The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-08-10
1hssIyasdoga or siEencs.
8. 4 8 3 ...s RIcRxosp, August 6, 1871.

GentIemen, II vii DO iesg De eopceue0
tllas4the Democratic parry lin general and
the southern element ID particular. huve
since the close OF the war done little but
commit egregious mistakes sthose political
ib!uuders which Talleyrand characterfzes as
Worse than crimes; and my object In this
attention to what appears TO
me strong indications Of an unwise course
for the future.
have long entertained O dislike, amounting
to disgust, TO the term policy because it means,
inthe mouths ofznost politicians, something
wholly distinct from, and ordinarily an.
tagopistic to, principle. Policy is an excel l
lent thing when founded on principle, otner-
wise worse than worthless. The South
ought TO have regulating policy, national
and SECTIONAL especially. perhaps, tne LOT
1ner. the cornerstone Of which IL, In my
opinion. silence. Judging the future by the
mast we are likeIydo. damage any political
tause that we esp6use preinaturely. Mr..
Greeley. in the last presidential contest,
would have been unquestionably the losing
asniranr. but he would hardly have been so
overwhelmingly defeated bad 1t not been for
the championship of his claims by the South
ern Democracy. Earlier still: The NOM
inatiou of Governor Seymour, Dir. Chase
being rejected, was an intimation of our want
of foresight, which subsequent events have
proven prophetic. But to the point: There
are various editorials, communications, and
items Of The daily press tending to show that
we are Ia danger-to borrow an illustration
from seven up"-of getting our Jack
caught By leading him before our opponent
higher trumps are out. A third term for
Grant is an important example. Now, in
stead of saving we would or would not be in
favor of a second denomination. why not
hold our peace--apparently the easiest,
really the most difficult. thing on earth
to do-aud let the East, North, and
West settle It among themselves? We eau
do no good by an expression OF our
wish, but we can do an incaeulabie amount
Of harm. The rest of the country will make
us an important figure of their calculations
if we keep quiet; but they will, if we speak,
use us quite us sel6shly and successfully as
the monkey did the ca, and precisely in the
sume way. After the candidates shall have
entered the field in 1876, there will be album
dapt time for us to announce mot decide up
op) our course, if an announcement even
then would not be ipjudicious. / am far
from counseling falsehood. Holding our
pubic tongue is in this instance as in many
others, not deceit.
The country at large has no right lin view
of our anomalous position in the Union and
the treatment we have received at their
hands) to require our opinion, while we have
right to. say to the country, We shall as
sert ourselves when We deem it wise; until
then this matter is our own" County and
State elections rest on different basis.
Then we are not only justiiable in speaking
out, but it is our duty to do so. More: In
congressional elections, though the success
ful claimant is to occupy a position which is
with some local qualification national one, it
is proper that his claims should be fully
discussed, but with great caution. When,
however, we are viewed as constituent
part Of the United States, we have need to
exercise care so jealous that, until the
issues are joined, complete reticence is rare
ly in excess.
For the present, have finished, If re-
gsrded the foregoing as more than a sugges-
ton (upon which invite critcsm) would
not ask publication but wish our people
to consider whether or not it be wisdom in
the South to clinch its teeth. thereby indica-
ting not only resolution, but resolutions
sUrest prop SILENCE.
Respectfully, CENTURION.