The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-05-19
MONDAY EVEN'G, MAY 10, Isl;
Cracking the whip in Advance.

manifest no small disguietude over the pro-
posed action of the Republican party in
this state, in making up their next guberna-
torial ticket. 1t troubles them amazingly
that we should have the temerity to think
of opening the doors of our convention to
such sterling old Virsinians as voted for
General Grant in the last presidential cleo
ton, and they have opened sharp fire Of
social ostracism all along the line, threat
ening u degree of individual oblivion to all
who shall come into convention with us
which is truly frightful to contemplate.
Only to think that some gentlemen (Vir-
ginia gentlemen) are to be ruled out Of the
company of others Twill be most distress
ing, especially to those unhappy ones that
are outruled but if the process goes OH as
vigorously as our valiant denunciationsts
would have it, it will speedily happen that
the outrulers will be the ruled out them
selves, which, like Falfstaf's reckoning,
twill be thing to thank God on"
But this consigning Of voters to oblivion
after they have been triumphant at the polls,
is making the social status less unbearable
than it might otherwise be. The happy
majority may find, perhaps, as much con-
ISOLATION in their deprivation as those
who shall be compelled to pick upon their
political traps and vacate the positions Of
trust and honor they now hold in the state.
Cracking the whip of party discipline so
Justify in advance Of the traces, is apt to
make blooded steeds little too FESTIVE to
take on the collar. 1t is better to sprinkle
oats and resort to other conciliatory and
enticing expedients, unless it chance that
you be mere ass-drivers, in which case it
will do. Then, whip, with good party
snapper on it, may not be Objectionable.
But really, this threatened ostracism
against individuals who shall join the
dominant party in the state (uide last cleo
ton returns) is too amusing to be
seriously treated. IL can only sug-
gest such a philosophical reflection as
that INDUCED in by the Incompatible Fall
staff at the Eastcheap inn, Company, vii
famous company, hath been the spoil of me-"
Its excess, or sheer superiority of num-
bers, is what hath ruined the Conservative
party, and the policy of looping off heads.
especially those a little unmanageable, is
not so palpably absurd after all. The i'm
policy of the thing consists in Threatening
decapitatlon so far in advance of its actual
accomplishment. For, in politics, men who
are threatened with the loss Of the heads
they wear to-day, are very apt to look
out for other and more comfortable heads
to wear tomorrow. Besides, this decapi-
tation business is a game at which two
can play, and when proscriptive guillo-
tine is once erected there is no telling
whose head will roll first into the political
waste-basket.
Bu. why should our contemporaries be
so much alarmed at the prospect of our
nominating some old Virginian : to the
manner born ?" some old Democrat, if
you please? Hath not The Dispatch as
sured us that the Republican party is the
only true democratic party IN the country
and why not take good stauneh Demo-
crat, Of the old Virginia school, in vertical
ton gifts most comforting assurance? We
can see no good reason why we should not,
if the person taken has outlived the here
sizes of secession, aud falls into Republican
line as into that Of the true democratic
party of the country. 1t may not suit our
Conservative friends for us to do so, but they
will pardon us if we do not especially con-
suit them in the choice of candidates at
this time. We are vain enough to think
we can make out a much better ticket for
ourselves than they would be likely to
vouchsafe us if they were the willing choos-
ers. Beware of gifts from the Greeks, is
always safe precauton in politics. The
old Trojans never committed the folly of
accepting them but once, but that once
was enough, as the treacherous oblation
showed.
All that We propose for the Republican
plrty to do. is to make the call for our
state convention broad enough and liberal
enough for all the old Democrats and
Wings, who voted for General Grant, and
all who are disguised with the misalliance,
blunders, chicane, mismanagement, and
general impolicy of the Conservative par
ty, to come into convention with us
and be henceforth of us, in noble
cndcavor to lift the state out OF
its present financial embarrassments
TO break down the partition walls between
itself and the capital and educated labor OF
the country; to develop its grand material
industries bring out its splendid produce
tive resources cease to foster the animosi-
ties of the past, and rise to comprehen-
sion Of the glorious possibilities that lie in
the near future. To tie Virginia to the
tail of a dead party and compel her to drag
along its rotten carcass in her political
industrial and social future, is to make her
cut the absurdest possible figure in history.
Let the men who favor this sort of future
for Virginia, crack the whip ofsocial and po-
litical ostracism over the heads of her noble
and chivalric people; none but the small.
est kind of knaVes and fat-witted fools
will heed the threatened lash, Brave men