Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1867-06-20
FREE PRESS.
Parties in the South.

No pains will be spared to organize Radl-
cal party in the South. The success that has
attended the efforts of the engineers of ruin IN
Washington, who have revolnhonlzed the poll
tics of that city, win encourage them to push
their conquests south of the Potomac. Already
the draRt co,giers of the party have been q.
mong us, and the result Is that secret poiitica'
societies called Union Leagues, United Brothers
&c, are now organized in ourmidst. we have
had some slight mixing Of their doings, ana
doubt not thatthey expect to poll large vote
in Virginia.
In this city there are, perhaps, some half
dozen white Radicals, including Federal Office
holdeS; though we are not sure that there are
even that number. They keep pretty quiet
and do their work in the dark. They know
that they can find no sympathizers among the
respectable white population, and therefore, 1t
may be presumed they work upon the colored.
They may labor 10 excite the prejudlces OF this
class against their former rulers and seek to
induce them 10 vote en- DaGsse for the Radical
party. But even here the influence OF their
teachings may, to some extent. be counterac'ed'
We are not without hope that it will be, al
though orr people are giving themselves very
little trouble about Federal politics, so lar as
the moulding Of new parties Is concerned.-
They seem content TO let things take their
course. except that they are uncompromlslngly
hostile to the Radicals, for, as a gentleman re-
Gently said to us in Alabama, "A Nirglnian
must fall great way, before he can accept
such uncongcnial companions. And such Is
the fact. No true Virginian-a man who cher-
ishes tie history and traditions Of his people,
will consort with men who are doing all that
in them lies. TO degrade us even below the leve!
of those who were once our slaves. lie cannot
affiliate with party acknowledging the lead OF
Thaddeus Stevens, Charles Sumner, and Gov.
Boutwell,.
In this matter we speak not as party man:
! We have no party. We are neither Radical
nor Democrat Never were the latter, and
/ shall certainly never be the former. Our aver
sion to the Radical party is not, therefore, on
! account of It's having overthrown the Democ-
racy-an end which we labored for years TO ac-
/ complish. We hate it because II has over
/ thrown the Constitution Of the country and
/ erected n military despotism in ten States. II
/ has made record that will be read with shame
| by all honest men when the passions that have
/ been excited by the late unhappy war shall
! have subsided or passed away. The time is
coming-it is not far distant, when Southern
rhen. at least, will blush to own that they ever
gave it countenance. 1t will be hung in chains
of everlasting mfaDy. We, therefore, warn
all aspiring men to shun it as they would a
| leprosy. or the deep taint will remain aplague-
! spot upon them while they live.
1t may be said that the Democracy is
dead" and we trust it is but the conservative
masses Of this country will rally under some
other name and finally overwhelm the authors
of our national degradation. Let us, OF the
South, keep clear of all tho existing parties,
holding ourselves IN readiness 70 act with any
pa.ty. for the time being, that viii take the
| Constitution for It's guide and hold union OF
the States, upon terms Of equality, to be the
supreme good. This is our platform now, and
it is one that we were always content to stand
upon.-Lynchbtrg VrginiGn.