mr.. Mason sent
10 Englands and thus ease him out of the
way. We opine, however, that Gov.
Floyd's friends will find il more difficult
of accomplishing their object, even were
Mr.. Mason out OF the question, than they
have calculated. Were Mr.. Mason to ac.
cept commission to succeed Mr.. Buchan-
all, at the Court Of Queen Victoria, the
claims Of numerous distinguished members
Of the Democratic party would be urged
upon the Lrgislature-prominent among
whom would be the representative in Con-
gress from this District. But we have no
apprehension that Mr.. Mason, will be sent
to England or that there will be formidable
competition for his place. Mr.. Mason
has made most able and valuable Senate
rial representative. He has upheld the
dignity aud renawn of the old Dominion,
and proved himself u fearless exponent Of
the true State Rights doctrine Of the coun-
try. There is but one single act of Nj.
Masons legislative course of which we
disapprove, and that is his vote for the
Hunter Land Bill. That vote. as we'll as
the action OF Mr.. Hunter, was inexplica-
Bile to us at the time. Nor have we vet
been satisfied, nordo we ever EXPECT TO be
satisfied, that the necessity of the occasion
required such monstrous sacrifice of prin.
ciple as was involved in the Hunter Bill.
There was no apparent danger of the pas.
sage Of the Homestead Bill at the time; at
least so lar as W. knew. 1t was not
choice between two evils; but a proposi-
ton, doubtless made at the instance of
those who had not the nerve to crush a. a
single blow the pernlclous and arparian
movement OF the eleciioneering politicians
Of the country. Even had it been a COM
promise, urged by the necessity Of the oc
casion, we should have spurned it. We
are sick Of compromises. Compromise a
principle, and where is its vitality II
loses its moral power-it is divested Of The
potency OF right-lts effectiveness is ac
knowledged-and it does not appeal to the
honest judgment and patriotic i'm pulse with
the power Of Truth. When we contend
for principle, we want it in its purity and
as whole. We do not want Il manoled
and patched, aud tattered. We would
sooner see it crushed for the while. and
for corruption itself to rule; because "
would come forth from its entombment tl,k
brighter ana more powerful from its teri
porary defeat-haviDg by its inheren. viii.
tue, armed itself with double energy ami
effectiveness to the pure aud 1pripht'
statesman. II is shorn Of its strength and
its truth, whenever the elements of its
power are discovered, and the harmony Of
its parts disturbed. We would sooner
sink forever clinging TO the flagstaff of
Truth. than ride in triumph upon the
ruins OF Right. II you wink at Evil, you
insult Vi:tue-if you compromise with
Error. you iorsake Rights power-i,s
astractiveness. its potency, is abandoned.
But we do not purpose to discuss the
Hunter Land Bill. We merely designed
to say tina. tn. vote Mr.. Mason gave upon
that Bill surprised aud displeased US as it
did many OF hfs constituents. But MIR.
Mason, doubtless, viewed it in another
light, and was as honest in his approval as
we were in our condemnation. We do
not bring it up in complaint against him,
now, as we have no doubt the Hunter
Land Bill, will never see day light again.
Should it br resurfected, we promise to
lend our humble aid 10 dispose Of il final
~ and forever. We confide in Mr.. Ma.
sons patriotism. his Democracy and his
integrity, and it he desires to serve snoth.
er term in the position he has so ably fiji.
ed, we think it would be bad policy for
the party TO object. especially at this par.
ticular junrture in thr histoly OF politics.
What the Know Nothings intend to do
in the next Legislature, we are not pre-
pared even to conjecture. They would
hardly vote either for MIR. Mason, MIR.
Letcher, Mr. Floyd, Mr.. Faulkner. or
Mr.. Edmundson. 1t is quite likely they
will throw their votes on Gov. Smith, or
Mr.. Stuart. But we will see by-and.by,
the result.