Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1872-10-08
Falling into Line.


General Jabal A. Early, a trusted leader Of
Virginians in time of war, has been, says the
| Richmond Dispatch, one of the few influential
men in Virginia who thought the Baltimore
| Convention Gid not act wisely in ratifying the
ticket framed by the Liberal Republicans at
| Cincinnati. His friends saw with pain the
statements, perhaps impertineutly made, that
he declared for Grant, or that he was not going
| to vote at all on the Presidential question. We
were OF the number Of those who have never
doubted for moment where General Early
aud the few good men like aim would stand on
the day of election, and it Is therefore with
pleasure, but not surprise, that ne read his I'M
mistakable declaration for Greeley in letter
| from which extracts ARE given in this column.
The General says most emphatically that ''a
support of the Philadelphia nominees by true
Virginian 1 have regarded as thing not ad-
MISSILE under any circumstances, and he thus
sketches the character of Grants adhereats in
this State:
They consist of the compact, solid phalanx
OF ignorant negroes, organized, trained, and led
by the carpet-baggers who came like jackals in
citizens who were false to their native State in
the hour Of her trials, and some renegade Con-
tederates who once wore the gray put have sold
their blrthTight Tor mess OF pcttage. None
others constitute the Radical party In this State,
| aud | must say that regard the renegade Con
fedefates as the worst Of the whole lot. It is
this party which is struggling Tor the ascend
ancy in the State, and hopes to attain il By our
divisions and the patronage of the Federal
Government"
And then he asks:
any such party, for any purpose? Yet If we
allow ourselves to be divided, this party will
inevitably obtain possession of the State. If
the vote Of the State should be cast for Grant
a. the coming election there will be imminent
danger that his supporters will obtain posses
sion of the State Government at the next gen.
eral elections and that meaus consigniog the
people of Virginia to government like that of
South Carolina. The Virginian who contributes
to this result by voting with the Grant party in
November, in my estimation, will commit a
wrong upon his people which cannot be pallia-
ted by any services he may have rendered in
the past. | should regret exceedingly to see
any one for whom | have the slightest respect
pursue any such course, and do not think it
can be excused by any expression of devotion
to Conservative or Democratic principles, how
ever sincere. A man may stand aioof and alb
stain from voting in pending contest, and main
tain his own principles Intact; but, in my view,
any alliance, concert. or Co operation with the
Radical party in this State will bring contami-
nation inevitably, and would as soon expect
to see woman who had once gone down into
the sinks Of pollution and there sought her as
sociates restored to virgin purity as to see a
Yirginian return indebted from an alliance with
such party as the Radical party OF this s ate.
Such an alliance once made is the first step,
and then, .tacihs desceaus AUerni. No! il my
Judgment no Virgiaian who has not already
forfeited his claim to the Oame can pursue any
such course without committing grievous
wrong upon his people, himself, and bis pos
terity. I"
OF the policy of standing aloof, Gen. Early
speaks as follows:
Il must say that il [ was certain that the
Radicals would not carry the State my own
tastes would incline me to let those who made
the issue fight it out. But this L am not GER
tain Of by any means if all those Conservatives
to whom the Cincinnati platform and nominees
are distateul shall abstain from voting and l
verify believe that If the State should vote for
Grant in November the danger OF the State
governments going into the hands OF the Rad
icas next year would be very great, by reason
of destruction and division In the Conservative
party, if such result would net be certain
consequence 1t is of infinitely more impor-
lance to US that the real people of Virginia
that is, the white people-should retain posses
sion of the State Government than that there
should be change-in the Federal Administra-
ton, as important as that Is.
After quoting these utterance it only remains
to be said, says the Dispatch, that if General
Early, who takes pride in being Bourbon and
calling himself such. thus talks Is it unreason-
able to except that before another month elapses
we will have positively no defsctions from1the
Conservative ranks to report? Every day the
lines are more closely drawn and the issues are
more closely defined. AS in 1869, 1t Is qaes-
ton OF Conservatism or Radicalism that is to
be settled On the 5th of November, and be who
votes for Grant, or votes not at all, throws the
weight of his ballot on the side of military gov
eminent, Capitalization, oppression, and cor
ruption.