Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1870-11-25

thority of any town, so much Of any road as
by the laws now in force is under such ju-
risdiction or charge, Or to repeal or alter AZ
act passed February twenty-eight. eighteen
hundred ard City for working the roads
Of Lcudoun county, or any act amendatory
Thereof.
POLITICAL.
The Scilurz-BrOwn Organ on the
Radical Defeat in Missouri.
from the St. Louis Democrat, Rep.
The magnificent victory achieved by the
Liberal Republican movement will challenge
attention in every State of the Union. It is
emphatl,ally victory Of principle. The
contest, from its earliest inception, has turn
ca upon the most important questions Of the
State and national policy, and the decision
OF the people, complete and overwhelming
as it is, will be accepted everywhere as an
indi cation of the popular will in other States
as well as this That decision is, first, for
removal Of all political disabilities The
people believe that the aoar has lasted long
enough; that men who have surrendered.
obeyed the laws and kept the peace for
years, and who are now industrious and
useful citizens, ought not to be deprived
any longer of an equal share in tho govern
ment. In Missouri this decision enfranchis-
es probably fifty thousand men who have
been deprived Of suffrage, until this year at
least. In other States the same principles
and policy, If carried into effect, will remove
disabilities from a host of The ablest and
| inf, L.
cluded from Office by national authority,
and hose places have been filled by q class,
of men not ereditable, as whole, either to
the Republican party or to the State which
they represent or govern. Let political
disabilities be removed ;glet the intellect and
ability Of the South resume their natural
influence, and whether those States be Re-
publican or Democratic, they will at least be
more wisely governed and more fairly rep
resented in the national councils No par
! ty can long afford to exclude from suffrage
or from Office large body Of men, including
many Of the ablest, wealthiest and most
Influential of the community; and the at
tempt to do so, wherever made, only Injuries
I the Republican party and exposes it to the
charge Of disregard Of public interest for
the sake of maintaining itself in power. 1t
is time for the party to relieve itself of this
great burden. The decision Of the people
is most emphatic rebuke sof the system of
taxation maintained for years with the aid
! Of Republican votes in Congress. The pro
tectivc system, taxing the many for the
benefit of the few, has been tolerated only
because the people were deeply interested in
other questions. and postponed action in re-
gard to the tariff until a-more convenient
season. Now the war issues are settled =
the country rests ID the conviction that the
settlement made will not be disturbed
Reconstruction is com lcted Negro suffrage
is established and fortified in the oonstitu-
ton itself These matter. settled, the peo-
pie are free to consider whether the system
Of taxation under which they have been liv-
ing is wise or just ono. The verdict Of
Missouri indicates what the decision of 9th
er States will be when that question shall be
presented. It will DO well for the Repub-
lican party if it heeds this warning and
purges itself of responsibility for this great
wrong. No party can afford to defend this
tariff under which we live. No party, how
ever popular, can afford to be responsible
for scheme of plumber by which three hun.
dred millions year are taken from the
pockets of consumers and given to enrich
few favored capitalists This policy, injuri-
Is to the country, will surely b. ruinous to
any party which attempts to defend it, and
those are the truest friends OF the Republi-
can party who labor mort earnestly to crush
the power Of 1nonopolies and favored inter
ests in its councils. The Missouri election;
fairly considered, is warning to the Re
publican party it must dro. the policy false
ly called protection, or must prepare itself
for overwhelming defeat Presumingnson
the attachment of men to the party, Repub-
lican managers have disregardcd the wishes
and interests of the Western people, and
have suffered the party to be used as tool
by Eastern monopolists. It is time for them
to learn that the West will not tolerate any
longer such betrayal of its interests
President Grant has given to the election
in this state a peculiar significance. The
people Of Missouri were engaged in deciding
important questions of State policy, and de.
claring their will upon questions of national
Importance. They had no thought of the
next Presidential election, and were not in
cined either to advocate or to oppose the
reelection Of Gen. Grant at this time But |
he was influenced by men who cared more
for small Offices than for the success and |
reputation Of his administration. They
persuaded him that the liberal Republicans
Of Missouri were hostile to his reelection -
The absence of and pledge to support him
for second term, and the emphatic decla-
ration for reform Of the civil service, were
regarded by the President as evidences Of
hostility In the most unfortunate moment
of his life he consented to use the power of
appointment and removal in VAN attempt
to crush this liberal Republican element in
Missouri.
Thus he has converted q victory OF prin
ciples to which he was pledged, which are
vital to the Republican party, and which
neither General Grant nor the party SHOULD
ever have permitted to be lscd against them,
into most terrible rcbuke of his administra
ton. Missouri tells him that her people
are not for sale; that office and the hope of
Office cannot seduce them from their convic-
tons Of duty and that his own forge.fulness
of pledges and disregard of vital Republican,
principles will not be initiated, but sternly
rebuked, by lreemen in every part of the
land. The voters of Missouri only speak
the will of freemen elsewhere Presiden-
tial interference in State elections is SO obi
Gus, SO offensive to every true Republican,
that no President can hope for the confidence
and support of the people who so abuses his
power. Tho victory is complete and glori
GUS. We trust that its lesson will not be
lost upon the President and the Republican