The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1875-07-22
Dpplicity.

Duplicity.
We commend the following item from the
proceedings OF the Cotton States Convention,
sitting at Raleigh, N. c., on the 10th, as a
piece of political jugglery not frequently so
plainly made apparent:
Gen. w. Il. Cox, Chairman OF the Demo-
cra1lc otaCe Executive Committee, called the
aCtehtloh OF the Congress to the resolution
adopted yesterday, asking Congress to make
greenbacks legal tender for all dues to the
Government and on all imports, so that there
would DC but one currency for the Government
pondhoider ana the people, and said that the
government, when it issued its bonds during
ana since the war, contracted that the interest
and the principal should be paid in gold and
that the resolution adopted yesterday asked
the United States Congress to repudiate its
part OF the contract by passing an act author
izing the Secretary of the Treasury to paw in
teresr and principal on the bonds SO issued and
sold in greenbacks instead of gold. discus
sion eI'slled and finally, the resolution was re-
considered and final action on it postponed UNI
til the next session at Nashville. The reason
Tor this action was that if the resolution was
allowed to stand as passed on yesterday it
would compromise the Democratic Party of
this State.
Ostensibly for conference in regard to the
cultivation OF cotton and the productive re-
sources of the South. the convention was re-
ally for the Purpose Of concerning the means
to aid the Democratic party in its fruitless
struggle for power in 1876. Like the Meek
'enburg Centennial, the cloven foot could not
be kept obscured. It had to creep out and ex-
pose the aninius of the deliberations. This
kind of duplicity can only excite the contempt
of square, fair and independent men, who fear
not to declare their real sentiments, whether
the prove popular or not:
LIBEL SUITs.-The Baltimore american has
had three libel Suits entered against it, each
$4,000, aggregating $4,000. The offence
charged is the qualification Of a communica-
ton from a respectable and responsible citizen
i'll relation to the alleged corruption in the pur-
chase of site for the House of Correction
In noticing these suits, the Americam has a
brief and temperate article in which it says
that in the past twenty years there have been
al least twenty libel actions brought against it,
g in not one of which have we either paid
damages Or the costs Of COURT And further,
"we have always entered the plea of justif-
cation and in every case brought to trial we
have satisfied both court and jury that our OBJ
ject was to protect the interests Of our fellow
citizens, and to expose wrong-doing. We have
stood ready and anxious in every case to prove
that the charges we made were true, and that
we were not influenced by personal malice i'll
making them public. Regarding it to be the
duty Of a journalist to guard the public inter
ests, we have never hesitated, when undoubted
facts Of wrongdoing have reached lis, to make
public exposition Of the same. Tlle result in
all these eases is vindication of the purity and
honesty of the motives that have guided u.s.
1t is a very easy matter for newspapers to es-
cape from such responsibilities. and many OF
their exemption"
Hon. Reverly johnson has volunteered his
services to the proprietors' of the american, as
counsel in their cases, stating: s. My motive for
making this offer was that from the grounds
oil which, as understand, the suits have been
brought, l thought the public interest was con-
cerned, and that the freedom and usefulness of
the public press were involved. This being my
impression, l cannot agree to receive any Pc
cuniary compensation. Mr.. Fulton having ac-
cepted the offer, have had my appearance en-
tered in each Of the eases.
The Democracy of the country just at this
time is bothered about the finance question.
The party in Ohio las decided in favor of rag
;,,ao
their candidate for Governor, and is blowing
his frog horn in support Of the platform quite
Justify. Senator Thurman, who has heretofore
been hard money man, is also lending his in
f1uence and labors to the election of his uncle
William. About this time it is we'll enough to
go back a few years. and see what the position
of the Democracy was then. We find in the
Greeley National Platform of 1872, adopted at
Cincinnati and ratified at Baltimore, and sup
ported by the Democratic party all over the
country, the following clause
"A speedy retdrn to specie payments is de-
nanded alike by the highest consideration of
commercial morality and honest government
Now the question is-have the Democracy
abandoned this sound plank? TIE Richmond
Wing and Dispatch, both of which ardently
supported Greeley and his platform, should eN-
anime this matter and let the people know
something about the commercial morality
and honest government" they then stood by.
and have now abandoned.
! CoNsTrTUTIONALITY OF THE AMENDED
/ POSTAL Law "A curious case involving the
constitutionality Of the amended postage laws
has been brought in the United States Circuit