The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-02-25
TUESDAY EVEN'G. FEB. %, 1873
Poli,ica, Parties I'm virginia.

1t is generally understood when two
political parties are fused into one, as was
the case in Virginia upon the adoption of
the new constitution, that whether the pro-
cess of fusion be effected by the aid of a
political solvent or not, there will be a
new or somewhat modified form given to
the resulting product something to
express the intrinsic value of the two
interfused bodies. Neither of the old par
ties can be expected to retain all of its
distinctive characteristics or unalloyed
purity of principle, unless the union that
takes place be like that between the snake
and the frog, when the latter is invited to
come in out of the wet" and does so
purely on snake grounds" and with
reference to snake considerations"
The fusion of the "Old Bourbons !"
with the progressive elements"
Of the State, which took place
about four years ago, has resulted in just
such snaky alliance as that to which we
allude. The progressive elements were
swallowed, but as the frog was somewhat
larger than the snake, the process of deg
Tuition was slow and entirely unsasisfac-
tory to both parties. The capacity of the
snake to hold the frog, after he was once
fairly gulped, was certainly no greater than
the capacity of the frog to annoy the
snake; and the result has been most I'M
satisfactory illusion" from the start. In
fact, from the present temper of the two
political elements, it is difficult to say
which wants 10 get rid of the other the
most-whether his snakeship wants to
h'ow up the frog or his frogship 10 90
through the snake
Prolonged metaphor aside, this is the
exact condition of the Conservative party
of Virginia to-day: 1t has developed into
nothing but antagonisms and factiousness,
without any enlarged principle or worthy
and great object to inspire it. 1t is a
party without political ideas or any fixed
standards of faith to go by; party in
which partisan spirit is stronger that moral
or political principle, or party which
would measure truth by its tenets, rather
than its tenets by the truth. 1t lacks
conference of parts, and hence has nothing
Of that vital organization which is essential
to the growth and permanency of party
ideas-conditions without which no party
can expect to gain any real ascendancy
over the people beyond what binding
party zeal may effect in passing over
from a factious passion into an in
famed and rage-inspired fury. In revolu-
tionary times such parties may exist, and
liberty may at times be subserved by them !;
but they have no place in republic in
which the liberties Of the people are per-
manently secured by bills of right or such
chartered barriers as a rational liberty
may seek to erect in the interests of the
whole people, without actual reference to
party.
When party is made the primary end
and object of political fusion, or when
political organization strives to make the
public interests subservient to its own
aims and ambitions, and measures every
thing by the standard of its own interests,
and not with reference to the public good,
there is no hope of its permanent continu.
ence except as an element of evil to the
state. 1t is true that political parties are
essential to the healthfnl administration
OF civil government among a free people,
II not essential to the preservation of
civil liberty itself. But they must be
based on something altogether more vital
than the sordid and selfish ends of the
persons composing them. There must be
principle underlying party action, and such
principle must be considered with reference
to the public good, and not solely with ref
erence to party prepollency and power. A
party that does not build on principle, or
seek the common good of the whole COM
monwealth. lacks the true requisites of
party organization. and sinks sooner or
later into shameless and grasping faction.
These are general truths recognized by all
writers on the political ethics obtaining in
free states or republics.
The Conservative party of Virginia was
organized solely with reference to pre-
pollency of power in the State. Its entire
end and aim was this and this only. 1t has
struggled through nearly four years of I'M
profitable life, and stands to-day without
party sign or pledge to retrieve it from the
ignominy ofpure factiousness. The FOOLS cap
and bcggar's bag are its symbols of achieve
ment. 1t opposes every measure of real
and beneficial progress in the State. 1t
seeks to cripple industry by placing un-
righteous burdens upon its back; it fosters
enmity and hate as party element it
drives back ignorance from the open APP
proaches to learning it wars against the
profIer Of capital to develope untold re-
sources Of wealth in the State; it fights
gravitation or laws as uniform and benef-
cent in their operation as the kindly hand
of nature can make them it sees no
energizing life in anything but the shin
bones of antiquity ; it shrieks about "dead
liberty" in an old emblematc GOODIES
that was pitched out of the temple a
thousand years ago; it agonizes over the
-, !. Il. L.