The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1876-09-14

Tile DallOt-DOX upon the merits OF the two
parties as deduccd from their respective rec
ords. The Republicans had placed before
the country candidates for the high positions
| of President and Vice President of the Uni
ted States, whose characters were distin-
guished for integrity, probity and patriotism,
free from the charge OF partisanism and con-
trolled by high sense of public duty in their
public careers and acts.
Instead, however, of realizing rational
and conservative temper in the discussion OF
the relative views of the candidates of the
two parties, the first speeches that were made
in this locality.were devoted to the most en-
| Filtered denunciation of President Grant, and
the most slanderous accusations against eve
ry person identified with his administration.
1t was boldly charged and applauded in the
Court House OF this city, that the government
was operated by pack of ''thieves and
plunderers. and that corruption festercd in
every department of the administration.
Reckless OF facts. and animated by hatred
that might have been expected Of fiends, but
not OF civilized men, the denunciation of
The Republican office holders was with
Out a parallel in our political experience
While these andacious SANDERS were be-
ing uttered, and falschoods stated, the
files OF the Congressional Record were
accessible where it could haved bee.l learne Il
that there was not one word of truth in
them-that of all the investigations instituted
by the Democrats in Congress. not one had
resulted in discovering dollar that he'd been
stolen from the government, and that the
committee appointed for that purpose had
discovered that the per cent. OF losses in the
collection OF the revenue, had been less I'M
der Gen. Grants. administ ration, than any
other that had preceded it. With no record
fact to sustain them, the Democratic speak
ers exhausted the vocabulary of SANDER in
charging corrnptions and defalcations and
arraigning in general terms, the entire gov
eminent and its officials, from Gen. Grant
down to the most Insignificant office holders
as the embodiment OF all the crimes of which
the lowest of mankind could be guilty. I'm
der the inspiration of Mr.. Tildcn's announce.
|
ive," every Democratic speaker has taken
up these ISLANDERS and repeated them with
the most audacious recklessness, until the
popular mind has become impressed with the
belief that many of them are true. No facts
are adduced, unless they are perverted, to
sustain any Of the charges, but in wanton dis
regard OF the truth, assertion after assertion
is made for the purpose of misleading the
people, and elfecting party advantage, for
getting the obligations due to a scrupulous
discharge of duty in the discussion of public
questions for the information of those who
hear.
| 1t was in this manner that the political
contest in this community was opened. Igno-
norancc, stupidity and Measurements of facts
have been the ingredients Of the remarks of
the speakers who have essayed on the Demo-
cratic side to Instruct the masses.
Stimulated to resentment by these false
charges and outrageous ISLANDERS upon the
Republican PAL ty and its representatives, we
| have been compelled to assume the aggressive
| ourselves, not only in discussing the policies
of the two parties, but the candidates who
| have been presented for the suffrages OF the
voters. The Democratic party has assumed
to be the peculiar guardian of the virtue and
the honesty of the country, and the embodi-
mcnt of the spirit OF reform and integri-
ty which should enter into the admnistra-
ton OF government. They claim to have pre-
sented in Mr.. Tilden. comprehensive
epitome Of the reforms the people desire,
and that his election will be an earnest of
the Inauguration of an administrator:
try for elevated tone and purity.
We have undertaken to prove, and the facts
adduced have been exceedingly troublesome
to orr opponents, that. the Democratic claim
to reform is Il sham and pretensc-that
its assumption of excessive purity in purpose
and administration is nothing but huge
fraud, and that there is nothing in the histo-
ry of that party or its candidates which JUS
titles the conclusion that it would administer
the affairs of the country in the interest of
honesty and economy. We have stated
what we honestly believe, that Samuel j.
Tiden is not the man to effect any desired
reforms in the public service-that his history
does not give the assurance OF that honesty
and integrity which necessarily attach to
genuine performer" and that In the role he
assumes of being a rcformer he is simply
fraud.
Because we have chosen to show why it is
and for what pun pose the Republican party
has been slandcred and villified, and to pres
ent the true character of the parties asserting
the falsehoods and the ends to be subserved,
complaint has been made that we are too Bit
ter in this canvass. Let us remind these
complaincrs that they commenced what they
called an aggressive" campaign, that they
opened the flood gates Of billingsgate upon
the Republican party and the Chief Mlgis-
tratc OF the nation, that the Democratic
Congress secured the haunts Of vice and cor
ruption to procure perjurcd witnesses to |
blacken the name and fame OF every promi- |
nent Republican official and representative,
that the lunatic asylums, prisons and peni- |
tentiaries were swept over to obtain dcbased |
adventures who would swear to ANYTHING |
for consideration, in order to implicate the
administration and its supporters in wrong
doing, and that these false statements have
been mouthcd from every rostrum in the
country for The purpose of coEdcmning the
Republican party. This was all very pleas
ant and acceptable to Democrats, until ex-
posture commenced. Aud now that these
falsehoods have been refutcd, and the ag-
erosion commenced from the other side,
when the Democratic party and the Demo-
cratic candidate for President are arraigned,
and record proof adduccd to condemn and
damn, the cry is raised that it is persecution
that this style Of canvass is all wrong and
thai public morality should discountenancc
it. First rcfute the charges that have been
brought against the Democratic party and its