The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1871-11-30
THE CONSTITUTIONAL PARTY.v

Tories and wings, and Ir!mmers and Cav
alters, and Puritans and Roundheads, have
been the watchwords in many sharp contest
for political power, and emblazoncd the ban.
ners Haunted over many stricken field Of
".derry England" While in our own coun
try, Tory and Wing Of the Revolution; Fed
cralist and Republican in the earlier days o
the Constitution Wing and Democrat Con
solidationists aud Secessioaists, and Black Re
publicans, with others adapted to the nu'ner
Gus isms springing into existence with the
march of events, since the adoption OF the
Federal Constitution, are the nomenclatures
of party organisms, which attract the eye Of
the reader Of American History. as chronl'
cled in the truthful simplicity and elegaL.st ar
rangement of Marshall's Washington, and
other authors Of the Republic; or in these late
degenerate days, attempted in the turgid sem
fences of the Lost Cause, or in the volum!n-
Gus and oracular utterances of Alexander H
Stephens.
The varieties 10 nominalism, are not sustained
by diversities in sentiment or principle
This is especially the case in the United
States. The Republican and Democratic
parties of earlier days, presented the same
cardinal ideas Of thought, Notwithstanding
the fedcrative suggestions of the one, and the
levcl;ng soundings Of the other. The Wing
and Federal parties, after the Revolution
were but little dlssimilar for while the first
embraced more enlarged and liberal scope
of public policy, the Capitalization of power in
the government at Washington advocated by
the latter. met with the approval of MAORI
ty of its members.
Black Repablicanism is abolitionism in the
maturity, dofdng the garments of juvenili-
ty and assuming the habliaments Of power
and place. Abolitionism was the child to
that Hercules Of strength and tyranny that
has, for the last ten years, been COMPRISING
the soul Of our national freedom in its grasp
In truth, there is but little in party name
but there is all in the idea which the party
advocates The Republicans, so called, -
Of the present, in the practical direction oil
the power of the government, are the antipodes
of that combination which guarded with such
argus watchfulness the rights and franchises
of the people-the Constitutional guarantees
of the Federal and State governments, in the
brightest era of the American Union. As
''high raised battlements, nor moated gate,
do aot constitute State, but :smen who dc
their duty know, and knowing dare maintain .
- SO high sounding words do not constitute
healthful and pure political organism. Ideas
of justice and virtue, should be the source o.
! the policy of every party seeking popular en-.
dorsement Without these as the basis, the
superstructure must be defective, and the whole
machinery irregular and harmful. We have
heard of men Stealing the livery OF Heaven
to serve the Devil )" Of the wolf arrayed in
the snowy fleece of the lamb but do not re.
member to have read or heard that the puri
ty of the one, or the sheen of the other miti.
gated the cruelty Of the Wolf or the wicked.
ness of the Devil. v
ssWhat's in name?
A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.
This retrospect and these thoughts have
been suggested, by the attractive PROPOSE
ton of the distinguished retired stateman,
wherewith the Spectator regales its subscri-
bers on occasional holy-day times, writing
over the euphoneous soundings of the conso
nant, 49," to which we had not the space OF
time to do justice in onr last issue. Our on
ly apology for resuming the consideration Of
this comprehensive scheme of our fellow-cit
izen. is to relieve his brilliant suggestion
from the fate of still birth, and to respond
to the plaintive pleading Of the Spectator 70.
the ''press to notice"-thus advertising thai
journal as the chosen medium of this magnif-
ieent plan Of political salvation, and the Hon
A. Fl. Il. Stuart as the author of it. The
press, generally, with their eyes too intentlJ
fixed upon the Golden Calf Of power, and
their arms up to the Pits in the flesh pots
have with singular and unaccountable remiss
ness, permitted this wonderful creation to pass
| unnotlced.
Our readers will readily perceive that We
are approaching hallowed ground, and tina
the proposition under consideration, is that
to change the name Of the Conservative oil
Democratic Party, to that Of Constitutional
Purity This is sample of the 6rst-class
with ''vital issues" embraced in its corpora
ton of supremacy Of the Constitution-subor
dination of the military to civil authority
independence of the judiciary -sacredness o
habeas corpus. and REIMBURSEMENT and prope
balance between Federal and State power
This Constitutional supremacy is to be il
harmony with an instrument alleged to hav'
been framed by Washington, Hamilton ant
Madison" and expounded by Jay, Marshal
and fancy; and the builders and interpre
ters are to be. among others, Carl Schurz
Trumbull, Crate Brown, Cox and Eyarts.
To finish this intellectual galaxy, an,