The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1873-04-03
II I : -
- A.RADiCALiSM.


When Thomas jefferson ir,t attempted to
ihsug'irate the Republican party in this
r.'antry, the adheran,s of the old Federal
d''ctrlpe, wishing to bring it into di>repmte,
and attach to it the odium of Jacobinism,
sben flooding the fair fields of France with
innocent blood. deaomlnated It Democrncy-
or the party Of the rabble. Genet, a French
efgis.ary, who was abont that time indu.tr-
"usly engaged in organizing acobin Socc
ties was quoted as an exemplar Of the ideas
that Eay at the foundation of Jeffersous re-
publican party. Conscious Of the adaptation
Of the principles Of a Representatives Rspnb
,liesto the necessities of a free government Of
she people, restrained by wholesome limita-
lions, Jefferson persisted in his nomenclature.
as expressively representative of the true
meaning and Interpretation Of the govern
mental tenet she proposed. Misrepresentation.
distortion and misapp!eatiou of his natives
by the Federaists failed to have the desired
effect, and the Republican party swept the
country, and its principles we're accepted as
e,nbodyiug the true theory Of a liberal Re-
publican goycrnmcnt-a modification Of the
representative monarchy Of the old country,
ind corresponding with his idea of the relig-
ious and political freedom, and the intellect
ual development of the people. The Fede-
ralists.. however, did not weary in their ef-
forts to cast odum upon the new organize
tion, nor cid they abate their purpose to iden-
sify it with the revolutionary aud bloody So
cieties at whose head Robespierre and Marat
and Dantou stood iu France, from which
country Jefferson had then but recently re-
turned. They charged that he had imbibed
the leveliag doctrines Of the Jacobins, aud
the certain result of the policy legi'iEaately
dSducibie from Republican principles, would
be a duplication OF the horrid scenes of the
French revolution. They contendca that the
only representative name for it vas Demorra
ry-:hat it antagouized all the conservative
safeguards of tho articles Of confederation
and if permitted to enter into the political
economy OF this country, our government
would receive itself into licensed aud un-
bridlcd mobocracy, destructive Of the rights
Of person and property and subversive Of
the very ideas for the maintenance of which
the colonies reyolteL. Clear as wss the e1-
position Of the tendency and purpose of the
Espuditcan party as contradistinguished from,
Democracy, yet the latter name finally at
sached to it, and it became the recognized
antagonist OF the Federal, afterwards the
Wing party accepted, by usage, as synony.
NOUS with Republican. People ceased to re.
gard the e,ymology of the word, but applied
it to the principles and ideas represented b,
the term Republican, until il finally became
the name that csptiva.ed the minds of the
people, and fashioned the Legislation oil the
country. Born 10 dishonor, it Was raised in
honor, instead Of becoming by word aud
repraach, as it Was intended by It's enemies i,
should be, it Became the raslying cry OF thu
people, the reflection Of their sympa'h es,ft'
sxeruplar OF their government ideas. the idea
of their affections. And thus it remained
until seizsd hold Of by desis nlng men, ant
perverted from its mission Of carrying ou,. tn,
broad principles Of Republican government
it de;erioated into the Nero embodiment o
sectional hates and Intolerance aud the agen
cy for effecting sectional ends. aud final,
public sentiment.
The Republican party, which succeeded il
in the administration of government, and now
holes the confidence Of the people, under les'
embarrassing circumstances--the absence o
slavery, the iliad of our woes--is sought tt
be. stigmatizsd with an epithet, that sous d.
harsh upon the ear, by the meaning tina
usage attaches to it, but which pathological,
conssdersd, is probably significant Of the worl
that has been effected aud is still to be accom-
piished Radical, in the course Of time, WI
doubt not, sill be vested with the same attrac
INV oo0 SoHos oiibS AoAuchoo, s"A' 1(C"s'-' -
cy onee enjoyed. Having been at e st appl'
ed as term Of approbr'um, il will gradual.
be regarded as synonymous with the interes
Of the people, aud the representative though
of free government Having radically root
~ed cut haman slavery, its mission is to tea
up and destroy the sectional prejadices whicl
existed, and S.ill exist, by reason of that so
cial system and harmonic the interest ant
the sentiment Of the people upon the broat
idea CT intel cctual and material progress ey
.erY where within the limits OF the jurisdiction
of our laws. There is process quietly ant
surely geing on, Of applying the rad'ca
knife to Oh fogy distractions, and clearing
the path for the fuiEiment Of the ma oiies
destiny Of Republican principles, as under
stood by Jefferson and Jackson, and now fo'
the FIRST time stripped Of the complicated EN-
soarrassments resulting from slavery. Witt
1.-THE sentiment of the civilized world agalns
us BY reason OF the bondage o the black man
the Influence eff fsee government lost its pow
er because of this whe. our example wa.