Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1876-05-13
ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA.
SATURDAY, MAY Is, 1875.

VIZ again urge upon the Conservative party
of the CITY and county of Alexandria the neoes-
sity, more apparent now than ever before, OF
unity aud harmony. Let the party lines be
distinctly drawn and no one admitted into
them who will not consider binselt IN honor
bound to support the straight Conservative
ticket Personal likes and dislikes should be
paid for in kind, and have nothing to do with
political principles Many Radicals aud many
Independents are worthy gentlemen and have,
and deserve to have, hosts of friends among the
members Of the Conservative party, but 10 par,
ty contest political principles are involved, ADD
political principles must have but sIlgh tounda-
tions in man s mind if his personal prelu.
dices can influence them. The Conservative
party has rsgenerated this city, the State and
almost the whole South; it has done so by
united action, by strict adhesion to party or
ganizatiou, and by ignoring Independents; and
now, when there is every indication OF Its re-
generating the entire country. 1t would certain
" not be the part of wisdom to change poll
cy, even 10 municipal election in Alexandra,
that has invariably proved so successful in the
past. The Conservative party will have its can
ddates in the field for all the Offices to be elect
ed-,hat is, if it be possible to determine what
Offices are to be filled and though, even 1t
elected, owing to the gross imperfeotions of the
charter, they may not be allowed to qualify,
they should receive the support OF every man
who calls himself az opponent of the radical
ism that has brought poverty and distress up
on the country. In this connection, We com
mend to those who, it is reported, contemplate
taking no part in the primary election, the fol
lowing article, from the Richmond Dispatch
Every disconnected and disappointed man
who rebels against the nominees OF the party
excuses himself by declaring that the party is
controlled by ring" 1t is always ring"
that does wrong, and the resistance always
rebellion against an alleged ring When
the resistance comes from defeated ring 1t
is as indignant as though it possessed all the
virtue aud honesty 10 the community; and 1t
matters not with the resisters whether they
are really resisting ring or not, the phrase
suits them and they use it with mar ed en-
phasis. So there is hardly ever mistake 10
styling resistance as to ring. for they al
ways 80 declare, whether they speak truth or
not.
I'VE oppose Independents everywhere.
We can make no exceptions IN any case. We
will not charge upon the party errors and sins
which would tend to break down all faith and
trust 10 it. The great body of the party gets
nothing for its services, and Offices in Virginia
are too poor to justify suspicion that any great
amount of corruption can we'll be engendered
By them especially where, as with the Conser.
vative party, stealing is not permitted. There
fore We are willing ~ trust the leaders. Ihey
may err locally, but not at any time to the Sc
rious public injury; and the Invaluable services
of the party are such that good men should
never dream of mpalrlng Its unlty and weight
by resisting it anywhere. When one case OF
contempt for its authority occurs it is apt to
invite another for personal ambition aud egot-
ism are ever ready TO pick aqusrrel on account of
40 imaginary slight 1t is impossible that
every man s estimate of his Own talents aud iu-
Auence can be respected where there are so
many aspirants. At BEST We know that mems
opinions of their own merits are very faulty.
They must often find the public differing widely
from them. One would think that where they
make such discovery they should yield to the
public Judgment; but not so. AS long as vani-
ty and self-3oocet live there will be discomfort
with the public judgment aud irrepresslble de-
sire to try conclusions-a disposition 80 strong
that it has been carried to the extreme of im-
polling man to become q candidate where he
got but one vote, aud that his own.
I'VE trust By stern, calm, and dignlhed
policy on The part of the Conservative party
these ring rebelIions" may be kept within the
narrowest possible ring. That there will be
some We suppose to be thing Inevitable.