The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1872-11-07
RETROSPECT.

The Presidential contest is over. Before
this number Of the Iirynion reaches many
of our readers the full result of the struggle
will be known, and the verdict Of the Amer
lean people recorded. At this writing, be-
fore the depositing Of the suffrages dfthe legal
voters commences. we may safely predict that
Ulysses S. Grant will be chosen President of
the United States, for the term of four years
lrem-the 4th of March next.
In calmly reviewing the past few months
Of excited political warfare we are impelled
to the conclusion that there has never been
within our experience such viudictive, con-
sistent malignity exhibited towards any can
didate as that manifested by the Greeley
press towards Gen. Grant, and such an utter
abandonment of reason and legitimate argu-
ment. In fact it has been an usgoverned
stream of passionate denunciation, regardless
of the philosophy of events and the logic Of
facts and complete subordination Of the
mind to the wild reign ofreckless passion -
1t has developed moral incapacity in jour-
nalism that is pailpful to contemplate, and if
not rcbuked BY tho honest Judgment of the
people, may educate the popular mind into
substituting the behests and Commands of
party leaders for honest convictions and man
" independence. TIE history Of political
contests in Virginia has never before shown
such slavish AFFECTION, such disgusting sub
seryiency, and that total absence Of the essen
tial elements Of elevated journalism, as has
! been unmasked during the past four months.
Without carefully study ing the nature Of the
competing policies, the general effect of the
result, or heeding the vast interests that Vir-
ginia and the South had involved, with no
pride of consistency, and no comprehensive
appreciation Of the national welfare, the Gree
ley press have blindly and foolshly rushed
forward under the spur of party, careless of
the consequences which must follow. Party
laid down the law that they must support
Greeley, whatever their conscience and judg-
ment might say in arrest of this decree, and
party despotism and party discipline must
be made paramount to all other considerations
though theyslead to the destruction of the
material interests Of the State and section,
the revival and crystalization of sectional
feeling and hates, at the expense of every
substantial element of peace and prosperity.
They have not only advanced no arguments
in vindication Of their unqqestioned subsvrvi-
ency to corrupt party coalitions, but have
been driven to the most driving nonsense to
maintain their consistency as party tools, and
pitifu!l time servers. When Journalists give
up their individuality, their manhood, their
Intellectual independence, to the command Of
self-constituted party leaders, without care.
full and honest digestion and elucidation of
the tendency Of the policy recommended, they
publish themselves as totally untitled for the
positions they hold, and as degrading an hon
orable profession, which when properly appre-
ciated is an effective agent for good, down to
the lowest level of party expediency. Instead
Of intoxicating an elevated code Of ethics to
make its impression around the hearthstones
they visit, newspapers, under such manage
ment, become the filthy conduits Of putres
cent morality that will viciate the tone and
throw malarious and leprous influence over
the popular understanding
During this canvass just closed, party OBJ
legation has been regarded as the touchstone
of honesty and fairness with the press, on the
part of tho supporters Of Greeley. They have
been disposed to tolerate no question as to
the integrity Of the purpose and the efficacy
of the policy which throttled and crushed the
D;moeratic party, and handed it over, bound
hand and foot, to the keeping of Horace
Greeley, at Baltimore. The Immaculate lead
ers, who never. felt a democratic impulse or
emotion-who had violently seized its control,
without the consent or desire of the constit-
uent body-laid it down as law, that any man,
"uo H'olo 20 PooAaiiy ouy ouicoI, HHo pIeSu-
med to doubt the wisdom Of the unnatural
and outrageous coalition-who chose to as
sert his own right to be heard, and to main
tain his freedom from such arbitrary dicta-
ton, must DO read out of the piebald concern,
and tossed adrift to paddle his own canoe.
We dared to question that policy-we pre-
=
dicted the utter decentralization, disorganiza-
ton and ruin Of the organization. To our
mind there never has been such monstrous
betrayal OF the people-such an high-handed
assumption of power and privilege. The peo-
pie all over the country have sternly rebuked
it, and the wisdom and the righ. of our views
and position vindicated
The whole movement resolved itself into
little sectional cabal, nursing sectional hates,
revivipg sectional issues, and placing the en-
tire South, and especially Virginia, in false
and perilous position. Instead of accepting
the results of the late war in good fait h, and