The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-09-28

Under the impetus of this general feeling we
may easily carry Virginia for Gen. Grant in 1872,
| and the proceedings of our Convention ought TO
be directed in good earnest to this end. This body
should ignore the petty quarrels and feuds that
have arisen over the despicable subject OF
patronage. The Republican party has higher
mission than the dispensaton of offices; and
our Convention should give no eonntenance to the
feu1s which they create, or tothe unworthy men,
whosoever they may be, who are habitual wran-
glers the loaves and fishes II is the lot of
every dominant party to be cursed with such dis
sensions; but if ours has great cause TO up
hold, and great principles to champion, surely
we can find more congenial and more profitable
employment in these noble tasks than by joining
in the selfish quarrels of placemen
The Convention should treat with contempt
and scorn every attempt TO make issue be-
tween natives and noi-natives. The man who
has come to Virginia to cast his lot in good faith
with our people, ,--who is Vir9inian by choice
rather than by the accident of birth--if he be q
good citizen--is as worthy of confidence and as
fully entitled to office, the born and
reared on the soil. 1t is part of the tactics
of the modern Dem cracy to array race against
race and class against class. That party has no
other mode of maintaining itself left, than by
fostering the ignoble preiudices of caste, blood,
and nativity. 1t has taken up the role of the
Know-Nothings once famous, and, not con-
tent with making the European perpetual for
eignor, would also treat the man born across the
line of Mason and Dixon stranger and in
truder amongst us. But it is the generous creed
of the Republican party that America is the
heritage of Americans in all its borders; that
here is endowed by the American constitution
with all the prerogatves of citizenship that he
has us full right to nhabit our State and breathe
its elastic air the latest and lorylliest descend
ant of the first family and that the citizens of
our State, in virtue of being all Americans, are
oil Virgnans. Therefore, to prescribe any class
of citizens from office, for reason of nativity, is
to assail one of the most sacred franchises of the
constitution, and noblest tenets of the Republi-
can creed. And no intelligent member of our
party will so far lend himself to the strategy of
enemies iOip in their cries against
the 'carpet-bagger.' The true tests for Office
can have no Just reference to the place of mans
nativity Offices should be held by the title of
merits and services, not by the title of favort-
ism, and the prescription of non-natives will
be del rscated by every good Republican as
earnestly os he would feprecate that of natives
1t is part of the policy Of the Republican party
TO promote the industry and deyelopc the nation
al resources of the country and ii claims for the
national government the most liberal powers in
this behalf In fulflment of this policy, it would
in my judgment, be proper for our Convention 10
pass strong resolutions calling upon Congress to
respond to the late highly favorable reports of the
United States engineers upon the subject of COM
pleting the Virginia Water Line, by making q |
liberal appropriation towards that important OBJ
iect. sll- .ftil
The Republic IN party is emphatically the free
school party In this country After suffering more
than any other State from the desolatlons of the
late war, Virginia is burdened with public debt
requiring annual taxation of three mil |
lions of dollars. Her people cannot afford |
to pay additional taxation sufficient |
10 support vigorous ana HOuflShlng school |
system; and it is u question whether the nation |
is not bound to provide for he education of the |
colcred Tuce-that portion of our population who /
have no property 10 be taxed. Prominent Re |
publicans in Congress acknowledge this obliga- |
ton, and are ready to support measure looking |
10 The endowment of q fIeedmen's school system !
in the South from the public lands. Our Con- |
yeniion would, therefore. do well for the State,
and for the cause of free schools here 10 adopt |
resolution presenting this subject to the favora-
BILE consideration of Congress- f
These are some of the subjects which may well |
claim the favorable attention of the Convention. |
That its deliberations aud action may rebound TO
ihe good of de Republican cause. and thereby
to the welfare of the country, is the earnest hope
of yours, most sincerely and respectfully, !
Ro. w. HuGHEs.
On motion the Convention adjourned sine |
die. sr as