The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1877-03-15
Bourbons Bewildered.


into the camp of the fossilizeu Bourbon poll.
ticians Of both parties by President Hayes in
the announcement OF his Cabinet, breaking
the states and dlsconcerting the plans of parti-
Fan managers. 1t was natural that the surprise
should at first excite the ire of the Repuhli-
cans, as we'll as bewilder their senses, fol
the time being, and until reason should as.
sert supremacy and the tendency of the
policy receive attention. The second so Der
thought seems to have allayed apprehen-
sions, and inclined to the conclusion that il
is better to test by experience the theory
suggested, than to stubbornly interpose OBJ
stacles to its practical operation. The Presi.
dent has struck out boldly in the interest OF
peace and Cancellation, on the basis of the
laws, and developed self-reliance that
must command respect, and, we believe,
cooperation on the part of all his political
friends. We can conceive of no policy more
pertinent to the times and the end he has
declared both in his letter of acceptance and
inaugural address, obliteration of race
and sectional lines in political matters-than
that he has proclaimed. If the people prac-
ticaly respond to his endeavors and do their
part as faithfully as he will his. we may be
assured that the time is not distant when
both parties will consider it a paramount
duty to see enforced every right of citizen
ship guaranteed by the laws and Constitu-
ton, and the abandonment of all legislation
designed to interfere, indil ectly or directly,
with the immunities and privileges of the
enfranchised colored citizen. The negro
will cease to be scapegoat for the indulg-
ence of the baser prejudces OF human ma
ture and never falling source of appeals to
passion, thus removing all excuse for harsh
local legislation looking to the practical nal
LITIGATION of the laws under which lie exer-
cises his privileges. Other questions will
engage the attention of parties, and lines
will be drawn upon governmental policies
affecting the interest of commerce, manu-
features and material development. Preju-
dice and passion will be driven from the
foreground, and methods OF thought encour-
aged with reference to the best attainable
legislation for the progress of the country,
irrespective of sections. In consummatino
this desirable condition of things, the COL
ored man is most Immediately interested.
for then his rights will not be questioned,
his privileges will be secured, and great
source of irritation to society and harm not
only to the colored people themselves but
to all the interests of community, DESTROYED
forever. So long as parties are divided as
they are now, and have been in the South
since the war. there can be no peace for the
colored man. With his rights conceded, and
the laws for their protection enforced by
both parties, he will cease to be a distinct
and separate factor in politics, and become
merged in the general elements that consti.
tute parties, based upon policies affecting
interests in which all alike are interested
and equally sharing in all government
al and administrative benefits. The South
ern Republican readily understands this,
and sees the necessity for is. lie recognizes
the fact that as long as appeals can be made
by designing dem agogues to race prejudices
and the passions excited, there is no posi-
be hope of building up an administrative
party, representing fair proportion of the
material wealth of our section, nor of the
colored citizen exercising unmolestcd the
privileges secured to him by the laws.
We DO not expect the average Bourbon
democrat to realize the true tendency Of
things for some time to come. The people
will readily comprehend it. But the ma.
chine politician will catch realizing sense
of it when he sees his party crumbling to
pieces all around him, and the juggernaut
OF reform crushing over the ruins.
The p-followers, the place hunters.
who never had conviction of principle,
are already on the boards, charging around
with pencil and paper for signatures to pro-
cure office. The spoils of patronage will
lead them anywhere. A shaking up of par
ties and threatened revolution in party
policy, will! drift them to the surface, and the
first thing they grab for is Office. That is the
essence-the all in all of duty with them.
They will spout patriotism for profit from
early morn till dewy eve, and concede any
thing and everything, if it brings to them
office. They are the chronic pests of State
and countryside strife-b breeders in govern.
ment and community; yet, the Oily Gam
mons, the Pecksniffs who sound their
own praises in sweetest accents, and pander
and fawn to power that pelf may follow.
This gentry should be watched and weighed
and washed before they are handled. To
such mercenary political bummers the ap-
pointment Of a democratic Cabinet officer.
arrays before their sensuous ewes all the
post offices and post routes i'll the nation, as
the price of democratic acceptance of the
overture of Cancellation. He gloats over the
prospect of reveling in the enemy's camp,
OF booty secured, and then treachery and
the dagger. He has played the game before
and will play it again. He has to be watch
ed, and will be-
Such creatures are inseparable from organi-
cations, social or political. They are not
the people, who yearn for peace and quiet
because OF the blessings attending WHO
seek good government and fraternal inter-
course because the interests of all conditions
OF society are thereby pronoted-who recog-
nize the right Wien they see it, and have
consciences to stir them to good deeds.
These will hail with pleasure any endeavor
of the Chief Magistrate of the Nation to re-
move the causes of sectional irritation, and
uphold and defend the guaranteed rights of
all the people. They will stand by him with
unselfish courage, and do manfully their
part i'll the great work of Cancellation that
he has so nobly inauguratcd.
From statement we see in the Richmond
State, the metropolis has a number OF Dem
'cratic 'sreformers," who are anxious to
make their political motives useful by serv-
ng in official positions under a Republican
administration. The highest ambition of the
lveragc "reformer' is to reform somebody
'nt of something and himself into that some-
hing. They think that no government or
enterprise can progress without their valua-
BILE aid and suggestion. The State says that
he city is being literally canvassed by
hese reformers for signatures recommending