National Republican., 1873-06-28

The prominence attained by Colonel John
s. Mosby rs q free-lance during the war
gave Indication that he was possessed Of q
our people for the equal prominence which
he has since gained as a politician. As q
daring, dashing rough-rider he achieved a
reputation, widespread as military knowledge
Itself, as the most successful partisan chief
Of the age. Now here, now there, and then
In some other unexpected place, he harasscd
the rear, the front and The tanks Of the
Union forces with perplexlng and uliqul-
tous pertlnacity. II Is therefore not to be
wondered at that with q capacity for such
unexampled ralding, he should develop some
Of the same characteristics In the new role
which he has chosen to play. Just now he
Ia engaged In raiding against the Conserya-
tlves Of Virginia, which Is very goodso far
as II goes, and We commend him for II. lie
hits them hard and unexpected blows with
the same impudencc and rccklcssuess that
he formerly exhibited in burning "PedcrNl"
wagon train, and takes prisoners from their
ranks as easy a. he used to capture yankee
suffers" For all this he Is called Rcpubli-
can, q Radical and other hard nance, and,
according to his own account, has suffered
social ostracism TO some extent. II this cali
ing him hard names and this so-callcd suffer
Ing made him Republican we should rejoice;
but II does not. He finds no afiiliating In
fuences among the Republicans Of his State,
and does not hesitate to say that he does not.
He believes In republicanism as an lnstrr-
mcnt with which to destroy sham conser.
vatism, but does not believe In Republican
principles as Illustrated by Republican prac.
tice In the South. he thinks that the Con.
servatlves are capable Of ruling Virginia, and
that the Republicans would ruin the State
He agrees that republicanism as Il exists In
the North, where what he Is pleased TO term
the best people belong TO the Republican
party, Is commendable; but In the South,
where ''only blacks and q few white
adventures" belong to the party, II
Ia the reverse. lie desires that tho
CONSERVATIVES, or rather the members Of the
Conservative party, shall so organize them.
selves as to attract the black vote from the
Radicals, thereby destroying tho existing di.
vision Of race against race, and would like tc
see the whites and blacks equally divided on
political questions without prejudicial dis.
tlnction on account Of color. As In the case
Of Mail Agent Beckley, whose appointment
he recommended, he does not object TO re.
cognition Of the public services Of colored
citizens, provided they are honest, capabl,
and respectable" His precise position II
the pending campaign In Virginia can hardly
be asccrtained from the foregoing authorita
tive explanation Of his views without tn,
further statement that under no circum
stance will he support the nominee Of th,
regular Republican convention, and that un
less an independent anti.C Conservative candi
date Is placed In tho field ho will vote tht
regular Conservative ticket. In other words
while violently opposed 10 Conservatism, h,
prefers 1t 10 Radicalism as 1t Is prac
ticed by the Republicans Of virginia Rnt
Illustrated by the history Of other Southern
States since the war. He may be called I
dlscontented as well as disconnected man
but, giving him credit as we do for purity O
purpose, we are satisfied to believe that hi
first object ut this especial juncture ls the de
structlon Of the Conservative party, and W,
believe that his efforts will not be without
practical result. His example may not b,
followed scrupulously, for his position Is an
omalous; but 1t has already induced hundred
of young men in the State to break the tic
Of party discipline which have bound then
to the sham Conservative party, and wher
that Is done great deal Is accomplished
He receives no sympathy from any one con
nectcd with the Administration In his opposi
tion to the regular Republican Organization
but docs receive the encouragement which h
- - tt- -s"-ts tn dnstrnv the Canssrv
atiye organization. As he makes no secret 0
bis opinions and intentions, but proclaim
them publicly and boldly, this explanation o
his position can do no harm, but may serve t
clear away some doubts which have hereto
fore existed relative TO him. II II does moth
Ing more, 1t will certainly give the Conscrva
tive papers Of Virginia an opportunity Il
assail him as bitterly as they were wont h
praise him when In old times he won fam
and glory by his success as 4 soldier. Will
he docs not seek such prominence, he Is MAJ
enough not 10 shirk the responsibility whiel
will follow from 1t.