The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-01-10
evening State Joarhal.
TUESDAY EVENING, JAN. 10, 1871.
srislr OF rms mvnNIne PRESS


"Republicsn Troubles" refers to the COZ
slant efforts of he more moderate in ou
party to check and curb the extremists
which have hitherto been in great meas
are unproduct~e of good results. It.wa,
perhaps, best for the country while pass
Ing through tie trials of reconstruction
that the extreme men took the stand IheJ
did. for the disease required the most rsd
cal treatment. But all thaG Is past. Th,
extreme msn cannot now trouble the coun.
try or vex the people with extreme
measures and as the past is past, II
does Us very little good to brood over
the vexatious details through which the
end was attained. Il was almost
war: and like the frightful horrors of war,
should be forgotten as soon as possible
Some remnants still linger, like the marks
and wounds of battle, or ruins OF burnt
cities but even these will, in time, disap-
pear and the whole nation will again be at
peace, enjoying happiness and prosperity
under good government. We cannot
follow the Dispatch through its specula-
tons; but after paying Governor Geary of
Psnnsylvania, and those who sustain his
manly course, high compliment, in which
it says he observes the honor of the land
for his decision in the exigency in which
the country finds itself, Our contempor-
airy concludes:
What is South what is North, or East, or
West to the countryf If it is to be a country,
it should be at pc ace; it should be harmonious
and prosperous. Must this great nation be
kept in social and sectional war that certain
men may continue to rule the people and fat
ten upon the public treasury No All good
men should unite in one grand effort to save
the Republic, restore the constitution and laws,
the safety and security of the citizen, the pub
lie order, and thus put the country upon its
right way to supremacy in honor and dignity
as well as power.
AS for the restoration of the constitution,
we think that is pretty well restored al
ready and so far as the head of the gov
eminent is concerned, better or more |
patriotic, liberal, honest and trustworthy |
President than General Grant, cannot be
found. That he will be reelected by
triumphant vote of the people does not
admit of question. There is no man in
the land, outside of the Republican party,
that would have any chance in con-
test with him, and his nomination by
the party in 1879, is, of course, fore
gone conclusion. He will be our next
President, and under his second term the
grand Jubilee of peace and restored fellow
ship will be celebrated.
The Dispatch wants the, all-ral liue to
Washington 1t is eager for it, and says
lit will be an agreeable thing to US here in
this citv when. with all railroad con |
ton to Washington, we may start after break
fast, arrive there In time to see the days ses-
sion of Congress begin, remain until it ends
usually about o'cl, ok, and return in time
for supper. That will be facility of commu-
nicati0n with the Federal city which it will be
hard to realize after so. many years OF tardy
journeying between the capital of Virginia
and that of the nation. We may remember
with pleasure the cool summer journey up tks
Potomac but even that would be rejected in
the hottest weather, and the preference given
to the all-rail route that will take the passen-
ger without change FROM Richmond to Wash
ington in very little more than the time re-
quired to run from Aqua Creek to Washing
ton in steamboat.
Some old fogies might say that it would
ipjure Richmond to be brought within four
hours and half of Baltimore.
Our contemporary then goes on to show
that Richmond, so far from suffering loss
|
North, will benefit by it; and TO prove
it, cites the rapid growth Of Baltimore,
notwithstanding its proximity to the "won-
derful city of Philadelphia" 1t tells US
that as the distance between those "great
cities is diminished, it seems to be mutually
beneficial. Each lights torch at the
others altar, and the spirit of commerce
catches fresh impulse from their intimate
intercourse" aud then of our city it pre-
diets
So, if not in like degree, in like manner will
Richmond profit by being brous hit nearer to
her great sister cities of the North. slow
intercourse puts break on the public spirit,
and subjects the community incommoded by
it to disadvantage by comparison and compe-
titi0n with communities whose intercourse
with the world is 30 much more active and
lively.
Give US as much speed as other people have,
and we will take care of the rest.
True, it is as the Dispatch says, that
when Philadel phia .lost her commerce,
the sceptre of which was borne away in
triumph by New York after the completion
of the Erie canal, she did not sit down and
repine in listless idssness, but rising equal
to the emergency, devoted herself to manu-
features and the building of railroads, and
W tueoe SIG oWeS HeT present. prosperity,
which is fast overtaking the greatness of
New York. Richlsond must go and do
likewise. She mast manufacture and
build railroads.
The Enquirer refers to the failure of the
attempt made in the South to form third
party or party outside Of the national
Democratic organization, and says:
To accomplish such purpose was no ordi-
nary task The power of the Southern States
was too feeble to be applied to SO great an un-
dertaking. To abolish great parties that have
their organizations and their operations com
plete in all the States, except one or two in the
South, was a labor of great difficulty. 1t
proved to be failure. So far from dissolving
either of the two great parties, the only
result of this effort has been to weaken
in the South, and possibly for the South,
the National Democratic party. 1t was be-
lieved by many, from the beginning, that
this movement would only enable some to pass
over to the Republican party-or some others
to pass from the Republican party. As those
who would have an interest, on change, to
Join the dominant party might generally be
calculated as the most numerous, it WAS obvious
that the opponents OF the Radical party had
not much to gain By the experiment. 1t has
enabled some ambitious to get good
positions, and to carry with them into the Re-
publican party. some strength that ought to |