The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-08-08
ELECTION DAY:
TUESDAY. NOVEMBER A, 1873.

THE platform Of the Conservative party
is not to be found in the fine words put to-
gether in few resolutions by the chair
man of their platform committee, and
adopted last night by the convention,
but it is to be found in the candidates
which they have placed before the people.
There is nothing noticeable in the platform
except the resolutions in favor of the canal
and free schools, which are taken at sec
ond hand from the Lynchburg platform Of
the Republican party. But there is q
world of significance in the ticket.
The names on the ticket indicate great
deal. They declare that the Conservative
party are done with the concilatory talk of
1872, and the submissive language of 1869;
that we are to have no more trueo Re-
publlcanism or liberal'' Republicanism !;
that the Walker movement is abandoned
and the Greeley tactics discarded that
they are done with all manifestations Of
satisfaction with the reconstruction laws of
Congress, and with the latest amendments
of the national constitution that their
talk against negro rule and carpet-bag
domination means protest and defiance
against the whole policy of reconstruction |;
and that in the persons of two Confederate
officers and one unrepentant and unrecon-
structed politician, they have gone back to
the aotite mans party bitterness, vitupera-
ton and sedition OF 1868.
In Mr.. Daniel we have the author Of o
letter written in March, 1867, deiantly and
sedtiously denouncing the first act of
reconstruction passed by Congress in
that month. In Colonel Withers, we have
the author Of repeated declarations in
1868, to the effect that no laws of Congress
could give the negroes right(ul title to
suffrage and citizenship, and defiant an
nouncements to the negroes that he did not
desire or ask their votes. In General Kem-
per we have the representative of extreme
sectional ideas in the state of the sort we'll
pleasing to such man as Jubal A..
Early. In all, we have set of candidates
enthusiastically approved by that famous
rebel, nominated unanimously by a
convention Of which General Early was the
genius and master spirit.
So we are to have over again in 1878 the
same battle which brought on the public
troubles Of 1875, and which ought to
have been ended under the apple tree of
Appomattox. The party responsible for
the war and for all'its consequences will
not sheath the sword, or smoke the pipe
of peace. The peace Of 1869 was hol-
low truce. The acceptance of the situa-
ton in 1872 was but sham and subter-
fuge. They will not let Virginia return in
good faith and good feeling to the Union.
The party of discord, hatred and political
prescription repeats its struggle for ascen-
dancy and control. Their device for Sc
curing it is by frightening the people about
negro rule, and they hope to ride into
power upon the hates. passions, intolerance
and fears of race.
The formal platform is really beneath
criticism. After the trades of disgusting
abuse which they poured out upon
General Grant last year, they now pretend
to endorse his administration. After the
fierce invectives against the negro, and
norrifying deprecations of negro rule,
with which they have filled their newspa-
pers for three months, they now profess to
be DESTROYS to accord all their rights to the
negro race. In brief words, the only
proper Characterization of the platform, is
as an ingenious fraud, intended to amuse
and deceive the North, while the war of
race and prescription is going on within
the state. Equal rights to the negroes
indeed! There cannot be counted five
judges of the state courts who have allow
ed the negro citizen place upon the juries
of his country.