The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1871-08-10

Use to power on mere negations. Granting
the unwisdom of the Radical adjustment of
the negro's status, what has Mr.. Stephens to
offer in room Of it after he has destroyed suf-
frage and civil rights He must remember,
in solving this problem, that his Jury is COM
posed of people who are satisfied with the
present situation of people who fought to
bring it about and voted to bring it about,
and did, finally, bring 1t about; Of people
who are not likely to rescind it unless they
think they can get something better. He
must ask himself also how the agitation he ad
vises is going to effect the people Of the South
in their homes and fields and pockets. Then
having considered the matter fundamentally,
he must consider it in its relation to practi
cal politics, very essential part OF every
question in craftsmanship.
The South is sick of windfalls and weary
of mistaken prophets and wild promises. Its
true manhood shrinks back from the child
play of those who merely sentimentalze, just
as its intelligence discards the hope that we
shall be able to lay out our own fortunes and
| the fortunes of the whole country with a rule
made by our grandfathers to suit the needs
| of generation but five millions strong and
| CuuutIy HillCli udO uOt UCCu tOuCuCu lutU
an empire by the genius of steam. tecgraphy,
and immigration, nor altered IN all its circum=
stances by the most gigantic revolution of
modern times. The South wants solid per.
formances rather than abstract specuations
| We can get on with the Constitution, even
as it is, fairly administered. We need re-
form in the Administration instead of a rev.
olution of the system To construct, not tc
cast down. to improve not to destroy: tc
make use of the resources that lie within oul
reach, not to set about the manufacture Of
untried materials; to seize upon realities
and, by practical appliances, turn them to &C
count not to delude ourselves with visions
or fright ourselves with specters, invite us te
the open field of matter of-fact craftsmanship
The ghost-seer and the baublo hunter-the
isolated philosopher who would sacrifice all
the substantial advantages of reform in the
e, v.rnment for speculative question in po-
ltical ethics that can never be reached ex-
cept through the doorway that leads into &C
tual possession of power-the declaimer who
is equally able to snatch the lightning and
catch the thunderbolt, to mix his cocktails
with the ether of heaven, and stir them round
with spoon Clipped off the silver lining Of
the mooll-are not suited to the work that
lies before us.
The open grave awaits impatiently for Mr.
Toombs, as the pit Of the wild boar gaped be-
fore the impctuous Roland Already the
mists begin to gather around that pleasant
little Georgia village, and the ear can fancy ii
catches the tones Of the bell that tells US that
Stephens, like Orlando, has vanished with
the shadows When they are gone the world
will wonder that it wondered so little willis,
they lived. Until they go let US be charita-
BILE to the folly of old age. They have but
one moro departure to make. May we hope
that they will realize under better govern
Eaent than ours al! tbs constitutional bless
ings which they sought in this-that they
will find St. Peter at the gate Iadling out
mint juleps according to magma charta-tha
they will encounter st Paul preaching ser.
mons from texts taken out of the resolutions
of '98-that they will not be scared by negro
suffrage, but will be able, whilst RECALLING
themselves with spiritual draughts from the
fountains Of political truth, to call the roll o.
their slaves, even under the shadow of the
Temple of New Jerusalem.