Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1872-09-12
THURSDAY SEPTEMBER l2 1872.

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so in my life; nor shall ever do SO
Many opinions Of Mr.. Greeley I not only
will not endorse, but strongly condemn
As be has we'll said, I dc not Cease to b,
q Democrat by voting for hin, as q Re
publican. | reserve the opinion I have
held for life as Democrat, and do not
and will not abandon them by voting fol
him. What do is this: AS Demo
crat, decide between two Republicans
which will most nearly ia his administra-
ton of the Government attain that line
ofpolicy which I deem most constitu
tional, most conservative of the rights o.
! the citizen, and most honest and pure ia
1.-THE conduct of the Government. I dc
net decide that either will do all | think
best, but, finding cannot get man who
! will do SO, and secure his elsotion, shall
not take the best between those one oil
whom must be selected, and | reject the
worst.
beg Democrats. therefore, not to
abandon their SQUAD and well considered
opinions but 10 promcte them. as fai
in the present exigensy is practicable, by
voting for that man, Of two, with neither
of whom can they entirely agree, but one
of whom must be elected, who will al.
minister the Government most nearly ia
conformity with what they conseientiously
believe to be the true doctrines of our
great Federative System of States.
Many of you know what have been my
political opinions. have no palinade to
sing il respect to them. The Federal
Constitution is the en- y bond Of the Fed
eral Union. It is tie Supreme Law Of
the land over the Federal Government
and for the States BY it both must be
guided. | hold, that the reserved rights
Of the States are essential to the Federal
Unicn as the delegated powers of the
Government. The integrity of the one
is as vital as that of the other to the lib
erty and happiness of the people: If the
exact line OF policy, which as Democrat
I think should be pursued SO as to make
Government efficient for good, without
impairing these reserved powers and
these ancient liberties Of the people Of
the States, cannot be secured ); l will do
the best can to attain the end, by voting
for the man whose character, opinions
and position give me the best assurance
that his administration will conform more
nearly than that Of the other has con-
formed or will con form to the standard
which think right and just. AUD | will
not be diverted from the path OF praotl-
cal duty, as man loving the people of
my native land by taunts, that am vo-
ting fer one who has been my bitterest foe
and now disputes many Of the doctrines
which | believe to be sound.
Does not every one see that such
course is the dictate Of wisdom, and hes
been done in all the past. before and
since the war? Difference of opinion
on noDessential, sometimes upon essen
tial points have always existed between
voters and the candidate they prefer.
Providence shuts us up TO such decisions
10 the common affairs OF life; and where
six millions of men vote between two
candidates, it is absurd to suppose the
voters for either can accord in all respects
with the candid ste they select. Each
man or such masses must determine
which most nossly concura With him in
opinion. and rust act accordingly. or be
DO Nothing at time when some
thing is to be done fer or asaist his vi
sal interests.
But how can one who was Confeder-
ate. and who was not abandoned the
well-settled opinions of his lie, ever
expect to find Northern man who a.
grees with many Of them? Did Soy
mour, the Democratic candidate Of 1868,
who was a War Governor, agree with
Gen. Lee, the Confederate leader Of the
South? Did General Blair, fresh from
the Federal army concur with the
Confederate doctrines of Gen, Hampton?
And yet the Democrats of the South
nominated and voted for both. Why?
Because, "forgetting the things that
were behind" we Preached forward to
those which were hefore;' and bowling
to the decree of God, which had settled
We should not be seperate. but must be
united. we voted for those whom we
justly preferred to those, whom we as
justly dreaded.
Tho same action was taken In the can
vass in Virginia of 1869. And see its
results. Virginia has been ruled BY
Virginians, while other Southern States
have been trampled upon and despoilea
by aline enemies Neutrality then
would have been fatal A wise choice
between a (then) Liberal Republican
and Radical, was our salvation!
But more than this: Sound and patri~
otto mon Ia 1869 q moot not now the
propriety of their action, but ooncede
their patriotism voted for Constitution
which they detestcd; fer the 18th and
18th Amendment, which put the stain
OF disfranchisement on the illustrious Lee,
in order to save the State from the dread
alternative of an irresponsible Military
Government, fastened upon the Old Com
monwealth by this Radical party!
We are bound by duty. therefore, to
take that course in the interests Of our
people and our posterity which, In the
Proyidential dilemma in which we are
placed, will best subserve the vital inter
ests of the whole country and best con-
serve the imperilled liberties of our be-
loved Virginia. DUTY. and not the sgnis
fztuus of mere sentiment, or the blazr
of passion, is to efford the beacon-light
for our guide amidst the breakers which
threaten tho Ship of State.
But men tell me that Greeley was and
is an abelitionist. 1 answer, SO was and
it Grant. They say, Greeley bounded
on the war, but forget that Grant was
the hound who conducted it. If Greeley
was for a wsr of devastation, Gran
ordered Sheridan to waste and burn the
Valley, and directed the march of Sher.
man to the sea. with FIRE and sword. Ii