The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1874-04-23

gave an extended account of the rise, progress,
and elimination of the COMMITTEE of Nine
movement, - in which the editor was q troifii-
nent and influential participation. This move
ment had for its object the acceptance Of the
situation" which included the 18th, 18th and
18th amendments to the Federal constitution
the freedom, citizenship and enfranchisem ent
of the negro. The Dispatch supported the
movement at the time twas inaugurated and
courageously defended it when it had but few
friends among the newspapers Of the State.-
OF more recent date this same paper has be-
come bitter against the effects of the principle
involved In that movement All the. disturban-
ces in the South have grown out santipathy to
! negro suffrage. The reconstruction measures
were conceived in the spirit df thefhree amend
ments and to carry them intos practical opera
ton. In the application Of the doctrine Of s.lo-
ell self government so strenuotislr Insisted
upon by the Dispatch and the Greeley papers
generally in 1872, negroes have Agotten a ma
| jority in South Carolina, and disturbances have
arisen in Louisiana and Arkansas. On account
of the results brought upon the people of those
communities by their ownAaction, the Dispatch
grows desperate and asks: '.Wiso are RESPONSE
BILE for this? How long will itlast? Can we
stand it always? Can men who inaugurated
these things and are maintaining them contin-
ue to hold authority over this cotintrys Eth
er they must be elected from power or the
country must be ruined and the government
must &c to pieces and be substituted by another
EThe answer is plain. The people of those
States are responsible for it, g You will have to
stand it, and we cannot see why you cannot, as
you are not more interested than other people
living in Virginia. There is a deeper signif-
canoe in all these things than appears upon the
surface. When the whole matteris fairly con-
sidered in the light Of philosophical history,
and effect and cause are brought to bear
their proper relation to each other, a fearless
mind can very readily solve the perplexitics of
the Dispatch. It is not without the range of
legitimate newspaper disquisition, and it may
be undertaken ere long. 49,
JUDGE A. B. CocHHAN.--It lisa qualification
to the many friends of the State Senator OF this
county. that he has maintained with SO much
ability the dignity and character Of the position
he occupies. He has taken u bold, comprehen-
sive view of all the questions that have come
UP for consideration in the body, In which he
holds SO high a position, and has fearlessly fol-
lowed out his convictions OF right and Of pub
lie duty. His mastery speech in opposition to
the Petersburg charter, and his no less able de-
fence of the commercial and business interests of
the State, which are sought to be- paralyzed by
the tax bill, emanating from the House finance
committee, have met with hearty approval
from the great majority of his Constituents
While we may have heretofore differed With
Judge Cochran as to the instrumentatities neces-
sary to accomplish the good eftae ssafe affords
us pleasure to bear testimony to The manly and
statesmanlike course he has *purssted'during the
present session of the Legislature.