The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-10-21
Observation-Disclosures.

doubt as to the animus of the Democratic
party, with which, as Republicans, we. are
engaged in political struggle for the cstab-
lishment Of peace, upon tie broad platform
of equal rights for all, Under the law, ami
the resuscitation Of our national prosperity,
damaged so seriously by the convulsion Of
rebellion.
We have learned that it Is as impossible
for red-handed Southern Democracy to be
tolerant or peaceful in political strife, as
for the leopard to change its spots; but
after the bad success in the North and
West, which has resulted from its too free
use Of terrorism in the South, we did sup
pose that its fox-like cunning would induce
it to ''assume virtue if it had it not -
and while its social Ku-Klux was kept in
thorough and active organization and
operation, fair-seeming would be pre-
scnted to attract sympathy and secure
support in the loyal States.
1t is, therefore, with some little surprise
that we find the following language in the
columns of the |Vhig--not surprise that
such sentiments were entertained by that
. paper, but that it should be so full of them
that they overllowed into print:
/ AT the present snoment for instance, the Con-
servatives of Virginia are confronted by a mon
grel party whose object is plumber and spoliaton,
and there is no trckery, no arifice, no unscrupu-
| lous management they will not resort to. 1t is
Demanding almost too much oftroi human, nature
to require that II shall deal ioit such 71d1ty dc
cor6ig to the highest principles Of honor and deli
cacy Men i'll desperate extremities, and pushed
to the wall by INSCRIPTIONS assailants who de-
| mand their money or their lives, are not expected
to sacrifice themselves by rigid obseiyan of
all the punctiiios that apperlain to the lmlghtly
encounter There is q preUoteid feeling among
the masses Of oar people that they are engaged IN
life and death struggle 1cith political enemy aoho
observes Of the restraints, cOotItesieS deem
ces that obtain ia ordinary contests, ami that 'to
fght the decb nth fre'' is the only toay 10 escape
| from him.
The plain Interpretation of tho above is
this: We Democrats find that Republican,
ism is growing too strong for. us. We
have tried arms, argument, prescription,
but we are being pushed to the wall. An
election is pending, which may, if the peo-
pie are allowed to vote freely in accordance
with their sentiments, result in depriying
us of the absolute control we now exercise
over the people of Virginia and their affairs.
It is true that we gained that ascendancy
by deception, but it mares to our personal
benefit as fully as f achieved by fair means,
and we must repeat the operation making
assurance doubIy sure, by keeping acc
in reserve, and having an opening prepared
for its exercise under false pretences.
The fable OF the wolf and the lamb fur
nishes example and precedent: "As a
wolf was drinking at the head Of a running
brook he spied lamb in the stream at
some distance below him. Determined to
seize her, he bethought himself how he
might Justify his violence" 'Villain,"
said he, show dare you lnuddle the water
that | am diinking?' The lamb replied,
~ do not see how can disturb the water,
since it runs from you to me, not from me
to YOU" ''Be that as it may" replied the
wolf, sit was but a year ago that you called
me many ill-names." son, no!' said the
lamb, "a year ago ! was not born"
SWELL" replied the wolf, "if it was not
you it was your father, and chat is all the
same but it is no use trying to argue me
out of my supper"
Moral-A tyrant never wants plea !;
and they have little chance of resisting
the injustice Of the powerful, whose only
weapons are innocence and justice. Dem
ocratic writers and politicians know that
Republicans, in addition to exercising all
''the restraints, courtesies, and decencies
that obtain in political contests, ordinary
or extraordinary, have shown degree of
forbearance under injustice and abuse with
out parallel in the annals Of history - and
they justly hurl back the wolf-lille accusa-
tons quoted above, and cast them in the
brazen face Of Democracy, which has out
ragged both law and decency--brolSen ball
lot-boxes, nullifed majorities, bought, de-
ceiyed, and inundated voters, villified
character, prosecuted its opponents in socie-
ty, in the walks of commerce, and even in
the temples, for the worship of Him who
thus denounced the old law "Thou shalt
love thy neighbor and hate thine enemy"
put COW INTO rot tsT o.,o x-o,tr aYa,,1iac ~