Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1874-07-09

Ss~' POfui"t. nNli SopfCibHhCHV Va "Ch
trail imperialism. intend 30 stand for
the liberty side as long as a fragment
OF it remains. ! am opposed to third
term for the reason That, notwithstand-
ing the past, have faith in the cause
Of constitutional free government. But
| oppose some other evils still more.
One of the most cruel calamities which
could befall all classes and colors at
he South would be the social inter
mixing of the races to result from the
enforcement ofthe civil rights fanatis
cism and bafbarism and it is hard to
conceive what greater evil than that
could be involved in any possible revo-
luton of the government
If the future: should bring forward a
candidate iupersosaating the third term
principle if be should cut loose from
old party trammels and take his stand
on our safe Conservative ground
groand of universal reconciliation and
peace under the Constitution-and if SC
standing he should be opposed by any
champion of the. civil rights iaiquity.
then in contest between the two the
Conservative party ought in my opinion
to go decidedly but as an organized
party and not otherwise, for the third
termer-yet with u protest on their
lips against the third-term principle
and in spite Of that principle.
Having to touch this subject, it is
but fair to 60 through with 1t and to
develop all | know as bearing upon i,
in any of its relations.
Early in December last, a desire
spontaneously expressed, that / would
call and see the. President, was con-
veyed to rue orally from the best source
l duly appreciated the courtesy, ano
felt an inclination to accept it. A very
few days afterward l came to Rich
mond, advised with a number Of able
and leading Conservatives as to my
duty in the premises, and as the result
of such conference | then made up my
mind and then fixed and announced tc
many friends my determination to make
that call.
On the 31st of DecemberI returned
to Richmond, and after my arrival, on
that day, finished inaugural message to
be transmitted on tire. 1st OF January
The message went freely and fully
into the subject Of the relations of the
Conse! vative party With other parties
AMI with General Grant. 1t insisted
upon maintaining the integrity and i'll
dependence Of the Conservative party
as then and now organized. 1t alleged
that the Conservative party was under
no ties CT obligations which bound or
identified it with any existing national
party, but was independent Of them all
1t set forth the principles Of the Con
sentative party with emphasis assert
ing that we meant firmly to adhere to
them even to the extent of supporting
all who supported them and opposing
all who opposed them, It argued that
all good men OF all parties could prop
erly come over to orr gfouno and find
room enough to stand on, but it clearly
excluded all idea and all possibility of
the Conservative party being ''calrled
over" to, and merged in, any other ex
lsting party.
Tie message commented freely on
the third resolution Of the Conserva.
tive platform, which: like every Other
part of it contemplates their mainte
nance of the party as an independent
organization. The long and short Of
that resolution as then repeated is, that
as a party we will wage no tactious OPP
position to General Grant; that we
viii fairly and impartially judge him
by his action, and will support his
measures just as far as they accord with
our principles and tend to promote the
peace and welfare Of the whole country.
The plain and known meaning is that
we want peaceful, beneficial and cordial
relations with the Federal executive
head as far as we can rightly and hon
orably have them that we will cheer
fully support his action as far as it
squares with our announced principles
and is clearly implied that we will not
support, but will oppose, whatever &C
ton of his violates our principles.
1t is true there are inside of the Con-
servatiye pa ty two opposing extreme
classes, both Insignificant. in numbers,
who wrangle over the design and eff
feet that third resolution. The one
class insist that it meant nothing J: that
it was a mere device to- catch votes
and to molly, during the late can
vass, The Federal Administrations
| whose opposition all were trying te
keep down-thus in effect imputine
a fraud to the party. But the OPP.
posite class seem. to me to treat The
resolution as if it converted all Con
servatives into partisans of Genera
Grant and pledged them to supper
bis administration generally, if no
blindly and i'll advance, just as if tn,
party were disorganized, and its mem
bers marched over, disbanded ane
consolidated with the ranks of Grant,
original supporters. The one elias
seem TO insist that we shall. continual,
keep up fire all along our lines OF
Grant, the other that our lines shat
face about and fire all the time OF
a.Gfants opponents. The one would
kHave us Unfortunately support, tb'
other indiscriminately to oppose ane
condemn, all his measures and actions :
good and bad, right and wrong.
I Notwithstanding the clamor of these
two small classes, the great body of The
party know, andsact upon the know
ledge, that the third resolution bind.
us as party to stand for Grants good
measures and against his bad ones, 20
support him whenever right and to
oppose him whenever wrong. That i.
the construction gave IL and main
tanned throughout the late canvass :
denying that there was any fraud OF
| Il, - %lok Is