The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1872-10-31
LET us REASON TOGETHER.

~
The great mass of the Conservatives and
Democrats of Virginia who will cast their
votes for Horace Greeley on next Tuesday,
the 5th Of November, will do SO with the
msntai reservation, If not the open declaration,
shat it !. from necessity, AID not from choice.
An b@tween him and Grant, they say they
consider him the 'lesser esil, and therefore
compromise themselves in the degree that he
Is an ''evil"
No one willdeny that the Greeley party
endorse all the reconstruction measures. and
all the legislation of Republican Congress
to enforce those measures. They do not pro-
pose to reversea single action of that party,
but plant themselves squarely upon the record
of the Republican party SO far as fuudament-
al laws are concerned. They protest that
they neither want to change or modify any
amendment to the Federal Constitution, or to
interfere with the practical results achieved
thereby. Their leader, Mr.. Greeley, says
that he is as good Republican as ever, and
but short time before the assembling Of the
Baltimore Convention, announced that the
action of that body would determine whether
he would remain in the field as candidate
for the Presidency, and that if he did not, he
would support the action of the Philadelphia
Convention. That is to say, if the Demo-
rfu thoir dad
knees to him, take him up, with his black
record, his political crimes and his develish
hate to that party and the South, then he
would fall in with the organization of his first
affections. The Democratic party did
Crook the pregnant hinges ofthe knee,
That thrift might follow fawning;"
q did take him up, and endorse his platform
, without the crossing ola t or dottiug Of an a.
SO far, then, as the declared principles ofthe
Greeley and Grant parties, as indicated by
:, their respective platforms, arc concerned, they
are substantially identical.
This being the indisputable relations ofthe
1.-TWO parties, the only question presented to us
for consideration is that of policy. Which of
these Republican candidates will have it IN
his posoer to do us the most good. and contrib
su.e to our. material prosperity and peace!
~ Every, reading voter in Virginia knows
that President Grant has recommended, in
.zevery annual message he has written since
his Inauguration, that Congress pass an act
of universal: amnesty. A majority Of that
Body were of the party that elected him, but
were not willing to conform to his official re-
commentators. The next Congress will be
Republican by larger majority than the last
Already has that party gained elere" in the
elections thus far held. They have the Sen
ate by decided majority and can determine
every appointment made by the President.
Suppose, for the sake of argument, that
Mr.. Greeley could be elected. What could
he do? Not one measure of his recommen-
dAtion, could be passed or appointment con-
firmed, unless it was the will of an antagon-
izing Congress. Regarding him as 4 base
political traitor, who had left the organization
Of his creation and united with what he had
always delighted in terming them, ''set of
thieves, murderers, drunkards, cut-throats and
shoulder strikers" they would take especial
delight in embarrassing every act of his adj
miaistration, and therefore he could accom-
plish nothing, but create strifes. hatrcds and
expressions for the South, aud unsettle the
business interests of the whole country.
Mark we are considering the matter as a
mere question of policy, both parties standing
upon substantially the same platform. What
could Virginia and the South hope for, under
Horace Greeley? Nothing possible, but the
luminosity of a party overwhelming in the
legislative branch Of the government, for the
very fact that the Democratic party and the
South had taken up lifelong defamer, ira
Queer and libeler, aud united upon him,
: would necessarily, as certain as any law gov
erning the action Of human nature, call down
upon them the direful effects of the very
same spirit they themselves had manifested.
Like begets like. five could so far forget
ourselves and the honest emotions of our
hearts as to put forward such base SANDER
er as Horace Greeley, it would show that re-
venge aud hate were 30 controlling as to over
come even sense Of self-respect.
This certainly would be the result of Gree
ley's election, were it possible to elect him.
OF course We are satisfied such calamity
will not occur.
II Is it our policy to invite and aggravate ami.
mostly? Would it not be be tier for US to be
on terms Of kindly regard, at least, with the
government, especially when We have all to
lose and nothing to gain by not being SO !?
II the people of Virginia and the South can
throw over Horace Greeley the mantle Of
forgiveness 70; his great crimes pcrpctratcd
against them--the desolation of which he
has b,en the author-the vindictive hates he
has nurscd and infaned against them-what
is it they cannot forget?
>; To Virginia, Grant has been an angel of
mercy ia comparison with Greeley. But for
hin. INC 70 dav rn;rht ho wrifhi mo- IN the coils