The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1876-11-30
NO. SO.

wrote that letter to relieve the honest tas
he supposed scruDles OF some lie thought to
be his friends. Even tise letter did not sat-
isfy his enemies. They conjurcd up sleep
ing demon in his iniercntial admission that
an emergency might possibly arise when he
might sacrifice his wishes and intentions Tor
the good OF his country. and the work Of de-
famation still went on. What spectacle
was here presented Never in the annals OF
party warfare was any man treated with
more injustice, more cruel intlignty, more.
demoniac malignity. Here was man who
had saved his country in the day OF peril,
who had wori. honors nnsought with di@ni-
ty and meckness never exceeded, yet who
was villliied and malgned AZ a tyraut aud
hypocrite, as eonspi:ing to destroy in peace
those institutions which his yalor had defend
cd in war. And why? Because he refused
to say under no possible contingency would
he heed the wishes OF his eountrymen for
further public service on his part. During
Nall this storm Of calulnny he remained as
calm as a philosopher, allowing dctraclion
to pass byas the idle wind
I The bjtteress reelection growing out of
this retrospect is that It was not from his po-
/ itical enemies alone that Gen. Grant reeeiy-
ed such ignoble treatment. He was bctray-
cd by men in whom lie had confided--hc was
stung by serpents whom he had warmed in
to life. But not by the people; no, not by
the people The great body of the Amer-
can people respect and love Gen Grant. He
retains their confidence undiminshed. They
stand ready to yindicate his name aud his
| fame. While he is at the helm they have an
abiding faith that the ship of State will ride
| the waves Of dangern safety. 1t is perfect
| ly apparent to any obseryant man who has
| witnessed their presentation that the tiiolls-
ands per day of rural centennial itinerants
that find their way to the White House 90
there not to sec the President, bnt to- see and
grasp the hand Of Gen. Grant, to honor the
great captain that finished the was,,the great
| statesman who has been the peoples friend.
| There are certain regulations connected
| with the present conditions OF tiIe country
| that naturally arise in taking Il survey of
| General Grants character and past history.
The Republican party, after an unpreceden-
| ted effort, involving labor and expense, that
| taxed their resources to the utmost, have
barely secured victory, and, in rejecting on
| the difficulties Shey had to contend with.
they cannot fail to see the causes, and should
not fail to profit by them hereafter. With
General Grant for their candidate they would
| have swept the country. In saying this
mean = ~ s
NO DISPLACEMENT OF GOV. HAYES.
So far from it, ne has, By. his noble bearing,
endeared himself to ali patriotic Republi-
| cans. They have cause t6feeI proud of him
| There is probably no man Ill the nation, 9th
er than General Giant, who could have led
the Republican cohorts more galanily and
successfully. But not only did we feel the
loss Of General Grants matchless name and
| power with the masses. but in order to GET
| him out Of the way Of the favorites Of the
factions he had been struck from within his
own political household by his ownproiessed
/ friends. While he showed no resentment
himself, but cordially sustained his old CON-
| rade in arms. thousands OF his old friends =
l
meaning when they heard whsperines OF
| ''the reputation OF Grantism' in the Re-
publican camp. Another element Of weak
ness was the set>clsss and pharsaical cry OF
reformation Of the Republican party from
within the party itself.
| Here was an admission by some aspiring
| to leadership TINT there was corruption in
| the Republican, party. In order to establish
claims to superior sahctity, victims had TO
| be found, regardless OF where the blow might
| fall, although it might smirch the fair fame
OF the President himself. Such selfish in
consistency and bloated conceit could not
fail to bear their pernicious fruits. No par
| ty can sustain itself that proclaims its own
shortcomings, and vaunts of its honest pur-
poses to reform itself. These remarks apply
| to only q portion OF the Republican party
to the factions that have proven its bane.
They should learn wisdom from the expert
ence of the past, These who aspire to the
| popular confidence and public honors by
claiming to move in higher plane of hon
esty, purity and patriotism than the party to
which they profess to belong should be re-
minded at once that the camp OF the enemy
is the place for them.
| General GIANT will soon be relieved from
| the ststorms OF State,'' the cares and annoy
ances of official station. On one score he
may rest content-his past is secure. His
enduring fame is beyond the reach Of envy
and malice. History will tell the story Of
/;
what carping criticism and partisan bigotry
| may say of him-they cannot control the in
exorable pen Of the historian. When the
| passions and excitement OF the present day
shall be stilled by time-the more grand and
imposing may be that epoch in our annals,
! which tells of Il Union saved by such un-
heard OF sacrihees-the brighter will shine
| the name and fame of Gen. Grant. Whether
| in carrying the country safely through the
| terrible ordeal Of battle, or healing its .
wounds by wise, patient and llnhaggn.
devotion to its Interests after the strife had :
ceased, Gen. Grant must be regarded as the
commanding figure in that grand epic Of a
| Union saved, which is hereafter to be immor-
| tallzed in poetic song. When that epic shall
be written it would be as unmeaning with
out assigning the first place TO Gen. Grant
as would be the Illiad, with the name of
| Achilles omitted. JUSTICE,
s1s
| A correspondent OF & Philadelphia paper
who has been visiting the grape growing dis,
| t'icts Of Italy rem owes from the process OF
| wine making much of the charm and romance
with which poets have invested it, although
| we do not suppose the publication of the dc
| tails viii lessen the consumption of the spark
linm Il MD ,Ihn nnrrna1onnflnnt IL, cnoct;or