The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1874-11-12
THE RESULT AND IT'S CAUSE

Tlla Democratic party has achieved a decided
victory in the recent elections. 1t has reversed
the Congressional representation to Il degree
thto - s.ey.f before been witnessed in the po-
NtlcM history of the country. ainflfilatng the
one hundred Republican IN ,iorlty in the 43rd
Congress. arl acquiring =; preponl araaca of at
least fifty for itself in the 4lt Compress. Tie
question naturally arisas. What lvllt9.s will
1t take OF its victory? 1t imposes responsible
tic; as well as assures privileges AMI til. gray
lty OF the former will be r1S,ll,te by the an
ncr in watch it ny use tn. latter. The coun-
try will expect that new departure be made
III the tactics OF that party. AMI nsleli OF Doll
Icy OF negative ob>tructiveness, arrayinr itself
i'll hostile lttit',ie lgai'fst every suggestion or
reco nllclllation OF the administration and its
supporters. lrol |, distinct declaration of prin
ciples -fecting TT, r:l:ttio.rs Of government TO
the people and the business of the country.
VIII D: submitted for public scrutiny and
Judgment. The position of aefsnce can no lon
ger be held after the expiration of the 4}rtl
Congress, and in assuming control of the popl1-
lar braIich OF the legislature of ts ltion, tile EN-
barrassndeiits and difficulties that will confront
1t, cannot be swept away by a vicious tcnunc-
alton OF tile Republican party and the Chief
Magistrate OF the country. States n,"S!iip of
the highest and severest type Will have to. be
brought to It's assistance, in marking ont posi-
the line OF duty, which will lave involved i'm it
s'i:'l All improvement as to give the cUt.ltly the
assurance that the boastel purity and perfec-
ton OF the opponents OF tile Republican party,
will become part Of tl12 enactnents and lcgis-
lation Of tho body over which they will have
control, and be interviewer into the civil polity
OF the country.
Not the least Of the difficulties to be encoun-
tered will BE- Il watcllful and vigilant Senate of
divergent political persuasion, and President
whose i'lentisy with the Republican party OF
the cou Y and the policy that has distinguish
ell his administration, is so pronounced and fix
cd as to tolerate no revolutionary innovation
upon the we'll established principles OF political
economy which have governed his official acts.
There is the mcrest possibility tlfat these an
ttgonizing prediSpositions may be acconrmoda-
Tel, and the Democratic majority rise to the
demands or the emergencies that will environ
1t. The probability is, that they will not be
equal to the occasion and instead Of removing
the causes OF dlscontent that have resulted in
tieir invcstllre with power, shcy will FOUNDER
ia sen OF ulcsrtaintics proportonate to the
conflicting elements that constitute the clarac
tcristics of tn" agencies that elected the defeat
OF the Republicans. Hard iii ,',ey i'll New York,
imitation i'll Indiana, anil reputation in Ohio.
compounded with bal w!liskcy in M,ssaca.1-.
s.tt-, AMI Grangcrism in Minnesota, Missouri
and Kansas, will prcsentan a'lnixtura th,t will
not crystalzc intoa solid substance from whic!,
to dcducc policy of economc legislation that
will remove the discomfort of the D,ople. and
restore the country to the wished for prospcri
ty, that the opposition charge has been prostra-
ted by the Republicans. Fhcra are other (lifia,,l
cllltics equally as unnatural of recoacilemaot.
and requiiinSal elastic statcsna lshp never vet
addres-e to the regulation of public concerns.
Which will have to be- met, aal evolve rem
edy from the brains OF the b.ataat dem .rop,les
who have s;lcceeic i'll della ling the masses in
to the belief tlit The pan f,r all the public
Ills is to be found in the party. they represent
Passing from these positive and prospective
results, we will, adopting an inverse m .tll,d
OF augmentation. briefly ;tlu;le to the most
probable causes of the revolution that has taken
place.
That wach has contributed the most largely
to the revolt of the people against the Party of
the people, is the prostration OF public enter
prises of the country, by which thousands and
hundreds OF thousands OF laboring men have
hnen thrown nf al I ~,
lilies reduced to the verge of want. This has
boon accomplished by no act OF legislation or
Oh administrative policy. 1t finds its sources in
call<es that are beyond the reach of paper re-
solves and statutory enactmcnts. The Won
derful activity of the American mind, it's broad
reach and daring conceptions, inargllrated en-
terpriscs beyond the capacity of the country.
yet in the infHncy of its development, to accom-
modate and keep up under continuous strain
Like all excesses, it had to have its reaction.
and that had, by a law of nature, to be proper
Tomato to the excess. The first shock to the
vast combinations that were lefying every OBJ
stacie OF nature, and demonstrating the vast
ness OF human energy and comprehension, I'M
settled the entire basis of operations,an as one
agency was jostled from its equilibrium, DEEPEN
dent instrnmentalities followed in rapid and
irresistible dissolution, until one general sweep
OF disaster settled upon the Industries of the
country. Had Jay Cook & Co. been enabled
to stem the tide, to hold public confidence, and
push forward the continental improvements of
which they were the life, the business OF the
country might have continued to go on in the
rapid strides Of Development it had maintained
for decade. But there is always air end to
excessive endurance, and that end came with
crushing effect to this great financial concern.
Its totter ng fortunes sent panicy thrill thro
the business ram;iications Of the nation, conf
dence became first suspicious, then paralytie,
and in rapid succession the public improve
ments. and the financial pillars that were slls-
taining them, trembled and collapsed Manu-
factories, OF every description. felt the trenor Of
the shock, and, ~ il by the decree of some evil
genius, the sp;ndles and the FORCES of the coup-
try ceased their busy hum and vibrations. and
prostration and stagnation settled where but
a few hours before all was activity. life and
hope. Instead OF the cherry ring of the ham
mer and the music of the shuttle, the clamor
arose from the dependents OF the operatives for
bread; and Us time rr;l on and no relief came.
for no rcliet was possible. and no party or COW
ernment could have devised any, the people be-
came desperate, rsaiy for revolution or any
0th0r kind OF excess. The inG3maJ nass;ons