The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1875-04-22
Preparing for Battle.

tending to tho same object. One is
q carefully and intclligently planned
scheme of the Republican minority
to secure the overthrow of the Dem
ocratic ascendancy in the state; the
other, singular to say, is course of
action pursued by the Democratic
majority, as if in cordial concurrence
in it, and calculated to promote it,
There are two nominally organized,
political parties in West Virginia.
Democratic majority and n Republic
can minority; and there is also an
unorganizcd but powerful element of
Farmers or Changers, made upofboth
Democrats and Republicans, which
will act no one knows how. These
are the elements out Of which the
Republican minority are attempting
to extract the defeat Of their antagon-
ist in the next State election. They
do not propose to beat their antagon-
list directly; they rather propose to
let them beat themselves by such
agencies and influences as the ma
jority in the Legislature most gener-
ously supplied. The nomination of
strict Republican ticket, met with
the nomination of strict Democrat
&c ticket, would be fight in which
the compact Republican minority
would be defeated by the compact
Democratic majority, the unorganized
formers voting with the old parties.
There is no great necessity for local
Republican triumph in West Virgin
IN; and the occasion may wisely be
improved for effectitg an object next
in importance to 1.-THE defeat Of
the Democracy by some other party.
The Republicans, therefore, it is
argued, ought to stand aside and let
the farmers grapple the Democracy;
the admitted extravaganza and blum
dcrs of the present adjourned session
furnishing the issues, and the farmers
being supported by the whole Repub-
lican vote.
Of course; this is passivism pure
and simple, and it is the highest tri-
umph that the principle ever achicv-
cd, that this recognition and approx
nj of it, come from those who so de-
risively hooted at it four years ago,
In 1870, the disfranchised Democrat
&c minority successfully used the
weapon to overthrow the Republican
power; in 1876 the Republican mi
nority propose to use it to overthrow
the Democracy. Both parties, there
fore, know the power of the weapon
the Democracy, because they con-
quered with it; the Republicans, be-
cause they were conquered BY it.
The Republican leaders understand
the situation thoroughly, which is
more than can be said of their antag,
Onist. The Republican leaders base
their confident estimate of success on
an imagined dissatisfaction of the
Democratic masses with the result Of
four years Democratic rule. They
calculate that if this feeling be al,
lowed the full and unrestraincd exer.
else which the withdrawal of the
Republican party would insure, ii
will carry enough Democrats over to
the farmers ticket to leave the De,
mocracy in n minority, and inhict a
humiliating defeat. This calculation
is worthy the serious consideration
of the Democratic majority in the
legislature, who seem strangely UNI
conscious Of the vast deal they have
done to verify it. The Democratic
leaders content themselves with the
reflection that West Virginia is q
Democratic State, without looking
any farther. West Virginia is, in,
deed Democratic State, but on con
ditions. The Democratic coherency
has been seriously impaired within
the last year by causes, for some o
which the State administration is
and for some which it is not respon
siblc. We do not stop here todisscc
this, TO ascertain how much or how
little there is in it, but these matters
are worthy Of consideration if W,
would retain Democratic suprcmac!
in the State.
A special to the Cincinnati Com
......,I e.o,,, un,,I.,oInr ,,,1 tIth