The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-05-27
TUESDAY EvEN'G. MAY 81, 1878.

WE publish another communication to-
day, criticising the position of The STATE
JOURNAL in reference to the selection of a
candidate by the Republican party in the
coming gubernatoral election. We are in
receipt OF SO many Of these communica-
tons that can only publish the shortest,
curtest and most pointed; and, as our de-
sire is to accommodate both sides of this
vexed inquiry, we give to-day the letter Of
" A Calm Observer" who is presumed to
have looked over the important and histo-
ric field of Yorktown with as much delib-
Grafton and calmness as one entertaining
his particular views could well bring to the
aid of his preconceived opinions.
The idea that calm observer could
count all the votes which General Grant
received from Virginia Conservatives,
whether Wings or Democrats, upon the
ends of his fingers, may have been a
very accurate and calm observation for one
to make in the vicinity of Yorktown; but
how would it be if the same observa-
ton were extended into the valley and
mountain regions of the state, where the
chief relative gain was secured in the
presidential canvass. If our correspond
ent will take the figures as presented by
the different sections of the state, and study
them in the light of "vital Statistics" he
may possibly draw somewhat different
fro bot no, Il, H.,
combining his observations entirely to the
historic peninsula.
But our "Calm Observer" trips u little
in his observations when he says that the
Republican party needs aid from the edu-
Gated white vote of the state. Why
need this aid, if the party
was able to carry the state
in the last election by five thousand
majority? For, remember, we were
cheated out of about three thousand votes
in the rascally count made by the Conser-
yative party. on one miserable pretext and
another. If it is ''palpable to the most SUI
perlicial observer" that we need this par
ticular aid, how superficial must "Calm
Observer be in his observations, to talk
about General Grants gain, from the
source to which he flippantly refers, as
being counted On the ends of ones fin
gers!
But our correspondent is equally unhap'
py in his reference to the old Wing anC
Democratic parties. The most advanced
men in the Conservative party of Virginia
to-day, and those the most likely to break
away from that yrel organization, are thu
old-lne Democrats of the JefIersonian- Re
publican school. So far at least as our obser
walton has extended land it has been pretty
closely directed to the point of information
desired), this is true and if "A Calm
Observer will get away from his historic
Yorktown, and extend his observation into
the sections of the state where we received
the largest relative gain in the presidential
election, he will no doubt find it to b'
true. Yorktown observation is also a
fault in seeking the gain of ''lve business
men," in the state, by his unique process o
sprinkling fine Republican salt on thei
tails. To "open the door wide," and Civ
cordial invitation to these ive gentlemen
to come in out Of the wet, is very happy
device when your "decoy ducks" are
well placed, and the "ambush'' il
not too palpably set. But when you say
to these "live gentleuen," we want you
votes only to elect our own candidates
while we put you on strict probatonar,
discipline, we can imagine with VIVA
wonderful alacrity they will "come troop
ing'' into our lines from the ranks of til,
political enemy! We have had some ex
perience in what is technically called 'po
itical liie," but this proposition 0
"Calm Observer" comes the neares
to the Machiavelian policy indicated il
the song of the "Spider and the Fly" Q
anything we have ever encountered in tn
shape of political seduction and inyeigle
ment. We almost imagine we can see tn
Conservative party 'come trooping" il
solid column into our camp, and swellin
our happy majority to thousands upo
thousands beyond what was reached in tn
presidential canvass.
We suspect that 6 A Calm Observer
has very prolific wish, or one that is nc
only father to his thought. but which be
gets whole litter of other little wishe
that will never get their eyes open, excer
in expectancy of marvellous events, unit
the advent of that happy millennium whe
the political lion and lamb shall lie dow
together, and ell flesh be as that of Nebu
chadnezzar--turnedl into one grass.
.
Our Border Difficulties ra
IL is enil thnt thn rnuarnment will On