The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-11-08
FRIDAY EvEG, NOV. $, 1872.

Thus has virginit probably been reduced from
mi ,riy at ali lines able to keep her out of the
hands sincompeteney, dis honesty ana oaroar
ism, to E,Dmi>son 10 that Admins ration whose
measures have been shaped with the view of
placing her under the dominion of the most fatal
aud disastrous kind of misgovernment -
Dispatch.
We propose to make all reasonable al
lowances for the vexation and regret mani
tested by our political opponents in the dis
astrous defeat which has come like deluge
upon them. The sentiments of bitterness
that enter into their disappointment are
but natural, and it is possible that we
might have INDUCED them to some extent
had the same crushing and anni-
hilating blows been administered to
us. But in Republic, where the ma
chinery of government is kept in motion
by the healthful organization of two
great political parties, there is limit to the
bitterness and asperity of partisan utter
ance under defeat, which we think the Dis
patch altogether transcends in its leader of
this morning. To intimate that the govern
ment of the State, in its probable passage
from Democratic to Republican ascen-
dency, gees into the hands of "incom-
potency, dishonesty, and barbarism," is
giving utterance to a sentiment which the
Dispatch itself cannot entertain except
as passion and prejudice are the media
through which its partisan vision is
singularly distorted for the time being.
But the Dispatch, with still greater
bitterness and asperity, goes on to say:
Did we undertake prophecy fear we should
make dscouraging picture for the dear old Stat
What with independent candidates and the de-
moralizing Influence of the financial questions,
we fear Il great deal of confusion In the public
councils, aud the temporary subsection of Vir-
gnia wisdom to TO ly and dishonesty The indie
pend nts will likely be numerous. The desire to
" run in " In the confusion of the hour will take
possession of the asses just as the horse malady
has takeu possession OF the horses They will
all be rampant on the pecunlary question, of
which they are profoundly ignorant and Virgin
ia will be in danger of being handed over to ig
norance and reckessness. We warn the people,
aud do trust that they will take heart and reso
luton and be prepared to save their State when
the next crisis arises.
Precisely what our contemporary means
by the " subjection of Virginia wisdom TO
folly and dishonesty" may be better
known to himself than to his more intelli-
gent readers. The majority of the good
people of Virginia, including with the Re-
publican party the "betttr portion of the
Conservatives" seem to have one idea of
Virginia wisdom" while the Dispatch
has quite another. They do not regard
even the " financial policy" of the "Con-
Sentative" administration in this State
such master.stroke of wisdom as to JUS
tify the people in continuing its political
ascendency beyond the constitutional limit
assigned it. They are ripe for a change,
and we accord to our contemporary the
sagacity to foresee it. "The Independ-
ents will be numerous" as the Dispatch
says, but there will be no confusion in
the hour" which witnesses their stampede
from the so-called " Conservative ranks"
They are coming in force enough to make
our triumph and theirs complete.
As to the profound ignorance" Of the
Republican party, and its rampancy on
pecuniarY questions" as charged by the
Dispatch, we may have word or two to
say hereafter, when we come to make up the
the issues of next State election and we
can assure our neighbor that if the State is
half as much in danger of being handed
over to Ignorance and recklessness"
then, as it was three years ago to" cor
raption and prohigacy," we shall be pro-
foundly moved in the direction of more
thorough and revolutionary reform than we
have yet deemed imperative in the Old
Dominion.
We beg the Dispatch, for the credit of
the party it represents, to ventilate its own
financial policy in the State as little as
possible. For had the infamous funding
scheme, originated by its party leaders and
powerfully advocated by our contemporary,
been so far tolerated by the people as to
allow its provisions to be carried out, the
State would have been hopelessly bank
rupt to-day, without dollar in the treas
ury, or the prospect of dollar, by which
Its machinery Of government could be
moved. Ignorance is always mis-
fortune, but not hopelessly incurable; but
partisan proagacy" has no cure short
of thorough extirpation from the body
politie-the fate which we think awaits it
in this State.
-
We wish we could say with an honest heart,
Never dc pair OF the Republic " But we can
not do 1t. We do despair of it, and have long