The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1876-06-15

Failure Of Democratic Tactics'
| There never has been in the history of tli!
country, such an utter prostitution and abuse
of power as is presented by the present Con
gress. The idea was conceived that vast cor
ruptions existed under the present administers
| ton, and all that was necessary to unearti
them was for the Democrats to get control Of
one branch of Congress. This, fortunately fol
| the Republican party, they succeeded in doing
and us soon as an organization was completed
| committees and subcommittee were appoint.
ed, and apportioned ont to the various depart.
| ments of The government, with full powers te
| carry their investigations to an unlimited ex
| tent. To the neglect of almost every legiti.
mate interest of the government, these CON-
| mittees have been industriously engaged in
hunting up suspected frauds, arraigning pub
lie officials, and devising Eeans to blacken the
regulations of prominent members Of the Re
publican party. They have, however, as yet
succeeded badly. With the exception of the
| abuse Of authority by Belkilap, there has been
| no wrong-doing on the part of Republican Off
Gals exposed. The assaults upon Blaine and
Bristow have been nothing more nor less than
prosecutions. Both will come out of the or
deals they have respectively encountered, the
stronger with the people of the country, by
| reason Of the malicious spirit which has been
directed against them. While neither of these
gentlemen might lie the first choice for the
Droc off, fho
fact that they had been the victims of the
venomus assaults of the Democratic Congress
and press. and every INSCRIPTIONS means
adopted to destroy their well-earned reputa-
tions, without effect, would make it duty TO
support either of them, earnestly and actively
should he be the nominee.
The fact is, the Republicans themselves had
instituted the most rigid and relentless investi-
cations and exposure of suspected misdecds.-
They commenced the work OF elf-purificarion
long before any one believed the present Con.
gress wouldbe.democratic. Credit Mobiier, Pa
cific Mail Subsidy, the Sanburn contracts, Whis-
key Frauds, and otherh huge operations into which
corruptions had crept, found an aggressive en-
envy in the Republican party and administra-
ton, and were felreted ont with unsparing Sc.
verify and persistency.
The rare courage was exhibited of a party
arraigning its own members, exposing their
corruptons and bringing them to the bar of
justice and public opinion for punishment
No other party had ever before exhibited a
like determination to purify government, re-
gardless OF the personal results.
The democrats assumed that if the Republic
cans themselves had recognized fidelity topub-
lie trust and corruption in the administration
OF office. then surely they would be able to ex-
pose vast mountain of guilt, and condemn
the Republican party before the people. With
confident purpose they entered upon their
self-imposed task, spread huge draS-nct to
sweep all the departments and every ramifica-
ton OF government, and with the aid Of the
insane asylums and pllory, the haunts of
bummers and dead-beats to furnish witnesses,
they have worked n vain to discover any crimi-
nal completely with fraud or corruption on the
part of the representative men of the party in
power. Not only have they not succeeded in
bringing any dscredit upon the administration,
but they have been compelled to recognize the
wrong doing of their own prominent men, and
submit to the humiliation of their exposure.
The clamor about Investigation and the sem
sational reports sent out by party hirelings to
make party capital of alleged discovered cor
ruptions. only to he denied and corrected i'm
sion with many who read but one side of party
matters. that the administration of the govern
ment for the past eight years, has been vicious
and corrupt. But the facts developed Justify
no such conclusion. The Republican party is
not afraid OF ashamed to go before the country
uEon its record, and invite the closest scrutiny,
and the severest trial.
The only capital the Democracy has with
which to 60 into the Presidential campaign is
the sensations created and spread broadcast
by reason of the numerous Investigations insti-
tuted. Their claims to retrenohment, in the
appropriation bills they have maturcd. amount
to worse than nothing. They indicate reck-
less disregard of the character and dignity and
justice of the government. The intelligence
and patriotism OF the country will have but
one opinion as to the false pretense, and will
give significant protest whenever appealed
to for verdict.
The Presidential issues will involve more
substantial interests and questions than the
fiimsy decept:ons the Democracy will essay TO
introduce. The paramount ideas-which the
Democracy will not dare to confront-that
will engage the attention of the people, are
the enforcement Of the laws, as to the rights of
citi senship, and the adjustment of the curreIl-
cy to the true demands OF labor, trade and
commerce. There is something substantial,
something tangible in these, and the solid
sense of the country will recognize in them
proper questions to consider in connection
with the policy of the government. The inter-
est of forty millions of people cannot depend
u:on the determination of sensation, or the
tortured evidence of a partizan investigating
committee. The industries and intelections
Of the people must have something to feed up
on and direct them. Solid IDEAS, adapted to
the progress and distiny OF the country, ipstpad
Of fustian and persfiage, must constitute the
basis OF party policy, and it is alone to the Re-
publican party that the nation can look for
these, as part OF its creed.
A French gentleman who supposed he had