Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1871-10-31
Stauntu1t Spettator.
Tuesday. October 81, 1871.
Conservative and Republican Parties.
Strength is Weakness and Weakness is
Strength.

Strength is Weakness and Weakness is
Strength
However paradoxical it may appear. vet of
political parties it is true, that their strength
may be weakness, and their weakness strength.
The Conservative and Republican parties of
this State at this time furnish illustra lions of
the truth of the propositions just e,unciated.
The superiority of the Cooperative over
that of the Republican party in numbers. in
telligence and interest in me property of State,
constitutes its weakness in the present canvass,
and the lnteriorltyv, in the respects mentioned,
OF the Republican party constitutes its strength.
The fact t.Iat the Conservative party is COM
posed almost wholly of white men who have a
dIfect interest in questions of public policy
and who have sufficient intelligence to form de-
cided opinions in reference to them, makes it
impossible for it to have unanimity of opinion !;
Tor persons who think for themselves will neces-
sarily differ In opinion, particularly when their
anterests are not the same-and the fact that it
possesses numerical superiority, causes many to
delude themselves with the idea that it can af-
ford to divide, and thus coutentedly repose in
# lse and delusive security-wholly uncon-
sclous of the falacy of such view and the
danger it involves. q.
On the contrary, as the Republican party of
this State is composed chiefly of colored peo-
pie who have but little interest in the property
OF the State, and who have not sufficient
knowledge ofquestions of public policy to form
independent opinions concerning them, they
can be influenced, by the few whites who act
as their guides, to vote as unit upon one side
or the other of any question as temporary party
expedlency may dictate; and as that party is
in the minority in this State,ii will not tole-
rate divisions, and will not consent that any of
its members shall fail to go to the polls, and
vote for the nominees of their party. From
the very nature of the composition of the Repub-
lcan party in this State, it is enabled to cast its
whole vote for or against any question, as its
leaders, governed by the dictates of temporary
party ezpediency, may determine, and thus
avail itself of any division which may exist 10
the Conservative party upon any question af-
fecting to any considerable degree the interests
Of the people.
This marked difference in the composition of
the two parties, and the facility with which the
one can be welded at will, and cast as a unit,
should be borne in mind, and Conservatives
should sedulously guard against allowing any
differences Of opinions, on questions subordi-
nate to the vital issue between Conservatism
and Radicalism, to divide them at the polls
The action of the Republican party in refer
ence TO the Funding Bill, shows that they pos
sess the power, and have no scruples about
using it, to cast the whole strength of their
party for or against question as party expe-
diency M ay seem to dictate. Ia the Legisla-
ture they voted to man-with single ezcep-
tion-in favor of that bill, and 10 State Con
vention unanimously condemned it.
The State Convention of the Conservative
party acted wisely when it exhorted the mem
bers of the party to agree to disagree upon all
minor ques tiions, and to make in this canvass
the single issue of Conservatism or Radical
ism, for that issue, like Aarons rod, swal-
lows up every other. To succeed on minor is
sues and to full on that would be like the sa-
wing of fingers or toes at the expense of the
heart or othel. vital organ
Those who have used their influence to de-
moralize the Conservative party by urging OBJ
jections to, and exciting prejudices against, its
organization, and those who have exalted mere
secondary into primary issues, have incurred
heavy responsibility.
The party should be thoroughly organized,
and all questions and personal preferences
should be held subordinate to the triumph of
Conservatism over Radicalsm. If the Repub-
iicans should elect majority of the House of
Delegates, and there is danger of lit will
be due to the causes we have indicated. The
people of the State generally have not proper
Iy appreciated the importance of this election.
The result has been that the Conservatives of
the State have exhibited degree of apathy
and seeming Indifference to the consequences
which is as remarkable as it is lamentable. The
Republicans, on the contrary, are wide awake,
and are working with the industry of beavers
to secure the success of their party in the
State.
We have endeavored to do our duty by warn
ing the Conservatives of the DANGER and by
exhorting them to perfect their organization in
accordance with the plan adopted by the Con-
sentative State Conventiou-to hold Conven-
tons, to make nominations, and then to vote
for the nop!1ees of the party, irrespective of
personal preferences, and without regard to
differences Of opinion on questions not proper
~ in issue in this canvass. -af
If this course had been pursued by Conser-
vatives throughout the State, as it should have
been, there would now be no cause to appre-
bend the result of next Tuesdays election, for
the success Of the Conservatives would have
been assured beyond peradventure. We
deem it the duty of Conservatives to stand
faithfully by the organization of the party and
to vote for its nominees
At the meeting of the Medical Society of
Virginia, at Lynchburg, the subject of the
anatomical and the physiological differences
between the white and colored races, the mod
lhcatlon of their respective diseases, and the
difference In treatment resulting therefrom."
was referred to committee consisting of Drs
Atkinson, Tebault, and A S. Payne to report
at the next annual meeting