The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1874-09-24
Grant ana Emoire.

fcsuitS OF the war, and the enforcement of the
| legislation growing out of it. The sad menlo-
| ries and bloody conflicts OF that sanguinary en-
counter, are marshalled up as witnesses to the
irreversible pledge. TIE protfered conditions
OF adjustment. and the amnesty obligations in
their acceptance, unite i'm the confirmation and
atteststion of che contract, and there can be
no evasan or violation Of the terms thus pre-
scribed and accepted, without shock to the
integrity and truth of the party guilty of an
! Impairment of the intendme,lt of the agree
| ment.
| The calm, impartial and honest Judgment OF
| the country, recognize the validity and sub
stantialty of the conditions we have briefly no.
!iced. The popular impulse of the natio de-
mands their fultilment, and it is the sheerest
del.tsion for any portion of the people OF the
South to cultivate the hope for a moment, that
they can disregard the bond, and throw OF the
obligations it implies. 1t is but waste OF
time, and misrepresentation Of effort, to Indulge
speculations and manufacture suit tertusscs,
having for their object escape from the stern
arbitrament fastened upon them by SO many
grave and n,o,nentous considerations. 1t is e.
qually idle to suppose that there is hidden iii
the dim future, any mitigation OF the eond'-
tions of this settlement. They have to be met
in good faith.
The suggestions of self Interest, of obligations
assumed, and prospective peace and prospef'-
ty, require that we adapt our thoughts, our ac-
lions and our calculations to them. We but
aggravate the Sharpness and llarshness Of tlIe
adjustment, by restless and impotent resistance
and disincline the popular will to the safest
policy by agitating determined and irrevcrsibic
events.
! The President, as the chief executive officer
of the nation, has no other alternative but 70
see the laws enforced and to compel obedience
! to the mandates OF the law-inaking and law
interpreting powers.
1t is from this standpoint that we must cons
slider public policy. We canaot, in Whit,
blot out the record Of the last ten years, and
resolve ourselves into condition OF things that
existed before Re war. Its results aee .ole
us. We have TO deal with them, and SO a,il-
cite the popular temper as to accept them
in all their force and significance.
We must not only accept them. but do SO
without changing our form of government
We must simply realize that the fundamental
law of the country is sufficiently comprehensive
to embrace in its functions provisions ample
for the maintenance Of national authority, in
its legitimate spheres. and to hold the States
i'll their orbits, under local systems in colso-
nance with the spirit and purpose OF the con-
stitution. 1t does not imply any departure
from the ntendnlent of the Federal compact,
when national power is exercised to secure to
each State Republican form of government,
suppress Instruction. and punish disturb
ances of the public peace. 1t is no advance
step to the inauynratiall ofaelnpire, when
the strong arm OF the government is stretched
forth to preserve the public peace, arrest bloody
fanaticisms, and curb political RIGHTEOUSNESS
1t only shows that our Republican system ul.
der the direction of true man, is equal to ev-
cry emergency, and that national authority
can be exercised for the protection of the rights
liberties and lives of the citizens Of the States
and OF the United States without disturbance
of the equilibrium of the general system.
We present this view Of the circumstances
growing out of the revolution i'll Louisiana, in
opposition to the foolish and insane declama
ton of the Democratic press OF the South In
favor of Empire rather than see the power o.
the national governments. Exercised to prevent
the overthrow of = State government. There
i. vitality in the American Republic. 1t is no
a sickiy skeleton. without inherent and active
energies, such as disgrace the name OF Repub-
lie in Mexico and South. America. The Louis
vile Journal, Richmond Dispatch, Robert
Toombs, of Georgia. and 4. 2. Gaerscllc, of St.
Louis, might as well cool their wrath, and sup
press their intlamnatory appeals to the pas
sions of the thoughtless for the people of Lou;.
siana to resist the National government,
and compel the Inauguration of military des-
potisin in the South. President Grant will
not only maintain the dignity and authority OF
the national government. but see to it tina,
the state of Louisiana is secured a Republican
form OF government, and anarchy and brute
force be made subordinate to the laws, and
that, too, without disturbing the harmony OF
impairing the efficiency of our Republican sys.
TEN. 1t will only furnish demonstrative evil
dence to the world that the American Repub
lie means something more than wild and un-
licensed mobocracy-that it is strong enough
to maintain order,and protect life throughout
its extended jurisdiction, aud at the same time
recognize the source of its power as lying itl
the consent and patriotism Of the people. 1t il
merely a development in its full vigor, of the
vitality of the government, ali eNempliication
of the elastic power and force of a system
whose controlling elements are. the intelli-
4 gence and virtue # the people.
President Graat will maintain peace in Lou
isiana, will suppress nsurrection there an(
! elsewhere. and at the same time preserve III
their purity, the Republican Institutions of hi
country. Fine people may demand his services
for ''thigd term, oHl MOI i'll the Interest," O
marplots Of the Son a, but as a gllarante.
that the '.life of the nafion'' will continue t,
grow in usefulness and grandeur, presenting i,
} splendid contrast the model Republic, in rs
) simplicity under the Citizen Soldier, with til,
gorgeous Empire of the eastern continent, u.l
der the mailed llandof d. spotism.
$ Yarmouth, while governor Of Louisiana, in
augurated system of plumber that fastene
upon the city and State, an immense debt
/ The Republican party repudiated him an.
threw him off. He was taken up by the Con
: servativcs. and became one OF their shinin,