Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1868-11-03
THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.
Views of Hon. James Lyons-Spirit Of the
National Democratic Committee.
LABURNUM, Oct. %, 1868.

y
National Democratic Committee
LABURNUM, Oct. %, 1868.
To the Editor of the Wing: GOES
Being informed that certain persons had come
to Richmond from New York, stating that the
Democrats in New Y ork had given up the con-
test for the Presidency, wrote to the Execu-
tive Committee of the National Democratic
party in New York, asking for information up
on the subject. enclose you the reply, which
you may publish if you think that it will serve
to give better tone to the shattered nerves of
those Of our friends who, having shouted too
loud before the late elections, are now out of
breath, and demoralized Recollecting that
upon more than one occasion in our former par
ty contests, Pennsylvania has voted with one
party at the local elections in October, and for
the Presidential candidate of the other in No
vember; seeing what noble fight the Conser-
vatves of the North and West have made, un-
der the Democratic organization, for constitu-
tional liberty; regarding it as probably the last
peaceful contest for that once holy cause; and
considering the enormous iniquities and op-
pIeSStoHS We nluot oil, NOrtH anu OOutu, Gu
dure, until some master spirit shall appear
above the storm and quell it, giving us peace
with just protection of life and property, | do
not despond s t!t
The men of the North and West can avert
all these evils, and secure to themselves as we'll
as US the blessings OF a peaceful and constitu
tlOnal Government; and there is too much in
telligence and patriotism among them not to do
so. For, although their warfare against us was
''the very error of the moon, yet with all the
good men among our adversares-and there
was host of them-it sprang from patriotic
impulse, misguiding and deluded them, under
the cry ,wickedly raised by others, of the
Union the Union the life Of the nation i
They must be preserved and the flag must be
defended!' When those men are told as they
now are, that that cry was wizards watch
word and lie; that the Union has not been
preserved that the flag was not in danger !;
and that they were made to fight for negro su-
premacy and the privilege of plumber, not to
preserve, but to destroy constitutional liberty
they will turn their victorious arms upon their
new adversaries, and give assurance to the
world that they, at least, were sincere and pa
triotic, and slew their brethren because they
believed it necessary to the defence Of their
mother . 81 G8et 81
General Grant could have fulfilled their mis-
sion noby if he had been one of them If,
when he said ''let us have peace he had
meant peace under the Constitution, peace with
equal rights and just laws, the South, who had
her bruised arms hung up for monuments,
and sabres into pruning hooks converted, -
would have received him joyousy, and bound
his victorious brow with Presidential bays.
But, in the lust Of power and the intoxica-
ton of success, unlike the noble Decatur, with
whom his country was always first, he forgot
his country proclaimed himself the instrument
Of surging majorities and became the leader of
Radlcallsm, which Is enmity to peace, liberty
and law. .t
Can good and just men require any new in
centlve for resistance to such Captain and his
| host? IF they do, let them read the report of
the independence Beige, in which (if it speaks
| truly he declared that the people of the North
| had decreed the emancipation OF the negro, and
his political and social equality with the white
man, and it was the duty of the army to en-.
force the decree.
If these be really the opinions of General
Grant, the human imagination can depict moth
ing in the nature OF government more horrible
| than ours will be. The fate of the Caucasian
damsel, in the seragho of the Turk, is not as
bad. Surely there is incentive enough, not on
! ly to continued, but increased exertion, in the
mere hopes of escaping such government.
| But this is not all. No country can long
bear the taxation to which we are subjected
without ruin The stamp act of Great Britain,
against which our forefathers, North and
| South, revOlted, was a. gentle balm compared
with the stamp act OF free" America. To
prove this, a single illustration will suffice. The
| Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad Company, for
the purpose of completing that great work up
on which SO much OF the future prosperity, il
not existence, of middle and Northern Virginia
| depends, have authorised loan of $4,000
| 900, and before 1t can record the mortgage to
secure the loan, and therefore, before 1t receiues
q single dollar, 1t must pay $4,000 to the Fed
erdI Government! Can any people live under
government which thus Expresses and re-
presses every effort to develop and improve
the country?
| Instead Of whining over the Northern cleo
tons, | hope that every Democrat, or, if any
be mawklsh about name, every Conservative,
will grid his loins anew, and instead of exciting
the North and the negroes by continued and
unjust abuse OF the latter, appease the one, and
Go justice to the other by rendering impartial
suffrage to them, and with increased ardor and
undismayed, renew the fight for ''our lives our
fortunes, and our sacred honor for our affairs
and our women.
1t Is not too late, even now, to rally our men
and bring them to the Presidential polls, upon
these issues, and | hope you will do So The
President has forbidden the army to interfere
| to prevent them, and | am sure that the gallant
gentleman who commands in Virginia will obey
the order, and whether MIR. Wells shall certify
the election or not is matter Of small moment
to any except himself.
Respectfully,
JAMES LYONS.