The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1876-01-20
TIE Result and its Lessons.

suited IN the return Of Hon. A. II. II. Stuart
by a large majority, compared with the votes
cast. This result we anticipated Mr.. Stuart
has been in public life for thirty years. He
has been lfonored by the people OF his native
county, with public trusts, in almost eyer7 ir-
stance where fe has been candidate. lie has
been instrumental in eff citing a great DIAL of
bencfcent legislation for The county, and has
been associated, in some form or other. with
nearly every public enterprise that has attract
ed the attenticn of this people. He has been
called to positions Of trust and honor. other
than State and county, and in this way reflect
cd distinction upon the constituency of his
vicinage.
His competitor, Captain Opie, is compar.,-
tiVe'y& young man, who is not known to the
pcepe In connection with any public positions,
except that OF 4 gallant soldier. He mas never
had experience in legislative duties his name
is not associated, in the public mind, with
schemes of public utility, and from his occupa-
ton, has never been brought before the people
as an exponent of popular sentiment, or the
special representative of any particular inter-
est.
In view OF this brief reference to the claims
OF the two gentlemen, it is not surprising that
the returns were so largely in favor of W.
Stuart. Indeed, we think, under all the cir
very complimentary, and bu. few men could
have gotten more fattering expression of es-
TEEN and respect. The fact that one third of
The people who chose to go to the polls, pre-
ferred Mr.. Opie to Mr.. Stuart, is as high tes-
timony Of confidence as he or his friends had
any reason to expect.
There were other considerations that entered
into the canvass, and which contributed to the
result recorded. Capt Opic represented the
action Of the last Convention, he was its nomi-
nee at the November election and Mr.. Stuart
was run by the people against the Convention,
and as a method of expressing their opposition
to eurb-stone tactics and craftsmanship. The
people had become disguised with the despou-
ism OF the caucus. Heretofore they had been
driven to support the nominees of the caucus,
under threats of prescription aud party disn-
heritance; had had held UP to them the alter,
native OF being classed with scalawags, negroes
and carpetbaggcrs, or come square down to the
lines chalked out by the caucus managers. In
the discharge of the duties and the exercise of
the privileges of an independent journalist,
we assaulted this species of tyranny over the
people, aud stimulated them to reflection upon
their duty to their own manhood to the COM
munity: in the exercise Of the high privilege of
the elective franchise. 1t was found that it
was not inconsistent with the duties of good
citizenship to revolt against the caucus-that
threats and denunciations were not arguments
to demonstrate that the people had no rights
except those which few curb stone politicians
conferred and taking courage from the convic-
ton that was rivetcd upon their minds. the
caucus was confronted, defed and oyerpewer-
ed.
1t is trHc all kinds of expressions were used
to excite the ars of the people, aud compel
them to obey the behests Of the Conservative
party whippers-In. The two organs, the YIN
dictator and Spectator, had warned the mem
bcrs of the party they assumed to represent,
that not to favor the call of Convention and
support its nominees, was political treason
that there were but two sides to the issue
that of Convention and obedience to its action,
and A'Radiealism'' and revolt. The Tindicator
had stated substantially, that all who opposed
a Conversion were Radicals; that those who
would not support its nominees should be class
ed with the Radical" party. The Spectator
had preached the same doctrine. before the
Convention WAS held. Capt. Opie. in the last
canvass, had denounced Mr. Stuart ''Radical
in disguise" because lie chose to leave it with
the people to say whom they wanted to repre-
sent them.
1t is apparent, from this resume, that the
issue with the people was, whether they intend
ed to submit to party machinery, right or
wrong, or reflect their intelligence, their in
dependence and their manhood, in their votes );
whether they were going to allow themselves
to be frightened into the endorsement of the
Conservative caucus policy, Or face it and defy
it, even if they had to be denonnated 'sRadi-
calls They made their choice, and smashed
the caucus and all its agents and toot-horns.
What is the result? 1t Is found, instead of the
people crnging and fawning nnder the party
lash, and asking the pardon of the Tindicator
and Spectator. and the few curb-stone polite
ians they represent, these self assumed organs
and thcir bottle-holtle.s have been ordered to
the rear-their frotlly threats they have had to
swallow. and are using every device and sub
terfuge to get restored to the confidence OF
those whom they but a few weeks ago attempt
ed to lord it over, with the imperious dogma
tism of petty satrap. There never has been
a more humiliatng castgation and reputation
of the pretensions of organising. than the pee
pie have inflicted upon the two papers of
Stanton which heretofore have claimed to re-
fleet the sentiment of Augusta county.
Tomake it still more CALLING, the VIRGINIAN,
a. Republican paper, has been endorsed and
indicated in its course during these elections,
not because it is a Republican paper, but be-
cause it has been right, and represented the in
telligcnes and manhood of the community in
which it is published. The issue was fairly
made in the election on Thursday last, az to
the position particularly of the Vindicator and
Spectator, and the VIRGINIAN. CAPT. Opie
was the nominee of the Convention which the
Fmdicator and Spectator urged and the VIR-
GILMAN opposed, and Mr. Stuart was the man
whom that same Convention reputiated. In
the election last Thursday, without the inter-
vention of Convention for the wire-pullers