Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1870-11-22
Breakers Ahead.

8 The Radical party has carried it with a high
hand these ten years. They have literally con-
Quoted Revolution. The.whole genius of our
Government has been changed The fRevolu-
ton is as marked as that which broke up the
odd colonial system and established the union
of free Commonwealths on this continent in
the last century. Ali revolutions, however,
possess only a measure of momentum. Mat
ters are always pushed farther than calm pub
nc sentiment approves.-W hen-the tempest
has spent ITSELF there is a recoil, and the rev.
dictionary pendulum vibrates until il settles at
some Intermediate point The excitement in
the days OF Ppm, Vane and Cromwell, was ac-
tually followed by the least Parilanie, but the
most lcenllous, reign in Engllsh annals, The
reactlonary movement eliminated In the reign
of PaplSt king and serious attempt to over
throw the work Of the Protestant Retormation
in England. This produced another recoil OF
pubic sentiment, and the moderate revolution
OF 1885, SO France passed from the Reign of
Terror to Imperialism, and finally back to the
rule of the Bourbonss, "a
So the Radical party has been struck in the
face by the tornado in Missouri, In Illinois, in
Alabama, In lnniana. in Arkansas, in Florida.
IN North Carolina, in Tennessee, in Nevada, IN
Virginia. The astounding fact is developed
that the Republican maturity of one hundred
and fourteen in the XLIst Congress will be re-
dnced to some eighteen or Twenty-Five in the
sALlld Congress That hauph,y and auda-
cions power which has ruled this c,untry like
a French National Assembly for six or eight
years Is tottering before the rising gale of a
popular storm New York, Indiana, Missouri
and Illinois are four of the largest. States
Even Nevada, on the frontiers of the empire,
feels the impulse of the new movement. =
The worst symptom Of ihe reaction is that it
develops itself particularly in the great West
And cotemporaneou ly florida and Alabama,
which We're supposed to be safely locked in the
Ethiopian wee, wrest themselves loose, and
turn, with their Increased representation, on
their persecurors3 Discomfort in both the
West and the Southland that measured by
the sudden reduction Of the Radical maj ,rity
10 Congress from IA to 2O-is portent not to
be desspised by any party. IL bsiqnib qistT
In Missouri it was a direct issue with the
President himself. and the result IS that Grai 2
Brown, whom the President attempt ed to over
whelm, is elected by Forty Thousand majority
while there are only seventeen regular Repubii-
cans elected to the lower House Of the Legs-
iasure. Two years ago McClurg (now beaten)
was elected by $4,000 majority, The full mean
ing OF these rever>es can only be fully appre-
ciated by remembering that the actual defeat
10 Indiana and the practical one in Illinois were
lodlc'ed by party which, on the questions con-
nec'ed Immediately with the late war, is not in
sympathy with the large majority of the North
ern people. The victory was gained IN spite OF
the unpopularity Of the Democratic party Ii
Missouri, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Vir-
ginls, the success was achieved by combina-
ton Of all elements opposed to Radicalism. =
The lesson to, be derived is that nothing is
wanting but a fair occasion to rally all of these
elements in all quarters to put the Radical par
ty in the minority throughout the whole couu-
try.-Rach Who. = .fs reI+-e,.avsF ~