The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1866-07-13
One PartY-NOt Three.

philosophical letter writer, addressing
Northern paper, has announced the fact (?l
that there are three parties in this State,
which he Classics as follows: The Repub-
licans, led by JOHN MINOR Boris; the Ma
tional Unionists, led by ALEXANDER H. RIvEs;
and the Democrats, led by Messrs. STUART
and BALDWIN.
This is all rigmarole. The immortal BoTTs
has no party-unless it be party of ghosts
to lead He died many years ago, and has
very neat headstone above his remains, in
scribed with one significant word-"neutral-
ty." He is a creature of the dead past-him-
self as dead as julius CRsAR--but without
the least possible chance of stopping any
political chink with his degenerate clay.
As for Mr.. RIvEs, he also belongs to the
fossils but is very different specimen from
Boris. If, by "National Unionists," we are
to understand that bis putative party consists
of those who refused to follow the fortunes
| of Virginia, we can assure our letter-writing
De TocoUEvILLE that they are in a woful
minority.
As for the Democratic party, that, as such,
died among us when the ordinance of seces-
sion was ratified We obliterated old party
remembrance buried old party tomahawks,
and discarded old party feuds, asperities and
traditions, forever nd-a-day.
Nor is this all. Indeed, the late address
issued by the Democratic members of Con-
gross shows very clearly that, instead of going
back to old party names and organizations,
the people are going forward to new Ones
Let the dead past of parties bury its dead.
For our part, we look upon the popular con-
currence in this view of the necessities of our
position as one Of the most cheering indica-
tons of the hour
1t shows that the people are in earnest;
that they have risen above old prejudiees, and
are determined to address themselves to the
duties of the present, without bothering their
heads about the traditions of the past But,
while such is our conviction, we deem it a
duty to point out to our readers the fact that
nothing could be more disastrous to us, than
to tolerate the array of parties in our present
| condition.
/ There is but one practical issue before us,
and that is, the restoration of the State to her
Federal relations without dishonor, and with
| the least possible abatement of her right to
the unrestricted management of her internal
affairs. Herein we have platform enough for
all honest men to stand on. Honorable resto-
ration is the paramount question just now;
and in comparison to it, all others sink into
insignifcanee 1t is to them what JosEPH's
sheaf was to the sheaves of his brethren. We
can very well understand, however, that poll
ticians, both living and defunct wish to d.
vide our solid columns by the memory Of
past warfare The motive which animates
them, as in the case of HANG EN- Boris, is
very plain they desire an opportunity tC
fill their small baskets with the oaves and
fishes of party spoils, and to have party spoils
they must have parties. 1t requires no pene-
tration to understand their object; but the
men who could permit themselves to be thus
used, would be richly entitled to wear the
head piece which ornamented BoTToM, the
weaver, and to listen to the persuasive elo-
quence of their partisan champions, each one
with the ears of an ass Knowing this, the
people now gravtate towards one party; let
us see that We are wortbily represented in its
organization.