The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1872-10-03
THE ITINERANT CANDIDATE.

LUX on the IoCn, there 10 remain uutil alceI
the November election. He says that moth
ing can provoke him to make any more polit-
ical speeches during the campaiga-that. hav-
ing expressed his views on several points
which required explanation, in conformity to
the judgment Of two committees which have
him in keeping, he means to observe during
the remaining time intervening between this
and the election, a "masterly inactivity"
Duling Mr.. Greeley truancy, he travelled
through portions Of Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana,
and Pennsylvania and made numerous speech
es. He was met by large and excited crowds
wherever he stopped, just as old John Robin
sons circus would have done, and from the
same motive-curiosity. He has displayed
wonderful and versatile resources of mind,
and has met Talleyrand's view of the use Of
,oords more precisely than any living man in
America could have done-that is, they were
|s'msade to conceal IDEAS" In not one of the
brilliant word pictures he has drawn, is to be
found single settled idea. No line Of gov
eminent policy has been defined and no com
initials made. His entire conduct was inten-
ded to captivate votes by the most specous
pleas of the demagogue-the most consum
mate Machiavelauism- not to impress
the country with any convictions of principle,
or controlling thought of the statesman. He
I"played his play just as he was told to do
and as he was capable of doing, but he de-
ceived no one but himself. His conduct was
sharp-his speeches varied in style, attractive
in language and pointless in argument
The fact is this electioneering itinerancy
of Mr.. Greeley has given the country clear
er conception of the mental constitution of the
man than could have been obtained by any
other possible means. It explains why it is
that he has reversed the purpose and policy
of life time, by all at once becoming the
leader of the Democratic party, which he has
SO viciously and persistcutly denounced as be-
ing constituted Of thieves, robbers and the
dregs Of society; alieuated himself from the
| Republican party, of which he is really the
father, and by the most remarkable CONVEX
sion, assumes to be par excellence the friend
OF the Sou'h, which he has maligned and ira
| duced as never man did before him.
We do not regard the apparent enthusi-
asm which greeted Mr.. Greeley in the West,
as indicating any substantial popularity Il
was the excitement Of the moment, created by
the presence Of one who has distinguished
himself by his eccentricities, his venom, his
aggressive warfare upon all the fundamental
safeguards of we'll organized society, and tn,
| absence oftAose substantial elements of states
| manship which attract and hold the conf.
dence of the people.
Mr.. Greeley deludes himself into the belief
that every man who composed the large ar
Tenderness upon his public harangues, and fol-
lowed in the professions which honored him
intends to vote for him. We do not believe
those public throngs were composed Of one
half his political friends. His life has bees
| singular and unprecede nted warfare 1t has
| no parallel He is one those novel and orig
lnal characters which belong to an age. He
has attacked nearly all the recognized systems
of social, political and ecclesiastical ortho-
doxy, and arrayed himself against the very
existence Of conservative and healthy princi-
Piles in every department of social and polit-
ical organism. It was these peculiarities, and
the startling manner by which he was mad,
to assume the relations he now holds to the
public, That commanded the attention of the
people of the states through which he passed
1t was that lively desire to see something
fresh and new-something they had never
witnessed before-that called out the popu
lace. They looked upon him as "seven days
wonder"-a wild colt Of a comet flaming
through space, to dazzle for the moment, and
then be forgotten.
Probably there has pever been before him
man who spoke so much in so short time
and said SO little, and committed himself to
nothing. He surpasses the French diplomat
and intriguer, in the afauence Of his language
and the duplicity of his motives Having
successfully beguiled the Democratic party
into his meshes and coxened it into the seren
est docilty. he takes courage from his TIL
umphs, and marches forward to wider fields
Of conquest, more difficult elements of con-
juraotion, and aspires to throw charm over
nation. But we think ssvaulting ambition,
has o'erleaped itself, and the country and es-
pecially the Democracy of the country, will
perceive peering through the rich garlauds
and wealth of flowers the ears of the genuine
animal.
We have no idea thar Mr.. Greeley will ev
er be President Of the United States. The
common sense of the couatry can never think
Of entrustiug such an ismatist with the solid
business Of governing a great people. It
would shock the financial centres and nation
al credit with such tremendous force as to
send through all the arteries of trade trem-
bling thrill that would paralyze every branch