The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1870-03-10

lid not believe MI Editor that you COLD have
been so inconsistent, so false to conservatism,
and so dishonor your shigh vocation as to
malign men having shown knowledge of
their duty and an honest effort to perform it,
and, therefore, we are disposed to acquit you
of such an ignoble act, for, VIC fear, did the
public know nlis, it might impair your pros
poets for the Office Of County Superintendent
for which you SO modesty offer yourself. Yet,
we confess, we were somewhat surprised at
the tone of your article. at its deep seatedand
ineradcable luminosity to all that is 'tl6es'dt
whilst protesting conservatism that under
this garb are concealed the distorted features
of the worst and most intense form of radi-
calisn- that peculiar form of radcalism that
is virulent and dangerous, opposed to the best
interests Of the Nation, teand church and
which would carry US, by its innate violence,
into dire confusion and revolution. 1t is that
spirit which has hitherto brought upon US
untold evils, and wherever it exists now en-
genders prescription, iliberalism and danger
and we cannot too strongly reprohate and avoid
it, This is the spirit that crops out in your
article and revives the bitter memories Of the
past. 1t may pander to the taste, and please
the fancy Of the Ill assorted few, but to the
many bent on the welfare and prosperity Of
the State il is ill-timed and disgusting.
The great crime charged against the Office
Holders is not incompetency, not corruption,
dishonesty nor unfaithfulness, but simply that
we held Office under the military authorities
That is, without desiring or seeking it, We
accepted an Office, prcGGered to US. All Of US,
with one Or two EXCEPTIONS promptly refused
to take Office and it was only after the most
earnest and repeated solicitation from the
most prominent men in the community that
we could be induced to accept at all. We
Yielded, however, to the demands thus made
upon u.s. not from any honor or emolument to
be derived from the office which we were un-
fortunate enough to Hold for it was barren Of
both not from any hostility to the State, nor
any want Of sympathy with the people of the
county. But the leading and only naotive
with us was, to promote and protect the com
mon interests Of the county; to prevent more
Objectionable men being thrust upon the peo-
pie to keep the Offices cut Of the hands of
the negro and the irresponsible et-bag-
ger" and thus give us peace and security to
your property and our own. We, and our ad-
yisers, honestly believed, that We were confer
ring benefit upon the people of the county
by thus acting, and had we believed otherwise,
under no circumstances could we have been
induced to take the Improbable offices and
subject ourselves to the yillifcation and con
| tbo hropa nnI colIopf .1,,fc
who displayed their fierce contempt for the
Yankee in Bomb proofs and who let their
burning patriotisna ooze out in the g ground
hog artillery" Who are 50 factious, brave
and relentless rs these gallant defenders Of
their country's honor? You have doubtless
observed that the soiled and battle worn vet
Gran was always liberal and magnanimous in
sentiment, but the T" Bomb proof" man, who
snuhed the battle from affair." was ferocious
ly radical ard relcntlessly proscriptive. To
draw upon you, by "honest effort :" and eff
cheney in duty, the contempt and enmity of
these creatures, is an honor that We don't de-
serve If actuated by such motives and per-
suaded, yea, almost forced to take Office, by
responsible and high principed men, be a
crime for which we should be prescribed,
then indeed we are guilty. But we were
told by these Gentlemen in urging our ac-
ooptance, thst, it was an imperative duty we
owed to the county, to take the Offices offered,
and that we. would prove rccrcapt to it and
false to the welfare Of the county, il iu the
g hour CT need " we failed to respond to the
demands Of the people. Under such infuen-
ces we reluctantly consented to act. We be
lieved it was an unenviable position, that men
Of strong prejudices and unlimited bitterness
would curse at and denounce Us. That we
would be derided by some incapable Of dis
eliminating between a principle of duty and
morbid sentiment We believed that we
would be maligned however efficiently and
faithfully we performed our duties, and your
article is the best evidence of the correctness
of our estimate. But we. are happy in the
knowledge that this illnatured spite is confn-
ed to small class of politicians of contracted
views and mean spirit. We were also told
that you prosoriptiye Gentlemen /" did mot
represent public opinion" and we were even
innocent enough to believe it then and cold
enough to believe it now and thus assured, we
are at a loss to conceive hoy we have "mis
represented the people" That,we were APP
pointed by an authority hostile to the people,
we are free to admit, but we did not represent
the opinions Or do the bidding ofqthat au
thority. We are governed, in all our actions
by the laws of the State, and a just regard to
the duties imposed by them, as well as an
earnest desire to promote the interest Of the
community. You admit the H.honesty and
capacity of the present Office holders, and
that it is the criterion of Office; the standard
ne pzus ultra Of advancement, and yet, for a
mere sentiment OF prejudice, you would dis
card your own requisites fer Office, and 60
into the lanes and by ways among the lame
and the halt to seek out the same essential
elements. We say sentiment merely, although
you lay it down as principal from which
there should be no departure" that any Nir-
ginian who took the iron.c7ad oath should be
anathema maranatha; that he was sscalawag,'
and had better " takeup his traps and leave"
We we're charitable enough to give you cred
it for more consistency, for ;fyou thus hon
estly believed, how could you support and
advocate the claims of our 'iron clad" Gouer-
nor, Lieutenct Governor, DC Attorney Gene