Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1876-05-19
THE vINDIoAToR FOR THE CAMPAIGN


ONE MONTd. ~
No notice taken of subscriptions sent
without the money, and all names taken
off the list promptly at the expiration of
the time paid for. No chance of subscrip-
ton bills being run up against anybody.
Postage paid by the proprietors.
WHO ARE THE COMRA TANTS ?
Treasurer KER may plant and Council
man EVANS may water, but the increase
is of TAYLOR JEFFERSON. 1t is useless to
attempt to disguise the fact, that, the only
hope of these gentlemen is held in the hol-
low of this colored statesmans hand! Their
hope! yes and their despair. His appear
ance on the streets as the only figure. head
Of the opposition, rushing frantically about
gathering up negroes to support their tickt
put the extinguisher on the emo party"
talk which was affected on that side at
the opening of the campaign. The white
people Of Staunton have witnessed the
sight too often to be mistaken about what
it means. They have seen it in every CAM
paign where one ticket meant harm to the
Conservative party. They have seen it in
Gubernatorial campaigns, in Legislative
campaigns and now, in the first municipal
campaign in which the question is plain
and direct whether the Conservatives OF
Radicals are to rule. the city. They make
no mistake in their conclusions. Gen.
ECHOLs was right; DR.. FAUNTLEROY was
right-this fight is between the white men
of Stauntol and the negroes. 1t is strug-
gle of the whites to have white man Of
their own way of thinking in the chair of
the chief magistrate Of the city, and to
have a white man of their own way of
thinking in every office in the city. It is
indeed the ssold fight" It is fight for
which white men have died in the streets
of Richmond, and Petersburg, and other
Virginia cities and their death been reck-
oned as glorious as if they had fallen on
the battle field. 1t is fight for which
money has been spent and blood has been
shed by our brethren in other cities; but
they gained their freedom by it and coLn-
ted all else as dross. 1t is a fight that had
better for the sake of all concerned be made
Radical governed city does not understand
now absolutely impossible it is to have
happiness or even peace. The Radical
chief mag istrate need not ba a Nero to
make it unhearabie. His very presence is
hateful to the people that are governed.
Whatever may be his colmendiEg attri-
butes, he stands to the white people as the
representative of an inferior race that, by
superiority of numbers ut the ballot box,
or by treachery among the whites them
selves, or by greed of office holders obtained
the mastery He is the representative
result of the race We see daily walking our
streets and the white stomach cannot
bear him. 1t retches through his term,
whether long or short, to throw him off,
and in the end he goes out by fair or
foul means.
No man in Staunton who will look ahead
and discount the calamity, imagines for
moment that, if the Conservatives were
defeated, the city would relapse into IL
state Of good FEELING and indifference. and
that we Weald have happy, quiet, pros
porous city. The lines of this election are
too sharply drawn in white and black for
mean-spirited people. They know when
their pride, of which they have not little,
is touched, as quickly as other people.
They would understand the degradation of
having city government put in over them
by the votes of negroes as keenly rs amy.
Those who think they would not, d s. not
understand them. The two years that fol
lowed such an event would be IL period of
discomfort, claling and hatred towards
the office-holders by such a majority OF tbs
white people of the city, and such con-
graduation and boasting and arrogance by
such number of the coiored people, that
there would be no real peace. We have
not yet had the bitter apprenticeship of
helpessness in a city governed by Negro
installed officers as our sister cities have
served before they gained their freed IN,
and we do not realize so plainly the degr.-
dation into which we are beckoned; bat
that would not make the awakening less
bitter. If our people sleep at the polls Oh
Thursday, they will awaken Friday with
chains on, from which there is 10 chance
of relief for long time, if ever. Put this
city into the hands of the Radicals to-mor-
row, and every appliance of the Govern
ment will be used to perpetuate their
power. The minor city offices, the city
patronage, and all the influence OF tiss
.,ffice-holders will be used to strengthen
them for the contest at the next May.
Our chains will he rivetel and our strug-
giles will be in vain.
And how utterly unprovoked would be
our surrendering to such degradation!
How utterly without reason! What cart :ly
presented by the Conservatives at the Pri-
mary Election to fiji our city offices? And
mark this Welt What can be sGEd against
the men who are our leaders, Who gan
say word against that brave soldier and
useful citizen, VIM. T.. BALTHIs? Where
is there one reason why such man. selected
by two thirds O. the white men of Staun-
ton, should not be its Mayor? What rea-
son can be given that JOHN M. CARROLL,
for many years the efficient Treasurer of
the city, who has received the highest en-
aiorsement from the people and the Coun-
Gil, should not be elected to the Office
again2 What can be said against T. G.
ELDER, the Commonwealth's Attorney;
r. D. Ryan, pronounced by the bar as
one of the most efficient Court Cle' KS eyer
in Stauntcn. or GEORGE II. HUDSON, the
Commissioner Of the Revenue; or N. 9.
GREGORY; or W. D. RUNNELs, thu City
Sergeant: or the gentlemen named for the