The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-08-25
ELECTION-DAY
TUESDAY NOVEMBER 4, 1878,
EPAULETS, EMOLUMENTS AND IN
TREPIDtTY IN WAR-INTOIER-
ANCE, INSINCERITY AND MORAL.
GOWApDICE IN PEACE.

SOWARDICE IN PEACE.
General Kemper, as we have said be.
fore, is brave man. We accord to him o
certain sort of courage. We believe him
be high-spirited gentleman, but the VIC
tim of strong passions, wicked prejudices
and an over-stuffed ambition.
He was intrepid in war, but his daring
was no more than that of thousands who
fought under the rival flags of our late
conflict In war, courage is the rule, and
. cowardice the exception. .--...
Anxious as General Kemper was for the
fray for Virginia to ally herself with
South Carolina long before the shock came;
friend as he was of Memminger and of his
mission to this state ; advocate of South
Cardinals aHimatum to the north, and Of
its adoption by the legislature of which
he was member; among the first to abet
secession and advise bloodshed, he acted as
he should and promptly aoent forth to battle.
But he was careful before he started to pro-
vide himselfwith high commission; to have
hat, jacket and boots all feathered, epau-
leLted and spurred; to have horse and har-
ness, purple and fine linen, rank and emolu-
ments all secured. These he commanded
before joining the mobile army of mar
tyrs, the brave heroic privates who trav-
elled the" bloody road to death on foot
and died that tyrants might flourish and
demagogues have their day; that General
kemper might become the identical little
hero and the very pretentious martinez that
he is.
But the crime of this gentleman is MOI
that he encouraged South Carolina or was
first in the war, but that he is last in
peace, and for the second time is palter-
ing with his deluded countrymen. He
knows how the fever of war was followed
by the palsy of want and poverty in our
land, and how sorely our PROSTATE people
need the blessings of real peace--a
peace with the great Republican majority
of the north u; a peace with the Republican
congress; peace with the Republican
president a peace with the northern peo-
pie, the national power and the national
flag. He knows further, that peace is
impossible either amongst ourselves or
with the Northern masses, until the vile
brood of passions, as Matched and nursed
by the leaders of his party, have been
stilled into silence by a Republican
triumph, and an end thus made of polit-
cal hatreds amongst ourselves of pro-
scrption for political differences, and Of
the presumption, dictation and terrorism
OF the Conservative leaders.
If General Kemper and the other leaders
of his party will cease to pour into the caul-
dron of our state The hell-broth of all unchar-
itableness if they will cease their decep-
ton and witchery of the people, we can
have peace, and with it prosperity. But
they will not do it. They are devoid of
moral courage. Timidity is their misfor-
tune, fear the curse of these leaders, In
political actions they remind you of the
sorry figure of lion with his tail doubled
between his legs. They are in the maia
set OF time-servers and astute office. seek
ers,
Who would sell the truth TO serve the bour.
And palter with eternal God for power"
But the unfortunate people of our state
will be slow to see that they have anything
to hope for in the rule of these leaders.
General Kemper, the politician s candidate,
Is an extremely selfish man. He is in no.
wise friend of the people. What! He
make any sacrifices for the state I? lie hum
BILE himself in the peoples interest? Bah
lie only huo'bles himself achen James &.
henper as 10 be eraled See that part of
his speech where he smiles and smiles on
the administration of General Grant. and
frames his faceto please or rather to deceive
the President.
Who has forgotten, that as Greeley
elector at large, it was only the other dav
That mounted and panoplied he rode the
state with his foot firmly fixed on Grants
neck, and shouting at the top of his voice
the awful motto on our coat of arms as a
warning to the bloody butcher. At that
time Grant was both knaye and fool. a des-
pot and a traitor, the oppressor of the
people, the scourge of the earth. Kem-
per said so. He swore so. Right there
he stood, "frm as the marble. founded
as the rock"
And what spectacle our chief magis-
trate became in his cruel hands. How he
smeared and smirched his poor face. How
he daubed him. Now see his conceited
smirk, his soft, affected manner toward
Grant. Behold him dismount from bis
high horse and straddle palfey. Hear
him humble himself before the President
IN his speech of Friday:
1--WE are not abusing you now, General
drant; we have nothing to do with national
questions. As for you and your adminis-
tration, General Grant, we hope to be able
to support both cordially. We have no
factious opposition to you, General Grant.
Do, pray, shut your eyes to our election in
Virginia; its all an outside matter. General
Grant,