Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1869-06-01
No Difference.

speech of Col. Gilbert c. Walker at Liberty,
in Bedford county. We have been anxious to
know whether it can be true, as is alleged in
some quarters, that there is no difference be-
tween Walker and Wells.'' This may easily
be gathered by comparison of the temper and
tone of their respective speeches before the
people. The first expression in COL Walkers
speech at Liberty which attracted our atten-
ton was this: 4 constitution Uhich acas
framed IN iniquify, and ao7s,ch noa by aniiqui-
tous measures, as sought to be forced upoa u.s. !"
We have never heard any such language as
this from Wells. On the contrary he urged
the submission of the constitution unaltered
upon the Reconstruction Committee of Con-
gress; the Petersburg Convention endorsed
the sentiment IN one of the resolutions Of its
platform; Lewis Lindsay and the EbeneZer Club
re-echoed it on Thursday last; and Governor
Wells when called on the other day at meet
ing In nelghborlng county, refused to answer
whether he would vote to strike out the test
oath or not
Speaking of the views expressed by the
President with regard to the proscriptive clauses
of the constitution and the county organization
article, Gel. Walker remarked that with these
struck out it was thought by the citizens who
waited on the President-and he agreed with
them-that we could live under this constitu-
ton, and By tuture amendments, could so I'M
prove 1t as finally to make it aol,at itshoud be-"
Here is full committal to the idea of hereafter
amending this paper, and making it 'sohat at
should be. Col. Walker then speaks of ''the
great surprise which he experienced, and his
profound regret when he learned that the
County Organization article had not been In
cluded by the President in the clauses to be
separately submitted
He then indicates how be proposes to have
the Constitution modified hereafter" He
tells the people of Bedford that by securing the
State ticket and the Legislature, "You may
proceed at once to propose such amendments
to the constitution as will clear it of its
dangerous characteristics. The county organize
tion need necer be enforced. IF [ am elected,
with Legislature not Radical, IT NEVER WILL
BE PUT IN OPERATION"
Has Governor Wells uttered language like
this? Will he see that the county organza-
ton article is never put in operation Has
he ever said one aoord against this article?-
Have we not reason to believe that he is for it {?
Hear Col. Walker again "For four years
chaos and confusion have ruled in Virginia.
You people Of Bedford, have perhaps, not
suffered as much as we Of Eastern Virginia
| from, thGt foul refuse which the North has, as
| it were, vomlted over our country TO distract
and devour it. 1t is your duty and pol
| icy to rally as one man to do what is in your
power to seize hold of the State government in
every department. Then the curse of these
fatteners upon your substance vii be removed.
And not till then"
This certainly would be strange language in
the mouth of Governor Wells He would tell
Us that he and his army of carpet baggers were
anything else than foul refuse vomited forth
| by the North to fatten upon Virginia
| OF the proscrip;iye clauses of the constitu-
ton Colonel Walker says: The day for dis
Embellishments, and for test-oaths, and for all
other odious and damnable tyrannies has passed
in this country But Governor Wells is for
the Constitution Gs 1t is-certainly was-and
will not now tell US how he is going to vote on
the test-oath.
| OF himself Colonel Walker said II have
come among you bringing my household gods
come among you to live. cannot pack up my
things in carpe. bag and leave in the twink
| ling of an eye. " hat affects you, affects me-
| Our interests arc Identical IF the government
is good I am benefited IF the government is
bad / have to endure its evils It is my high
est earthly interest that Virginia should pros
| per, and should be so reconstructed that we all
may live happily and tremendously under her
sway" This has an entirely different sound
| from the carpet-bag literature.
| To the coored people Col Walker said -
| The colored men are generally the employed
the white men the employers. Is there any
hope for the former, or the latter, if feuds and
dstrust are to reign between the two. L tell
| you, colored men, that those who are opposed
to US, those who seek to inhame you against
your old masters and your cid friends, are urg-
ing you against your truest interests. Such
people are not only the most deadly enemies Of
their own race, but they are the worst foes you
have. Let me warn my coiored friends
not to sacrifice their old friends for new enc
mics. Avoid these people They are sewers
of dscord, they are your foes, they are mine,
they are traitors to their race aud humanity
This too is not In the Wells vein BY no means.
1t would not please the Ebenezer Club
| It is between Wells and one who speaks IN
this way that the people Of Virginia have to
elect IN this gubernatorlal contest. One Of
these parties perambulates the State with a
carpet-bag on his battle-fag, addressing crowds
of negroes, and having gentlemen like Beverly
Douglas beat his former slaves; and the other
goes out and speaks like a Virginia gentleman
to Virginia gentlemen, telling them that he is
not only against the test-oath and the dlsfran-
chising clauses, but characterizing the whole
constitution as Framed in iniquity taking
| ground against the county organization article,
and declaring that IF he is elected, it will new
er be put into operation and pointing out
how we can get rid Of it by securing the Leg
lsiature and having al amendment submitted
are other similar amendments which it will de-
volve on the Legislature to submit to the peo-
pie.
Is there mo difference?' Is it candid to
say there is mo difference Is it wise to act
| on the theory that there is mo difference" p
| Enquirer.
1t is said that the controversy, in relation to
the 'rtuallstic movements in the Protestant
Episcopal Church, is of such nature, as is
likely to eliminate in ''separatlon' Of some
kind--as the points in despute have now passed
beyond form and ceremonies and relate to diff
| ferences Of doctrine and principles.
The Chicago Times prints vigorous protest
! against ritualism, signed by pr. Tying, DR..
Uanheld, and other clergymen OF the Episcopal
Church, as we'll as by large number of laymen.
call has also been issued for an anti-ritualist
convention to be held in Chicago on the 10Th
Of June
With those persons who really have 10 choice
between Walker and Wells it seems useless to
argue. They have touched that point of moral
paralysis and Indifference from which they are
to be reused otherwise than by argument. If
they alone were to be affected by the bitter ex-
perlence which their conduct tends to bring to
all OF US, it would not be so lanentable but still
1t would be pitabe, since it clearly results from
a species ofinsanity. We have all read those
horrible ageQpnts of ship-Wrecked crews in
WHICH the suffering and privatoa produced
madness among those who manned the life
BOAT, that tempted the unhappy victims to self
destruction and the destruction of their COM