The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1877-04-26
Parties in the South.

The political troubles of the South may
now be said to be in a fair way Of perma.
nent adjustment. President Hayes has been
in authority about eight weeks, and this con
summation has been reached through meth
DDS conceived by himself, and determined
upon III Cabinet council. The simple re-
quirement precedent to the withdrawal OF
the military from the capitols of South Caro-
lima and Louisiana, was the assurance from
all parties that the national laws and Consti-
tuition should be faithfully executed. and
that all the rights they guarantee should be
respected. Both Hampton and Nichols have
solemnly promised this. They have pledged
themselves to strict observance Of the laws
as they are-free speech and free ballot, ant
every immunity that pertains to citizenship
with no distinction as to race, color, or pre-
vious condition. Under the circumstance;
these men-representatives as they are O
their respective States-cannot afford to dis
regard the obligations they have assumed
: They have planted themselves squarely upor
the principles that constitute the creed OF
the Republican party. They are, to all in
tents and purposes, practically Republicans
They have declared that they mean to up
hold and sustain the President, and aid i.
the success of his administration by the just
ness and mpartiality of their local govern
ments. They cannot afford to do less. Re
publcans could do no more.
With race end sectional issues eliminated
from politics, we may reasonably expect {
reorganization Of parties in the Southern
of heterogeneous constituents, possessing the
elements of antagonism that never woult
have coalesced but for the sectional phase
that political contests were always made to
assume. The cause for this coalition being
removed, the organization must necessarily
dissolve. There is nothing to keep it to
gethcr. There is no other bond Of sympa-
thy. The more reasonable and dispassionate
is continuance can accomplish no good, an(
NAV effect a great deal of harm. There is
nothing in its past history to commend it to
popular confidence. There is everything ir
its present practices to create distrust. AL
the great interests Of the South demand that
it should be dissolved. This must be the re
suit, and the conservative portion OF it unite
with the administration in establishing some
thing like fraternity between the sections
so that men may come and 60, as their bust
ness interests may suggest, without embar-
rassment arising from their political identity
We believe this eventually will be the re-
sult-that the Republican party viii! be
strengthened North and South, for its prin-
ciples are those of the Constitution, and in
harmony with the sympathles and convic
tions of the people. With no excuse for the
prejudice of section or race, those who may
so Indulge will antagonize pubic sentiment
and be driven into impotent factions, thai
will dsintregrate from very weakness.
The great mass of the Republican party
North, and all the leading representative
papers of that persuasion, are in full sym
pathy with the policy Of the President. The
opponents of the party cannot find an ex-
cuse for condemning it. AS they could not
find in the character of Mr.. Hayes a flaw at
which to peck, during the Presidential con-
test, so thus far adverse criticism has beer
-disarmed, and only with here and there an
exception, has expression Of dissent oc-
Cured.
Petulance and fanaticism may invent a
sporadic opposition, but as time progresses,
and the people encourage the channel OF
thought now becoming familiar. the admin
istration must necessarily draw to its sup
port the better portion Of both parties. which
eventually will become crystalized into a
fixed organization.