The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1876-11-23

Of the Saracen and Christian-the struggle
may he fierce and bloody-bnt the White
banner OF the Cross will float triumphant
over HE Elack fac OF titc Crescent.
The Impudence Of Desperation.
The Democratic press Of the country quotes
Il special telegram to the Baltimore Gazette,
which represents Mi. 'i'iI,aen as assuming
beyond question that he has been elected
President. IL further asserts that he has
perfect con1itl, nee that he will be counted in,
but should he fail ia this. he is determinedto
.'ormanize the most stupendouS constitution
al contest in Congress ever experienced in
any country in the memory OF man. These 4
are big words and constitute a big sentence.
We see it stated in another dispatch that Mr.
Tildcn says he has been elected and he IN
tends 'sby the grace of God, y to be President.
To say the very least OF these expressions,
they are premature. The official votes of
the States in dispute had not been declared
when Mr.. Tilden is said to have indni9ed in
this buster. Ii lie has been legally elected,
he will be legally Installed in office. Ii he
has not been so elected, he will not be sworn
in. That is the long and short OF it, ard
such buster rs is assigned to him by his
friends will only disgust the American peo-
pie. Mr.. 1ilden's southern supporters should
remember that they cannot ride booted and
spurrcd over the entire Republican party,and
the rights Of the people, like they did over
the colored people of the South. They can
not organize their rifle-clubs and march to
Washington and demand that the oath OF the
office Of President be administered to Mr..
Tilden in defiance Of the law and the consti-
tuition. His pretentions will undergo the
strictest scrutiny, and nothing but the right
will be allowed for or against him. His sim
Pile affirmation is neither law nor gospel, nor
can his friends better his case by their ex-
travagant threats and indecent impudence.
Should a resort to the delays Of the law be
availed OF. it might be found that there was
law OH both sides, and the validity Of the
elections in Mississippi. Alabama and Geor-
gia come in for judicial scrutiny. There is
no doubt in any fair mans mind, that the
rights of citizenship under the constitution
have been practically denied in all three Of
those States, and that the securemcnt Of
those 80 electoral votes for Mr. Tilden is the
baldest farce ever enacted in the name of
law. The Republican party, representing as
it does. the wealth and intelligence ofthe ma
ton, does not propose to introduce any qnes-
zion that will precipitate commotion,
but il the reckless marplot. OF the county,
who would rather revel in desolation than be
kept from the plumber Of power, will insist up
on the highwayman's code, they will be met
with sternness and unflilching courage, that
will be the more fearful because they have
not been dernonstrative. This is no time to
play the braggart; nor are the people i'll 4
humor 10 tolerate nsurpati0n, piled upon
fraud. That violence and fraud, in utter (isrc-
gard of the guarantees of the amendments TO
the constitution, have been practiced in
those States named, there can be no doubt.
1t was by such means that they were placed
in the column under Mr.. Tilden's name.
Let Mr.. Tilden and his friends be careful
how they threaten 4 resort to extraordinary
instrumentalitics. Capital is sensitive. we
know. but not so sensitive that the wild
clamor Of the mob can drive it from its rights.
Intelligence is forbearing, we know, but not
so forbea-ing that it will surrender liberty
and law to the mad resolves Of political al
vent,lrers.
The people of the country have witnessed
tile practical subverson ofthc constitution i'll
number of the Southern States: they have
seen the rights Of citizenship ruthlessly borne
down under the hand of violence; they have
contemplated with o shudder the bloody
pathway Of the Democratic party over the
corpscs Of men whose only crime was their
fidelity to the laws and constitution OF their
country And yet the conservative elements
of the nation have INDUCED in no idle blus-
ter. nor redeemed the air with their bloody
resolves. They have trusted to peaceful
agencies to vindicate the laws and the con-
stitution, believing that the conscience Of the
| nation would assert its power over the in
famed passions OF the reckless agitators.
This forbearance, this conservatism must not
be taken for cowardice. 1t will not do to
press it to the wall. Republican institutions
are only desirable, when regulated by law
when the great chart Of the peoples liberties
is recognized as supreme.
The country is becoming weary Of the gas
cenalc and bluster of the Democratic party.
If Mr.. Tiden is reported correctly, he, too,
has entered the list of Don Quixotes, and
assuming to be true that which could not be
known to be true, and only existing in fam
cy, he advances step farther than even the
most reckless of his bottle-hoders has yet
dared. He may be inviting a contest that
will prove anything but agreeable to him in
the sequel. There are rights that it would
be fatal to liberty to surrender or compromise,
and it may be these that Mr.. Tilden and his
followers propose to assault. Let them be-
ware.
A Prophecy Fulfilled.
L.. Il.