Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1876-10-28

10 retrieve Political inesse will not serve
their purpose even if they carry this eiec-
ton they are doomed 10 defeat unless they
cross the Rubicon aud boldly adopt one or the
other Of the three following alternatives l.
! Disfranchse the blacks. But the South VIII
be solid against this 2 Put the cotton States
under military rule But this will Cost the
nation half billion annually. since that Sec
ton would prove uuproductive. Political ex-
element is hostile to business aud our mer-
chants want the South to recuperate so they
vii! recover that market for their goods 3.
Alter our system 50 those in charge OF the
government may dictate the votes Of citizens,
viz: make the ballot box a mere farce
| This last scheme is the IN Ist practicable and
likely to succeed and we commend its efficacy
and simplicity to the Republican leaders,
True, it will etiectually extirpate that dbsfrac-
ton ~ called civil liberty, but il will perpetu-
ate the personal power of those gentlemen, at
Washington, who have managed affairs since
the war.
We have not space TO follow these reflections.
Indeed, they need not be pursued. The cleo
ton of Tilden will make them idle specula-
tons: and if he is defeated grim reality will
soon teach the people that lesson the student
finds in history. Public calamity is mont
tor that instructs an audience the statesman
may not reach, and it is the duty of the Press
to phrase 10 apt expression the untutorcd IN
stincts Of people whose sensibities are quick
ened by the dstresSes of their situation.
We might point ont many analogies between
the posture of our affairs and the condition oil
England in 1869 when Juuius put into print
the then current sentiment of that kingdom
The situation of this country is alarming
enough to rouse the attention Of every man
who pretendS to concern for the public well
fare. The ruin or prosperity Of state de-
ponds so much upon the administration OF its
government, that, to be acquainted with the
merit of minister administration, we need
only observe the condition Of the people. II
we see them obedient to the laws, prosperous
in their industry, united at home aud respect
ed abroad, we presume that their Affairs are
conducted by men of experience, abilities and
virtue If, Oh the contrary, we see universal
spirit Of distrust, a rapid decay OF trade, &c,
we pronounce that the government Is weak,
distracted aud corrupt" In the House of Com
mons il was repeatedly declared, That the
omissions aud defects which produced all these
calamitieS, went so far beyond any thing that
could be allowed for impotence and imper-
lection of mind, that they necessarily derived
their origin from direct trea, hery to the welfare
Of the kingdom. Fiual ruin OF total change
of men and measures was the alternative, and
the people demanded, SEw C0UNsELs AND NEW
CnUNsELLoRs" The instincts Of the masses
thus found expression and it WAS resolved,
1.-The influence If The CrOwn has increased, IS
increasing, and Onghtto be diminished
The South is solid, not TO re-establish those
ideas that vtalized the Democracy OF 1860,
but 10 dethruue the present leaders OF the Re
publican party, under whose administration
this general aud continued depression in every
bral Gil of industry has come upon tho country.
Ii IS true the cry, for new men and new
: measures. is now most earnest in the South,
because the recent blunders of the government
have fallen most heavily upon that section.
} But the same agonzed wall for relief Is heard
every where III this Union. And the distress
ut the South is pregnant with disaster to the
North. A man cannot have robust health
with running wound upon his person to
! enjoy life aud grow fat, every part of the body
2 must be strong and well, and the Union can
not attain its former ratio Of progress and de-
! velopment while the South is depressed,
DleeulUS, uuu SICK. DuolltSS IIIeu
this and they want the country made whole, no
matter what politician is retired to private life
they want prosperity, so business will thrive,
il matters not 10 them which party is in the
ascendency This sentiment, pervading the
Northern mind, is building up, not the demo-
cracy of 1860, but determined and power
full opposition to those leaders whose mis-
5 management has brought about the present
distress 1t is preposterous TO say, the Demo
cratic party Of to-day adopts the ideas ol
1860; those ideas are defunci, the hight Is
! against the hereses Of the present leaders "i
the Republican party. II is impossible TO di-
vide parties upon Mason aud DiXon'S line
there is no issue to separate the two sections
the instincts Of the rank an1 file are the same
North aud South the same principle gives
: vitality 10 the Democracy III Massachusetts
and ~ Carolina the same purpose actuatcs
the plantation negro aud August Belmont
III il instinct with the one an1 sound philuS''-
: ply with the other, ito res he the e"v' rnmeI'
, from the men whn are responsible for H.,
= present. situation The fight is against COnk-
: ling, Morton aud the other leaders of the Re-
publican party; majority is against them
aud they must either yield the field or subyer
} the liberties Of the people.
CharleStown. West Virginia, Oct. "a, 1876