The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1876-07-27
Democratic Delusion.

.s''IhihctClaus iit;tke lliclf cacHaClOilS Tor q
triumph in November next, is the result of the
elections in 1874. Nothing, in comparison with
the magnitude of the interests Involved in the
Presidential election, could be more fallacious.
Local causes. not affecting the fundamental
administrative policy of the government, nor
establishing any principle of governmental
polity, operated to bring about the result of
1874. 1t was one of those abnormal conclu-
sions, that had neither reference to tenets of
political faith, nor to the great questions which
address themselves to the country for adjust
ment, through the agencies of the legislative
and executive departments of the government.
The honest impulses of the people Lad been
aroused, in consequence Of the Credit Mobier
frauds, the Pacific Mail Subsidy, the Sanborn
contracts, and ina spasnlodic mood of rctrench-
ment. revenge was sought OF the existing Con-
gress, not considering whether the corruptions
developed had a political bearing or not In
many instances. Republican districts elected
democratic candidates, and the staid, sturdy
and deeply grounded Republican State OF
Massachusetts, joined in the sporadic excite
ment and recorded 4 Democratic triumph.
New York, likewise, which two years previous,
had given a Republican majority of $1,000,
rolled up $4,000 Democratic maiority-7G,0 900
Republican voters declining to participate in
the election, and manifesting scornfnl indf
ference as to the result. ~ $ .ssf Z .31
There was an Indignant purpose to rebuke
corruption, regardless OF party, and to express
rho nla or.;,, oft I'm
ut the shameful developments that had been
made, duplicating alike Democrats and Re
publicans. There was no ;5arty significance
that could be legitimatciy attached to it, and
while the Democratic party was incidentally
encouraged to believe that it was verdict i'm
their favor, the fact that the Investigations and
prosecutions We're instituted by Republicans,
from commcndable ambition to ferret out the
the guilty parties and bring them to punish
ment, relieved it of all partizan bias or bearing.
The issues of local significance which brought
together the present Congress, with Il majority
of Democrats, fade into nothingness, when
compared with the vital questions tllatare pre-
sented to the American people in the Presi-
dental contest now agitating the popular
mind. It is now, substantially. a struggle for
the ''life of the nation, ~ transferred from the
field of armed conflict to The forum, for adiu-
dication. The history of the present Congress
is sufficient to alarm the friends of ma
tional unity and national integrity, and to
arouse them everywhere to the impending
danger. The people Of the North and West feel
this with al intensity that transcends party
lines, and crystallzes the national senti-
ment OF the country into q compact force to
resist the encroachments and Threatening.
premonitions that confront them. They have no
idea that the successful struggle for the peipe-
tuation of the American Republic, and the
great principle of human freedom established,
shall go for naught, nor are they willing that
the debt contracted in crushing out secession
and preserving the Union shall be impaired or
epudiated by the transfer Of the government
to the control Of those who sought and fought
for its destruction. The national heart still
pulsates for national safety and honor The
national faith is pledged to the -)erpetuity Of
the results of the war, and the discharge of the
obligations incurred in their contamination.
These issues dwarf into utter insignificance all
mere loca! questions, and will bring to their
support thousands upon thousands of voters
who in the elections Of 1874, remained from the
polls, seemingly Indifferent whether the cleo
tlo'ls resulted in the success of Democrats or
Republicans to Congress, knowing that the
government would still be secure in a Repub-
lican Executive and Senate. a ID 9i0gt
The indications from all over the country
give assurance that the great mass of the people
who were true to the principles of the Repub-
lcan party in 1872, arecven more earnest now,
in consequence of the record of the present Con-
gress. They see and feel the necessity of re-
buking the revolutionary and traitorous symp-
toms that have been developed and rendering
such an overwhelming verdict in favor of the
Republican candidates, AS will forever silence the
marplots of the South, and the rng-manaeers
and Tammany thieves of the North who care
nothing for the integrity of the government, nor
the principles of the constitution, so that they
may battcn upon the plumber of the Treasury.
Hayes and Wheeler will be elected by even
more pronounced majority than that given
Gen. Grant in 1872, and the country even now
iCpUnCo III TIE flLlOl flOnOr
and the nations pledges must and shall be
preserved and maintained
Judge Crtchcr was an old line Wing. and
has go item tired OF the proscrIptivc policy of
the modern Democracy. He hes declared him
self candidate for Congress Independent of tile
machine convention that will meet in the Fred
ericksbnrg District, and nominate Hon. B. b.
Douglas for reelection The old line Wigs
have no sympathy with the Democratic organ
ization, nor with the candidates representing
that party in the national election. Tilden
and Hendricks are old machine Democratic
politicians. Hayes and Wheeler were both old
line Wings, and were nominated without any
agencies OF their own-without any suspicious
or doubtful expedients, but because they rep |
resented the higher considerations of party.
and command the respect and confidence of
the country irrespective of party.
If Judge Critcher should support Hayes and
Wheeler, it would be nothing more than natu- |
raj. If the old line Wings Of the State could
summon courage enough, they would en- maasse |
the st. Louis nominees because of
their Identification with the rings and corrup-
lions OF the old Democratic party. III.
Hon. j. S. Phelps has been nominated by the