The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1875-12-02

We do not know to What extent the reported
forts to re-srganze the Republican party OF
ty fusion with the independent
was carried. 1t is stated that it
sxs failure. This might have been expected,
.or we are sure there was no understanding
xth the Republican party OF the State that
any such programme was contemplated. tls-
iced, we do not understand the purpolt OF the |
s,,rnises and specuations that were rife in |
to this movement, nor did we, nor do |
We. care to know. We TO not believe much in
patchwork parties. We have an illustrious
example in the history Of the Conservative par
ty Of Virginia, as to how the co-mmgliag OF
,liscortlant and uncongenial elements operates,
and'we do not think there is anything in that
to challenge our admiration. The Conser-
vative party is falling to pieces by the weight
OF its own corruptions. With no principle of
public policy to govern it, but simply the CO.
hesivc power Of public plumber to keep it to-
gether, we find that the honest portion of it is
beconiins Disguised with the frauds and ras-
calities that the unprinciplets demagogues re-
Sort to for the purpose Of controlling the Or
ganiKation and parceing out the Offices. Here
tofore, the apprehension excited by the cry OF
-'nigger, nigger," whenever political contest
was to come Of, drew the popular mind away
from the purposes OF the designing leaders, and
good men retained thcir identity with the Con-
sentative party, from the fear that It's defeat
would entail all manner of disasters upon the
State Social equality, amalgamation. and
ailse ~gorgons dirc'' were conjured up to
stimulsse the fears of the people, and without
passing to think, they allowed themselves to be
.tiriven nte the coils of King Caucus, and thus
threw away their manhood ard their individu-
atty. The ''Civii Rights Bll' was used as u
terrible scare-crow, aud the most revolving re-
suits were predicted to follow its enactment
The average voter forgot that there were no
rights to confer but what the Constitution OF
she COUNTRY already guaranteed, and that il
m-ss utterly impossible to enact laws to regu.
Gate the social instincts and warnings Of the
different classes OF society. The peopk find
now that the Civil Rights Bill has become
law, that there was nothing in the apprehen
=. sion excited by the Conservative 6tcma. ,ogues-
that the negro and white man oecesoy he same
relation to each other that they did, and tina
society is as peaceful, conservative and undis
turbcd, as before the law was enacted.
Reflections growing out of this state. o
H.linss anil the recent developments Of til,
methods adopted by the Conservative ring ma
.nipulators, in managing elections such as
.have been exposed in the election of john
Goode to Congress and Bradley johnson to
the State Senate, have aroused the fair-minded
men of the State to the Importance OF purgine
themselves OF these brazen frauds, by revolving
against the party organization. We expected
such result sometime ago. IT. did not come
as soon as we looked for it, but the truth has
been made apparent in. time for all who feel
disposed to cut loose from such a monstrous
araud as the Conservative party of Virginia has
been proved to be, to ulsite with the Replbli-
can party in the contest OF 1876. Nothing but
prejudice has heretofore prevented majority
of the people OF this State from identifying
themselves with the government. This preju-
dice has been Kept alive by the very men who
governed the Conservative organization by
fraud and raseality. The people begin to TN
derstand this, and by acting with the Republic
can party, they are only committing them
selves to support the laws and Constitution OF
che country, which they are pledged to do
They begin to realize what the Conservative
party las done for Virginia-driycn away inn
migraten and capital by its bitter proscrp-
tons for opinions sake-piied up the State
debt mountain high so that it promises to crush
tht vitals out of the people-fanls have depre
ciated-the revenue has been squandered and
stolen,and the criminals turned loose upon film
sy excuses, and all for the sake of keeping the
Conservative fraud in power-irl other words
furnishing offices for few broken down poll
ticians, who care nothing for the state or the
people, so they draw their living from the pub
lie treasury. . = =
This accumulation ofwrongs is beginning to
have its effect. The people are debating wileth
er it is more honorable and more in accordance
with the obligations OF good citizenship to con-
tinue their association with such party, or to
repndiate it and unite with the Republican
party-whese basis principles are in harmony
with the interests and ycar,iftigs of the masses.
With prejudice thrown aside and passions
abated, they begtn'to see that there cannot be
any harm in the colored man casting his vote
to sustain the laws and constitution of his
eountry-tllat there is no crime in supporting
the party that preserved the unity of the gov
eminent, and is destined to rule it for years to
Gomez They see that Conservatives recognize
the propriety Of the negro's vote, by counting
it on the day of election, and resort to more
persuasions to secure it tl:an do Republicans to
retain it.
Vita this state Of the popular mind, we can
see no necessity for any compromise of the or
ganization of the Republican party. What the
members of that party have to do, is to COM
inand respect by respecting themselves main
tanning their convictions on all proper oeca-
sions; boldly proclaiming their identity with
the government Of their country enforcing
the dutyof observing the laws and the rights
OF all citizens, and, shrinking from no re-
quirement that attaches to Republican identity.
1t has been too much the case heretofore that
Republicans would shun public recognition as
Republicans-Nould conveniently get out Of
the way. when. meetings were. held, or any
public demonstration was to be made. We are
glad to be able to say that this kind Of timidity,
not to say moral cowardicc, is being dispensed
with. They Recognize the fact that there is
nothing in the history of the party that they
should be ashamed of-that its record is but