The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-08-03
THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IN YIR-
GINA.

For the first time in the Virginia contest,
the Wells section of the Republican party has
| gained a moral advantage over the supporters
| of the Governor-elect. 1t has exhibited itself
| in the attitude of section anxious for the re-
| storation of cordial party relations with the
| Republicans from whom it separated in the
| election 1t has taken the first step towards
reconciliation and reunion. And the chair
| man of the Walker Committee has erred in not
| responding cordially and af1irmativey to the
proposition submitted by the executive of the
| Wells organization.
The Republicans of Virginia are divided,
! and the question to be answered is, Shall the
! division continue, OF shall 1t be healed, and
| party unity restored, now that the exciting
causes of mischief have passed away? No
thing can be gained by belittling the differ
! ences, or by pretensions to superior ortho-
doxy on either side That which challenges
attention is the fact of division, the respon-
! sibility for which must be borne quite as
much by those who perpetuate it as by those
| with whom it originated. 1t began with the
! Walker Republicans, and they can scarcely
afford to assume the odium incident to its
| continuance.
In the first instance. as this journal has
! steadily maintained, Mr.. Walker and his Re
| publican friends were justified in protesting
against, and in striving to defeat, the nomina-
! ton of Wells and his associates on a pro-
scriptive platform. There could be no genu-
inc reconstruction if the State Constitution
were ratified in the form adopted by the con-
| vention. And when the adherents of Wells
constructed a ticket involving the ratification
| of the Constitution in its entirety, test oath,
| disfranchisement andal a second Republican
| nomination became a necessity. The cleo
ton of Walker was the result-an election
all the more satisfactory because effected on
| a platform in harmony with the known
views of the President and the conciliatory
policy of the Republican party in other
States. The qualification afforded by the
event has been strengthened by the judi
cious declarations of the successful candi-
date He has availed himself of more than
one opportunity to assert the agreement of
his purposes with those of the administra-
ton. He has avOwed a determination to ad-
here to its policy, and to uphold in good
faith the results of reconstruction, regardless
of the efforts of the former enemies of both.
By adopting this course he dispelled many
fears, and awakened friendly interest in his
future as Governor of the State Whatever
confidence he has excited has, however, been
predicated upon the supposition that he will
| act in harmony with the Republican party.
He cannot claim identification with the ad-
ministration and at the same time cultivate
3 fellowship with its active opponents. His
+ title to the support Of the party whose policy
v he processes to approve will become invalid
the moment he proves Indifferent to the
l | guarantees of its endurance, which only Re-
= publican unity can afford.
g The ground gained by Walker since the
election was gained at the expense of Wells
and his adherents. Wrong in the construc-
l ton of their platform, wrong in the position
assumed during the canvass, the leading
2 friends of Wells put themselves still further
in the wrong, first by impugning the popular
verdict next by threatening its reversal on
f the floor of Congress. Their action in this
} respect seemed to reveal an intolerant fac
I tiousness, which made us more grateful for
their defeat. But wiser counsels have within
the last few days prevailed. The newspaper
exponent of the defeated ticket, yielding
t perhaps to the almost unanimous Judgment
of the party throughout the country in favor
3 of Walker, suddenly modified its tone, and in
S a quiet way accepted the situation. 1t became
: evident not only that there would be no fur
f ther factious opposition on the part OF the
= Wells men, but that they were preparing tc
, abandon their separate organization and con
4 solidate anew with those from whom they hac
been temporarily separated
q This purpose, prudent and honorable
i as itseems to us, had expression il
| the letter addressed by John w
9 Jenkins Chairman of the Wells Committee
: to Dr. Gilmer Chairman of the Walker Com
: mittee. In this communication MIR. Jenkln
attributed the division to difference OF OPP
: Mon as to men rather than any substantla
@ variance as to principles. Believing, as mos
V of us do, that the future prosperity OF tn
e State depends upon the organization OF 1t
- government Gin harmony with the admins
= tration of General Grant and the policy OF tn
= Congress of the United States and the grea
e Republican party of the country, he Suggest
the propriety of uniting the two wings of tn
e Republican party, ''and establishing nber'
% Republican organization, in whose ranks a
If who really love the Union may JOIN, whethe
e they may have been buttoned in the grey orth
|. blue" With the view of etfeetlng thls COZ
II solidatiOn, he proposes practical measure ~
d and invites the concurrent action OF Tue o'lS
IL committee. All this is admirable Inc o.
10 iect sought is as creditable as the temper
D. which it is approached. And speaking III " "
N half of more than a hundred Thousand hePv5,
II lican voters, the weight attaching 10 MI
n jenkins proposition cannot be quesuoneu'
Of DIR. Gilmer's response, we regret 70 say,
it much less satisfactory Ignoring Ihe n'i
,d dred thousand voters for Weus' every cne ,
ye whom is Republican, he 'cahnot auLiliV w ~
is the party is divided lie IhslsVS ?, .haV , u
rant-Walker party is the Natlona hePuDl PuI;
Id can party of Virginia, representing inc Pohc
~ Of The President and of Congress, and as sue
~ hos no division to heal" He alludes to tn
an Endorsement of Republican principles by IL
no white men of the State, and complacently II
,d vites the Wells wing to swell their ranl
al without more ado. We cannot applaud III
70 attitude thus assumed by DIR. Gllmer. 1t
ad in effect a rejection of the proposition sui
nd mitfedto him--aproposit beitremembere
iii for a reunion of two sections OF Republican
~; ond tbe formation of ''liberal Republica