The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1867-10-23
rAs Crest struggle.

We do not believe there is any justification
for ! great fare up here in the South yet
awhiie. The elections which have just taken
place showed very great changes in the rela.
tive strength of.parties but the ccstssts IN 81
we're 50 very close that > small vote will turn
the scale The Democratic State ticket in
Pennsylvania triumphs BY fraction Of :
thousand in near coo, 900 votes, while the
great falling Of in the Radical aggregate,
which is not accounted for by q comparative
gain on the Democratic side, leaves . large
vote to be brought forward in future elections,
to be cast how Ne know not. The same may
be said of Ohio.
A point to which No may especially direct
attention is the fact that possibly 90, 600 votes
cast gninst negro suffrage in Ohio were
given to HAYES for Governor, aud therefore
were cast in favor Of the Radicals aud their
measure Of equal suffrage Of sohite and black
IN the South. This being the great matter
at issue with us, We see little present comfort
with regard toit from Ohio. In Pennsyl-
yania NO direct question touching negro suf-
frage was put to the vote.
In our opinion, the State elections which
have recently occurred are but the beginning
Of the struggle, and great deal or heavy
work is yet to be done BY the party opposed
to that Of tyranny and oppression, now pre-
dominant. "a m M
The Radicals are greatly startled BY these
elections and are exerting themselves like
beavers to close up their columns and band to-
geather for the conflict that is to come. They
are sloughing dangerous side issues. They
will not open the negro suffrage question
within their own States, and, from the iucon-
sistent voting Of the Ohio constituency, We
may infer that an immense number Of north
ern people, while opposed to acknowledging
the equality of the black man with the white
in their own bailiwick, deem it proper to
force that equality here in the South. The
Radical leaders evidently believe that this is
the case, and while in none of their letters or
speeches do they favor the abatement Of one
jot Of the congressional reconstruction, they
show disposition to withdraw from pressing
manhood suffrage at the North, and SO to
modify their general principles and policy on
national finances and policies, as to diminish
the dangers Of discord and disaHection in
their ranks.
41OW tACy WILL SuCCCCu AVM&Au0 w Nc oSSu'
But certainly the South should not be hasty.
There is yet really no turn in their road
Certainly that turn will come-assuredly the
inconsistent and grossly unjust action Of the
northern people, which proposes to compel US
to submit to things they Indignantly reject
cannot be maintained. It must ultimately
fail. and the States must be upon an equality
as members, of the United States. But We
must, Of necessity wait, for this with patientcc'
We cannot hasten it by any act Of ours. It
will come quicker, from quiet discreet, and
dignifed demeanor than from an essay to do
something to hasten it; while, from our utter
helplessness, we can do nothing.
We repeat, the struggle is just begun, and
the present result, or for two years to come,
is by no means certain. Bound hand and foot,
it is idle for us to Dc more than await the
issue Of events, until we are permitted to =
participation in the National Government as
we'll as to control our own local concerns
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