The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-09-26
A DDnEss OF JUDGE MEnEplTH

Judge Meredith, as chairman of the
State Conservative committee, has issued
an address to the voters of Virginia,
which occupies nearly five columns of this
mornings Enquirer, and which will be
chiefly read because 1t is the production Of
his individual pen. As piece of
adroit special pleading it may add some
thing to the reputation of the distin-
guished writer but as stirring appeal
to the people, designed to fire the heart
and add intensity either to lukewarm
or oyer-heated canvass, the document is
most decidedly failure. These five
mortal columns of solid (not leaded) read
ing matter are imposed upon the patience
of the untiring reader in order to demon
strate the single proposition that the
people of Virginia can more safely
trust the Conservative than the Republi-
can party. The judge does not like to
recognize tho presence of b Republican
party in the state. and hence he calls us
all Radicals" and knows no other parties
among us but the immaculate and most
sweet Conservatives, and the "disorgan-
izing and revolutionary Radicals" This
blear-eyed inGrmity on the part of the
author of the address, seriously i'm
pairs his production as a merito-
rious politico-state paper. We had
expected more generous recognition
at his hands, to say nothing of polit-
ical nomenclature which he most cour-
teousy dispenses in the social circle, where
his presence is warmly welcomed by a host
of Republican friends and admirers.
But all things to the taste of political
hates and animosilies. II giving us hard
names and pelting us with unsavory adjec-
tives is demanded by the Conservative
party, then Judge Meredith, as chairman
OF their State Committee. is expected by
them to speak Extensively in his Official
capacity, and not courteously after the
fashion of the high-toned individual gentle.
man he is. All this is to he regretted
but. from the temper which politics take
on IN campaign where bitterness and as
perIty are expected to be the rule, and per.
sonal good breeding and amenity, the ex-
ception, we must continue to tolerate
what we would all gladly be rid of if We
could.
The reasons assigned by Judge Meredith
why the Conservative party should CON-
mand the larger suffrage in Virginia are,
first, that the gentlemen nominated by that
party are distinguished for their pa.
triotism, intelligence, and refinement -
second, that two of them, at least, have
"attested their devotion to her (Virginia's)
honor and her ancient principles by their
deeds of heroism )" and third, that they
have intensified their devotion to the state
by giving 'evidence of patriotism
which held life and fortune as light sacri.
flee for their mother" These are sub.
stantially all the reasons given why thu
people of Virginia should prefer the Con
sentative TO the Republican ticket. The
bal ,nce OF the address is devoted to the
Importance of securing Conservative
legislature, which shall fill the judiciary
by its own selections, override the Cover
nor's veto by a two-thirds vote, and
practically control the executive depart
ment of the state" in case such a calam-
ity should befall her people as the election
of the Republican ticket headed by Colonel
Robert w. Hughes.
1t is not charged that the three all-essen-
tial reasons why General Kemper and his
associates on the state ticket should be
elected, do not apply with equal force and
pertinency to Colonel Hughes and his asso-
ciates, except as to the devotion of the
former gentlemen to the ancient (secession)
principles of the people of Virginia. 1t is
not denied, except perhaps inferen.ially in
the tone and temper of the document. that
Colonel Hughes and his associates on the
Republican state ticket are gentlemen
distinguished FOR their patriotism, intelli-
gence and refinement" nor is it claimed
that they lack devotion to her honor and
ancient principles as understood and acted
upon by her earlier patriots and statesmen,
and especially by the founders of the great
Republic. How large a sacrifice of life
and fortune" either of the candidates
named may be disposed to make for his
MOTHER" df he have one) we are
not prepared to say but we presume the
instinct is as strong in the breast
of Conservative as Republican, and shall
not attempt to dsparage General Kemper's
claims to personal admiration and regard
in that respect.
The great fault in the address is, that it
seeks to commend the Conservative can
,ildates to the people Of Virginia on the
ground of their secession record, and their
steady adherence to the principles by
which that record was established. This we
assume to be fault, but in the estimation
of the writer it is doubtless prime merit
which only shows how tastes-especially
those engendered by politics differ in