The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1875-06-24
The Wrong Passenger.

dependence" at Tammany Hall. New York,
on the 4th of July proximo. This highly i'm
agnative and forid paper Is signed by 'sAu-
gustus Schell, Grand Sachefa, twelve minor
sachems, and several other officers. The OBJ
iect proclaimed is to order s'anew the SERTED
line Of Democratic battle for the supreme strug-
gle Of the Great Centennial year Of Liberty"
and asserting that ''all that has been already
accomplished, however, is but the inspiration
and the earnest Of the work which remains to be
done. The Tammany Society holds nothing
done till all L. done. Upon the unity OF our
victorious 1egiei1s, upon the wisdom with which
their leader shall be selected, for the final
assault upon the central stronghold of section
alism, contralism and corruption. the future of
America now depends. The grandeur OF the
isslies involved in the work of the year be fore
us shames out of sight all local preferences and
all personal ambitions. Bring to us then, as we
pledge to you, a patriotism as wide as str
country; aud let our united efforts prepare for
Reunited America a new century Of Democrat
ic Greatness and Democratic Glory"
We would be insensible to the influence Of
language did we withhold our admiration for
the transcendent gush of this euphoneous doc
Iument. Asa piece of yellow-kiyer. eloqgepce
we Go not remember to have read anything to
compare with it, and if the 4th Of July. 1876, is
to be characterized by flights Of fancy in keep
ing with the splendid imagery of Tammany' s
pronunciamento, we do not know that we will
not attend, if merely to feast upon the dux Of
patriotic sentimentalism that will distinguish
the occasion.
We confess to scruples about it, however,
We remember well that the old chief Of Tam
many was convicted twelve months age, Of
stealing about thirty million dollars from the
city Of New York; and that he is now about to
be released from his cell, after years con-
| finement, in order doubtless to give the proper
direction to the celebration in contemplation.
We could not conscientiously endorse this,
however much we might be attracted by the
novelty Of the scene OF Tweed heading col
umn to put down corruption Then, again,
when we glance over the closing years of the
century and marshal in array the records Of
the democratic party Of the Tammany stripe,
dating especially at Charleston, in 1861, we dc
not know that the greatness and GLORY Of
its achievements are such as to inspire graft.
tude, and to throw lis into spasm Of ecstasy.
But the browning objection we have to the eel
ebration is that it is a proposed fraud, an IN.
blushing purpose to ''steal the livery Of Heaven
to serve the devil in" and as we have recently
been attending Mr.. Towards meetings, and
expect to wait on Sanky and Moody, the first
convenient opportunity, it would be entirely
inconsistent for us to become party to an inn
position so perfectly transparent.
We are aware that Tammany is in the habi
of doing things thoroughly when it gets fairly
on the way. 1t attested its religious adherence
to the automatic expression, that it .sholds
nothing done till all is done," by robbing the
City Treasury of every available cent, and new
giving all evidence OF its GREATNESS and glory
by greeting the chief robber, as he dofls his
striped garb, and walks forth in the light o.
day free man No human organization
could have so we'll accomplished this feat a.
Tammany. When VIC think of the history Of
| Tweed, Fernando Wood, John Kelley, Johr
Morrissy, and the Tammany Sachems general
ly, the wonder is that so many pure patriots
could have been gotten together in one body
and all out of the purified atmosphere OF New
York and Brooklyn. 1t would be a great con-
summation to place the control If the govern.
ment at Washington In such hands, but as WE
would probably be precluded from a participa,
ton in the praiseworthy efforts to accomplish
this end, by the fact that we hold a commission
under the 'tyrant" Grant, we beg to BIO ex
cuscd from attending on the occasion referred
to. We gratefully acknowledge Mr.. Augustus
Schell's courtesy, but indeed we must decline
the honor, as we think we are not the man HI
is looking for. We are the wrong passenger.
Hon. VIM. ALLEN, Of Ohio, recently nomi
mated by the Democrats for Governor, to serve
a second term. was born in Edenton, N. c..
in 1907. Losing his parents at an early age, hi
removed to Lynchbnrg, in this State, where HI
learned the business of saddler and harness
maker. At sixteen he started for the West
aud walked from Lynehbarg to Chillicothe
1 nj. IL,