The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1877-04-26
The Duty Of the People.

The cur',stone politicians are trembling.
They feel that their props are shaking, and
that with the Caucus despotism broken their
last hope is gone. The mere thought OF the
support that they have clung to and which
has dragged them into positions they are not
capable Of filling, and which they could
never have attained except through a syste-
matte appeal to prejudice and passion, being
taken from them, is creating the lveliest ex-
element. The plain tendency OF the policy
OF the President i'll carrying into effect his
promise to remove race and sectional qucs-
tons from the field of political disputation,
and divert the popular mind from the harm
full influence OF a constant appeal to passion,
foretells the doom of the little tom-tit poll
tcians, who have fed and thrivcd upon this
kind OF sustenance. They are incapable of
graphing with any grave questions Of adj
ministrative policy. They DO not compre-
bend the object of government or the duty
of the people. They have not the masculine
mentality that breeds self-reliance and bold
resolve, and cannot enter the field OF dis
passionate controversy, relying upon the
vigor of their own resources or the merits of
the interests they espouse. They have to be
carried upon turbulent current of passion,
or sink. They will approach no contest
with legitimate weapons, or for fair, open,
stand up encounter. They always shirk the
straight line where conscious right directs,
and where the true interests OF the people
| lie. Rather than seek to confront the reas-
on and appeal to the higher duties of cti-
zenship, they prefer the clap-trap fustian
that eXcites the feelings, arouses preiutlices,
and subordinates honest thought. IL is in
this element that the genuine curbstoner
flourlshes He is the inevitable outgrowth
of rings-tle fungus Of the body polite.
Hence it is not surprising that he tenacious
ly clings to what he calls the Organization
that is, the caucus-wIiere sharp tactics, I'M
scrupu,ous tricks, and all the devices caIcu-
lated to excite feeling, and abate reflection.
rule and ruin. Without the caucus to back
him, he would, indeed, be sorry picture.
At a time when the national impulse re-
spends to peace, tranquility and homogene-
Gus goyernment-when the heart OF the ma
ton throbs for determination and friend
ship, DESTROYS to shut out the wounds and
hates of war, build UP the wastes of the Sec
lions, and stimulate the energies Of the peo
pie in intellectual and material development,
it is entirely german to the mission Of
the curbstoner to clamor for the ''organiza-
tion," where the party lash is familiar and
its agency invoked for personal ends, regard
less of the welfare of the people. 1t is just
here where the people must interpose their
authority, assert the guardianship of their
own interests, and demand that the little
trading politicians take their polluting hands
off of the very vitals Of government. The
very first step towards State reform is to
crush out the caucus-is for the people to
demand their rights in the exercise OF the
franchise without the Intervention of ma
chine politics, and to select their public SER
wants because Of their fitness for the duties
to be performed, and their practical identity
with the interests involved.
The outglvings all over the South, and
throughouG Virginia particularly, of popular
feeling, is adverse to the rule OF ring and
curbstone politics. The people feel that
there is grander emprise for thenl-that
there is more elevated plane upon which
to operate in consummating the ends of gov
eminent in their own progress and prospect
ty. The President has shown that it is not
incompatible with politica! consistency to
be true to country and that there is higher
mission for government than the selfish am
ers. The great mass of the people heartily
sympathize with his patriotic work, and be-
| lieve that like influences should govern in
conducting State affairs. 1t is the manifes-
tation of this sentiment that is disturbing
the ring managers-the men who think more
of party than State Or country, and would
use government alone for personal benefits.
AS their fears increase, their purposes be-
come more desperate, and rather than lose
power and position, they would revive all
the hates and prejudices, which the national
policy inauguratcd is so well calculated to
allay, and even obliterate. Hence the clam
or of some CT the democratic papers of Viz
| gnia for the organization the repetition
of their stereotyped falsehoods about the
Republican party, and their malicious state
ments as to the motives OF the President.
| The awaking sense of wrong endured by the
people, from the miserable caucus system in
Virginia the realization of the disastrous
| legislation that has been imposed upon them
the shame that seems impending over
them, by reason of financial complications,
brought about in great part by these schem
ing tricksters, are signs portentous that
frown fearfully upon the pathway Of ring
manipulators and caucus kings. They
plainly sec that unless they can revive old
preudices ard stimulate old hates. the day
of their power is fast passing away, ard that
there is no hope for them when the machin-
cry by Which they have heretofore controll-
ed public interests, is destroyed.
Fortunately for the people Of Virginia and
the best interests OF the State, South Caro-
lima and Louisiana cannot be made to enter
q
calculating demagogues have never dared to
discuss State policy Or prescribe a remedy
| for State diseases. They have pointed to
| South Carolina and Louisiana, and magni-
| fed all the wrongs there perpetrated, for
the purpose Of calling attention away from
more serious aggravations here at home. A
Republican President has settled the COM
| plications there. He has given the country
| the assurance that the Interests of all the
people are to be cared for, SO far as comes
within national purview. 1t is for each State
to say whether it will grapple with the ills
that affiict it, and for the people to deter
mine whether they will allow themselves to
be longer ridden by the designing politi-
clans.
Surely, if there was ever a State that has
suffered and been desolated by politicians,
it is Virginia. There is not Commonwealth