Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1870-12-20
The Conservative Party-Its Shibboleth.

Just three years ago, the representatives of
all shades of political sentiment in this State
in opposition to Radicalism met in Convention
in Richmond, and there, on that occasion, for
mally organized the Conservative party, which,
since then has been, and is yet, the only organ
ized party an Mis State IN opposition to the
Radical or Republican party. Those who were
before the war classified as Wings and Demo-
ocrats respectively were about equal in number
in that part Of the State which remained as
Virginia after the dismemberment of the
State-there being, we believe, small major
ity of Wings. The Conservative party en-
braced alike both Democrats and Wings who
were opposed to the Republican party. The
Convention which organized that party was the
largest, and the most harmonious which ever
assembled in the State, and embraced the tai
ents, patriotism, wisdom, character, and public
spirit of both the Democratic and Wing parties
in the State.
1t presented grand and sublime spectacle.
Wings and Democrats, actuated alike by patri-
otto motives, met in friendly council in the in
terests of their State and in behalf of the
rights and liberties of the people, and, bury
ing past differences in the grave of oblivion,
with concord and harmony and unity banded
themselves together, like brothers, in frater-
nal political organization, which all then agreed
in a spirit of friendly compromise, should be
called the CONSERVATIVE party. The
object was to embrace in that organization all
who were opposed to the Republican party,
whatever their political antecedents might have
been, and knowing, as wise men, that many
we're Influenced by their prejudices against even
the name Of the party to which they had been
opposed, the representatives of each Of the old
parties deemed it wise, polite and patriotic to
give up the name to which they were partial,
and adopt, for the Few party, name against
which neither party was prejudiced, and thus
the party, composed of both Wings and Dem
ocrats alike, came to be called the ''CONSER-
VATIVE' party. -. n- -.;,- 5,9@5 81.
If this were wise then, land We humbly
think it was,) as the same reason still applies,
men being still more or less under the influence
of their prejudices- however foolish many may
deem them-we cannot see how it can be wise
or polite to discard the name thus adopted,
and substitute for it either of the names which
it was thought wise to give up, as neither could
strengthen, and either might weaken the party,
in consequence of the prejudices against it
which many would entertain. .agEas
We have neither ''Whig" nor Demo
cratic party, as such, in this State, and we
have, 60 nonaine, no need for such. We have
a party organization which embraces the mem
bers of both, and all others, if any there be,
who are opposed to the Radical or Republican
party. The time may come, but it has not yet
arrived, when it may be wise to reorganize our
party in this State and call it by another name.
The defeat of the Radical party is the object
which patriotic duty now demands that we
should use all honorable and just means to &C
complish. And to do this we hope to see uni
ted, in opposition to that party, former Wings
and Democrats and a portion Of the present
dissatisfied Republicans for we must look to
the best portion of the Republican party for
recruits The shibboleth of our party should
be: Opposition TO THE REPUBLI-
CAN PARTY" All who will unite with us
in opposition to that party should be well
coined to our party. Let the invitation be gen.
eral, and the welcome cordial p