The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1875-09-02
DEFERRED MATTER.
County Politics.

The political waters begin to move in good
Old Augusta. Surely the people are born tc
trouble as the sparks fly upward, for no sooner
have they recovered from the bother Of the po
tatoe bug, and apprehension of the grasshop-
per, and the ravages of the army worm, and
the damaging effects Of the rainy weather, than
they are informed that the County and City
Conservative Committees will meet on next
Monday, to take such action as will organize
the party for the fall elections. So, i'll addition
to the Affections that the good, long -suffering
people have had to endure, through the dispen-
sations Of Providence, they are gently inform
ed that q still greater curse awaits them, in the
agitation Of party politics and the holding of a
convention for the benefit Of two or three Sc
lect individuals, who are to be foisted upon the
people, whether they want them OF not.
Here it is proposed that fourteen or fifteen
| lnen-human beings, just like other people
mere atoms in the social world-shall assume
to chalk out what six thousand voters shall dc,
! and their determination is to be regarded as
law. We can conceive of no more transparent
usurpaton OF the rights OF the people-no clear
er indication of petty despotisn-than for a
few men to undertake to prescribe the duty of
six thousand citizens of equal rights and priyi-
leges.
OF course, q Convention will be called, the
delegates packed, and the people left to do
the bidding OF the wire-pullers, or be denoun-
ced as traitors to the immaculate Conservative
party!
1t is not our funeral, it lis true, but we i'm
stinctively revolt against such tyranny, and
while the Republicans do not intend to organ
ize for this canvass, they will aid in electing
any honest, capable candidates, who will repl,-
Giate the Convention in advance of its time Of
meeting.
In this connection.it is not out of place, to
notice communication i'll the indicator,
signed "Countryman, which seeks to array
| the country again5t the town, for the reason
that the country people have heretofore been
pleased to ask for the services in the Legislature
of gentlemen who happen to reside in town.
not as much of Augusta as any other portion
of the county, and whether Messrs. Stuart,
Hanger and Cochran, are not as much citizens
OF the county, in the same sense that other GEN
tlemen are, Who may live outside the corporate
limits of the city. Each one of these gentle
men pays taxes on property outside of Staun-
ton. Mr.. Stuart is a large county taxpayer
apart from his city property-Mr. Hangers
real property is all i'll the country, and Senator
Cochran owns property in town and country.
Take Augusta county from Staunton, and
where would tile city be, and take Staunton
from Augusta county, and what would be the
effect? This cry raised by s'Countryman" is
the sheerest demagoguism, and should be thor
onghly rcpudiated by the intelligent people of
both town and country. Let the best and most
useful and most experienced men be selected
for the Legislative positions, whether they live
in town or country, and let the people make
the choice, apart from the dctation OF a party
caucus. 1t is an insult to the intelligence of
the citizens Of the county to assume that they
cannot as well choose their representatives. as
little ecterie OF partizan bigots, who have 10
more interest in matters of legislation than
other people.