The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1877-04-05
sTAUNTON, VIRGINIA, APRIL s. 1877

pleadings, and we doubt If it can again bt
used to elevate amy party to power. 1t il
certainly very remarkable thing in the his
tory of the human race, to witness an infe
rior people. important in numbers, living
among an acknowledged superior race, and
yet enjoying the same rights and liberties in
the fullest degree, and with no distinctions
before the law; and there will no doubt yet
be many very delicate and interesting pro-
blems connected with the matter that will
present themselves for solution. a But the
distinctively political measures by which this
has all been brought about may be summed
up, and we have finality. When the negro
was slave there was great danger that IN
time, through the admixture of the races,
that was slowly and surely taking place, we
should not have African slavery longer, but
in its place slavery of the white MANS own
flesh and blood; such a thing must have
eventually ended in unspeakable calamity to
the nation. With several millions Of white
slaves, there would have been some throat
cutting. With the negro free, this miscege-
nation is confined to very narrow limits.
The negro, as race, is likely to remain in
ferior until generations Of moral and mental
training shall have brought him to an equali-
ty, or to superiority, or to whatever stand
ard lie may develop capacity for. At all
events he is, as far as we may now see, to
live with lis, and to toll with us, and to en-
joy the fruits OF his labor; to have his home
and his family. participate in the govern
ment, pay his taxes, ard, in all respects, to
have the same chances as the white man, and
to be subject to the same rewards and pun
ishments of i'll or well doing. If there is to
be any further solution of the negro ques-
ton, or auy necessity for such solution, we
believe it will be found in letting the negro,
politically speaking, severely alone. Let us
have no laws, no legislation for OF against
the negro, as a negro, with no appeals to
him as such, but only as man. His house
government, sends his children to school,
obeys the laws moral and civil, and claims
nothing but his rights of man. This is the
liberty and equality OF the Republic. When
we have reached this point 70 one has the
r.. yLt to demand that we 60 further, or that
politics have any longer to do with the ques-
ton. His welfare is remanded to his own
individual effort and to the kind assistance
of those who would, by private and indi-
viduaI effort. lift him from his present i'm
moral and ignorant condition. We may like
or disl ike him, as we would like or dislike a
China man, Turk, or Spaniard. 1t is SUI
preme folly for the South to longer unite N
all mai lner of unholy alliances because of the
negro. Let us not deceive ourselves! Let
us hold on to facts and things! There is
much tt Tx Of reconciliation. Reconciliation
with W hat, with whom? Not with those
things, or those men who are irreconcilable,
surely, or that is submission. The nation
has alwa US desired reconciliation. 1t is too
powerful and great to have any other policy.
But it is Useless to talk OF reconciliation with,
or tolerance of, those who will not tolerate
the Nation. The Nation waged four years.
war, and never in spirit of malice. 1t dis
banded its million of soldiers. 1t said to the
we have no punishments to intiict.
1t offered reconciliation. 1t was met with
a sullen defiance. The sold South" was
ready enough for reconciliation, but like the
King in Hamlet, who would have Heavens
forgiveness, and yet retain the offence, and
the effects for which he did the murder, his
crown, his own ambition, and his queen.
Such reconciliation would indeed but ...skin
and film the ulcerous sore." Years have
elapsed and the South is. unreconcled, and
considerable portion of it will so remain un
til they shall pass away. An important cri-
sis in our political history seems to have
been reached. There are indications that a
large number of the Southern people are de-
sirous of something better than factious
opposition. Its representatives in the Ma
tional Congress have for the first time iden-
titled themselves with the Nation. 1t looks
as if the young South" was about to assert
its power, and as if the old Wings of Georgia,
North Carolina, and Virginia had AZ last
opened their eyes to the character and dam
ger Of their misalliance with the Northern
Democracy. How they could have ever
wheeled into line with such party is past
finding out. We should think it would make
disciple of Henry Clay fairly ''kick at
Heaven" to find himself voting with Ran
dali, Wood, Morrisey, Tilden and the riff
raft of Northern Democracy. We have often
thought whether or no the Wings Of the
South understood what Northern Democra-
cy really meant, and if they supposed that it
had the most remote likeness to the Democ-
racy OF Jefferson, or Of Andrew Jackson, or
of even the Southern Democracy Of 1861,
which had one virtue, at least, the courage
to fight? There might be some palliation
for that honorable Old Line Wing, in his
recent alliances, had there been even as
much resemblance between modern Democ-
racy and that Of old time as there is, las we
once heard California stump orator express
iit) between tar barrel in the darkest cellar
AT midnight, and the unclouded sun at broad
MONDAY. Without the votes of Southern
Wings, and the better elements OF the South.
ern Democracy, the Democratic party OF the
North would have no political significance
whatever. Your votes have given it power.
Your votes have placed it where iI could
sswagyer and threaten Your votes came
very near placing it in possession OF the
Government. Men in the South, old line
Wings, Jeffersonian Democrats. who vote
the Democratic ticket call themselves Demo
.crats. Wherein are they Democrats? They
do not believe in the craftsmanship aud poll
tics OF the rum shop. Their cardinal princi
piles are not political spoils. They once
loved the Republic, and though there came
"a sad falling away, to-day they have proved
their renewed allegiance to it, in resisting
the mad efforts Of the Northern Democracy
to plunge the country into another civil war
There can be no possible accord in princi
piles between the best elements of the South
and the political nomads of the North, who
style themselves the Democratic party.
These people i'll the North hoped to gair
supreme control of the Government by play
ing upon Southern prejudices; they wei
nigh succeeded. Their failure is none the
less complete and disastrous, however. /
was political combination that could Meth