The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1873-09-04


openly proclaiu,-that, represented by the
demagogues cry, "Virgfpia for White Vir-
ginfaus,' 'lthere is no hope for the people. Will
they hot throw aside prejudice and passion
and look at the matter, fairly and squareFy ?
IF they will do this we have no fears for the
result. No impartial mind can approve the
spirit that aniraates the Conservative party
1t will prove fatal to the State if it triup phs.
We have too much faith in the common
sense Of the people, aud the high destiny
that awaits our grand old State under the in
SEPARATION of a liberal State policy and nation
al spirit, TO doubt the overthrow Of the party
Of Intolerance, prescription and bigoted SELF
ishness.
T There has never been exhibited 10 the his
tory Of parties in Virginia such flnsy
/ found at ion, as that which constitutes the ba-
sis Of the Conservative organization. In
fact, it has neither substantial principle nor
policy, considered in relation TO the true OBJ
iects of government. Il is shifting from
one expedicut to- the other, in she hope Of
succeeding In striking upon something by
which to excite popular prejudice and ride
iuto power epos it. Starting out with the
declared purpose Of making race prejudice
o war upon labor--the absorbing thought Of
the canvass, it found that this only environ
ed it with more difficulties. and brought
down upon it not only the contempt and con-
demnatiou Of the solid people Of the State,
but the ridieule Of all intelligent minds
abroad. From bitter denuneiation of the
administration, it passed to faint praise, and
we believe is now ready to- embrace the
whole machinery of Repubicauism, even to
accepting Gen. Grant as its candidate for
third time It's warfare BOW in Virginia,
is upon Col. Hughes political consistency.
Having virtually collapsed in its war upon
the labor element, its only source Of carrying
on canvass seems to be to dig up from the
dead past the writings and utteranees Of the
Republican candidate for Governor, and try
to infame the passions Of the people about
that. They seem to forget that there rs a
bloody chasm between 1850 aud the pres
emit. They appear ignorant Of the fact that
the proclaimed doctrine of political parties
| in Virginia up to 1860 and the theory of
| Tod
to the arbitrament Of the sword, and by it
determined against US. They do not recoc-
nize that it was the part of trae moral cour-
age to frankly conform to the new order Of
things, after the assize to which We appealed
had given verdict against US. Having
accepted the conditions of that adjudication,
which involved the surrender of our tradl-
tonal ideas O! government, there was no
other course for US to adopt than to adjust
our conduct IN public affairs, in accordance
with the spirit Of the reconstruction meas
ures. Any other policy on our part, would
be bad faith to compact soiemnly entered
into and sealed with an oath. From the
adoption Of the Federal Constitution down
to 1861, there we're two constructions given
TO its meaning. One by the South that it
was voluntary pact, entered into by the
States, to be broken, whenever in the judg-
msrt Of one Of the States the object of the
compact failed Of accomplishment, Of which
each State was to be its own judge. The other
idea held by the North, was that the Union
was designed to be perpetual, and that any
attempt to discover it was treason, to be
suppressed by the strong arm Of the govern
ment. These two ideas joined issue and
the appeal was made to the sword. That
one proclaiming the perpetuity Of the
Union, triumphed-we submitted and ac-
cepted the results. Now, because Colonel
Hughes, who maintained the doctrine Of the
right of secession until it was determined by
the only power that could decide it, is hon
estly and laboriousy seeking to reconcile the
State and the country to recognizing the es-
tablished theory of government-the per-
petuity of the Uniou--and carry out in
good faith the terms and conditions result
| ing from the war upon these two ideas, his
consistency is assaled, and his motives de-
nounced. What else could he do, as an hon.
est man, but accept and adopt the situation?
There is but one alternative-the re-asser-
ton of the doctrine Of secession, and pa
tently wait for a favorable opportunity to
renew the war. That is the position of
Jefferson Davis, as recently proclaimed, and
that is the only logical position any man can
take, who does not sincerely accept the stu
alton in letter and spirit In denounciug
Col. Hughes, Gen. Kemper and Col. With
ers, and all who act with them, are logically
driven to the re-assertion OF the ideas Col.
Hughes maintained before the war, but which
were decided adversely by the war and which
decision he accepts. These gentlemen must
either accept or reject the results Of the war
If they accept, they do precisely what Col
Hughes does. IF they reject, they are false
to their pledges, and are only awaiting the
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