The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1874-07-09

"AiouiACcu pIliiCIuleS; anu IL Is clearly lfnDle
that we will MT support but we Will oppos
whatever action of his that violates orr nrinc
Piles. -
1t IS true there is inside of the Conseryatiy
party two opposing extreme classes, both insie
| nlncant In numbers, who Wranole over the de
| sign and effect of that third resolution. Th
one class insists that it meant nothing: that
| was mere device to catch votes and to lnollify
during the late canvass, the Federal admins
| tratlon-whose opposition all We're trying t.
| keep down-thus in effect imputing fraud t.
the party. But the opposite class seem to nj
to treat the resolution if it converted all Con
seryatives into partisans Of General Grant, an.
pledged them to- support his administration
generally, if not blindly and in advance, jus
as II che party were disorganized and its mem
bers marched over, dsbanded, and CONSOLIDATED
with the ranks of Grants original supporters
Inc one class seem toSinsist that we shall con
tlnualiy keep up Il fire all along our lines on
Grant; the other that our lines shall face about
ana ire a., the time OIL Grants opponents. =
Inc one would have us indiscriminately sup
port, the other Unfortunately to oppose ant
condemn all his measures and actions-gooc
and bad, right and wrong.
Notwithstanding the clamor Of these two
small classes, the great body of the party know
and act upon the knowledge, that the third res
olutlon binds us as party to stand for Grants
good measures and against his bad ones, to
support hi2 whenever right and to oppose him
whenever Wrong. That is the construction I
gave it and maintained throughout the late cam
Vass denying that there was any fraud or de-
ception in i9, insisting that it was deliberate
declaration OF the party made in good faith and
binding III honor; and on my recommendation,
when no election contest was pending, it was
reaffirmed by the Legislature, the Conservatives
voting for it almost or quite unanimously.
These details serve to show how consistently
the conservative party has pledged itself to
maintain, and how consistently | have stood
pledged to aid in maintaining lis Independent
party organization; and they show clearly and
precisely What sort OF relations towards the
Federal executive is authorized and enjoined by
the organized action of the party itself They
show that the party could not go over and fuse
in itself in the following of any man or any
other party, without first violating its pledges,
breaking up its platform, abandoning its organ
ization, and committing fezo-de-se. Certainly
no human being has, with my knowledge,
sought to procure or promote such perfidy on
the party, as through him to ''carry over'' the
party and convert it into the partisan or per-
sonal following of any man.
such have been the relations OF the conscr-
Vatlye party, and such have been my own re-
lations as Il representative of that party to the
Federal executive. My fulHllment of those re-
atlons i'll the past is scandalous in the eyes of
one OF the extreme class before characterized.
w hat is the scandal? Was it scandal that the
of the conservative party In August
asst determined, as part OF its platform, to cul-
5lyate With General Grant the best relations
consistent with the principles? Was it seam
ial that the Conservative Legislature in Janu-
Try last deliberately reafirmed the same policy
II resolutions transmitted to General Grant
And after t,s nolicy Cancellation had been thus
affirmed, ratified, settled, tGs"st by the conven-
,ional and afterwards by the Legislative repre-
of the whole party, was it q scandal
hat did not rcpudiate the pledges of the par
Iy and did not assail all Geneal Grants meas
lres with undistinguishing denunciation! is
t scandal to have practiced towards
General Grant precisely the sort and degree OF
sanctioned aud prescribed by the
'wice-afirmed platform Of the party After the
party had OF its own free will put itself in this
altitude towards General Grant, and after Il
iesire courteously and spontaneously expressed
md conveyed to me that | should call and
make his acquaintance, was it for me to re-
'erse the policy OF the party, rudely to turn
ny back on UGH courtesy, and by. my action
Q foment enlargement and antagonsm in
'lace OF the Cancellation which the platform
njolned? Let it not be supposed | have any
Ipology to make, any paiinode to sing, for
having made that call. Invent because, under
ny convictions of duty and propriety I made
lp my mind to go. Under circumstances to
Justify it again shall 60 again. l went when
UGH an acknowledgment Of a courtesy was in |
ogical fulfillment of the declared policy OF. the
conservative party-When it did neither more |
Tor less than vindicate the sincerity and con-
istency OF the party itself. | went hen the |
ate OF our own social system was trembling in 7
doubtful balance? when my going might add !
nd did add, some weight, however slight, to |
he Southern scale when my going strength |
ned the remonstrance Of the General Assem- !
lily against the passage of the national civil
lights law. / went and had a manly, square |
ak with the President, and, while shall not
o violate propriety as to allude to particulars |
ret regret every word Of it could not have |
'een taken down and published, for although |
say it its publication would have done credit |
0 him and me, and no discredit and no harm |
0 any part of our country or the people.
Extreme partizan journals at the north charge I
hat the Conservative party has gone back on |
he Federal administration and betrayed it,
Extreme men here charge that the Conservative I
arty has surrendered to Grant. Neither |
barge has any shadow of foundation i'll truth. |
'he party stands to-day precisely where it |
TODD on the 9TH day of August and on the LIST |
ay OF january last. Certainly I may challenge |
o show that in any action OF mine have stop
ed short, or gone an inch beyond the station |
by the supreme will of the parity
ONE urge me to 60 further, others to turn /!
ack. l shall stand whereI am. [ am not yet |
0 old that | shall stretch forth my bands and |
mother shall grid me and carry me whether | |
Tould or not.
AS to the Federal executive head, shall rem
er him not Jealous hostility. but a fair and I'M
reiudiced judgment. For the sake Ct ourselves |
nd the whole country shall rejoice if he so
mulate the example OF Washington; it he so
id in restoring the landmarks Of the Constitu-
on, lately overthrown by the violence of arms;
he so respect the right of the state and the |
eople to self-government as to command our |
nited and hearty support of the whole Of his
lture administration. So far as his Influence
nd civil rights laws; so far as he has abstain
L from exercising the centralizing and dan
erous powers of the enforcement act, he is en-
tied to our gratitude and support. But en-
hatically do not endorse great part OF bis
Obey in respect to national currency; and
he adopts as a rule of his administration such
in local affairs as that Just resor
ID to at Petersburg by the Attorney-GcnetAl
the United States, then he will establish be-
yeen lis and himself a giHf as impass lble as
rat which separates good from evil in another
fe,
= JAS: l.. KEMpEE.
RICHMOND. VA. June IS, 1874.
Col: John S. 4Nosby:: Dear Sir] respectful
request that you deliver to my friend Mr.
. b. Meade the bearer Of tliis.ali letters here
fore addressed by me to yourself, retsiings cop
$ il YOU choose. Or, if you prefer to keen the l.
iginals. REQUEST that 1T least Mr. Meade be