The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1877-03-01
TIE REPUBLICAN PARTY.

| distinguished member oil the Cd Mlfg PARTY,
to another, both OF whom are acting with
the Republican party. tits m eloquent and
forceful presentation Of the claims OF the
Republican party to the confidence Of The
people and as such we commend ito the
careful attention OF olir readers:
NORFOLK. Nov. 2stll, 1873.
| JUDGE ALEXANDER RIvES. Char,ottes ville
| Va.--MY DEAR SIR:
Your letter of September 2ist congratulatina
! me my nomination for Congress, and SAYING
that justice was al last about to be done me. for
that you supposed nomination to be eci iva A31t
to an election. did not reply to at the time pre-
sanguine as yourself.
! Had you known, as did, that nexious growth
OF Tanma,iy .,ail nativity aad been trsrsai.-e,i
and was luxuriant in Virginia soil aha had !, Ia.
oned the very fountains OF the elective franchise
| you would not na1' regarded the old maiorities
| OF Mr.. Piatt as indicative of u certain SUI ceSs
However i sTent into The canvass resolved 20
| do my best TO carry victory 10 the banner + was
selected TO bear.
/ saw during the Canvass much TO mt me TO Pc
Fiction on the political morality OF our people,
and the character and working of some OF our in
stitutlons, and from what saw and heard trust
! nave derived enough Of instruction to compeu-
safe me for the modification OF defeat, if defeat
| really suffered.
| You gentlemen OF the pure mountain reeion
Will scarcely believe when tell you that the first
position was called on to meet was that no Vir
| o
the Republican party and acted with it, was enti-
tied to association With gentlemen. Every day
this anathema was hurled by the Norfolk and
petersburg Press at every citizen, however
| worthy and distinguished who had the courage
! to own himself Republican.
wen, my Gear sir, being il the habit OF doing
my own thinking took no exception beyond
fair argument TO this most uncharitable line Of
ostracism but defended myself and nv narfv as
socates from the unjust dispersion the best wav
could. replied that the Republican party was a
party OF which no American citizen need be
was thnr .of.,n
party that our own country or the world had ever
produced. And reasoned thus:
I,nat The Republican party was no modern or
ganization; no new tangled idea; that 1t had its
origin at the very inception OF our Government
trainers.
The leading Idea. the great Fundamental prin,.i-
pie OF our Federal Constitution was. that. in our
system. the Federal Government was tn Snprs,qe
Government and that, under it, no Que State had
a9thorlty to secede FROM or break up. the Union
In word, the Republican party of the present
DAY 10 nothing more nor less chan the old Federal
party OF Washington's and Hami!ton's time The
two are in principle absolutely Identical.
The moment Rebellion reared its crest i'll the
land this Republican party with which We are
NAL days OF the Republic, and took inspirafinn
and counsel from the early fathers, and laid if
down Enthusiastically to all who medtated insur-
rectlon that there was power inherent in the
Federal Government to suppress Rebellion. which
was plenary and conclusively ample, and that all
the powers Of the government would be exerted
10 lhe utmost to preserve at every cost aud ha-
zard the National Unity
Such is its origin: coming into being amid the
nfst glealn1ngs of our constitutional liberties
and built on the same cornerstone on which was
based the old Federal party of 1913.
It's history demonstrates that its distinguishing
creed Is nothing more nor less than q devoted
unionism Its radicaIism Is but the perpetuity
OF the Union-the preservation OF it ''at all haz-
ards and to the last extremity
Their cardinal doctrine is the doctrine of
George Washington and John Marsllal--the per-
epetual endurance of the unity which constitutes
US one people. and to this end, the retention OF the
Government in loyal hands until the last trace of
dsaffection shall have Disappeared and until one
unbroken chime for the Union OF these States
shall resonnd from the domes OF ten thousand
temples OF liberty all the way from Maine TO Cali
fornia. '''
Is it true. then, as the Virginia democracy
aver that 1t is disreputabe to be associated with
such party as this
But there has been in this great country OF ours
anotner party grand old party it was which
py the wsest and best OF all our landthe old line
WING party, which had among its leaders such
men iI as Henry Clay. and Daniel Webster and
nonest John Davis. and George Evans and Ru-
fus Chcate, and VIM C. Preston and John ]. Crit. |
tenden, and VIM G. Rives. and John NJ. Berrien, |
and cusands Of others whom the whole coun, |
try loved. and whose memories are yanerated |
yet, ana will be to the end of time
D NOW, between the OLD line Wing party and the
republican party OF this day, there is the closest
analogy. They are in t.:eir doctrine, absolutely
same. '0 '---N '-.e
The distinguishing and glorious doctrines of |
Inc GA WING partymther peculiar honor and
the enforcement of the laws ''-'N
You and I, Judge Rives, used to stand side by
folds these Inspiring principles Of the Old Va ass
Were not these same doctrines precisely IN
sc,iped, aad are they not still Inscribed, on the
banner a1a Of the Republican party?
was 1t not Immovably for the Union? When
Northern traitors and Southern traiturs con
spired to subvert that noblest fabric OF free row
eminent the wisdom OF man ever concefved: the
Union OF the American States did NOT the Rennh |
IlGah parry come at once to the rescue armed
rroIv I
d1d 1t not save from destruction that very union
that Northern and Southern Rebellion essayed to I
And the Constitution-lid not the Republican
parry p preserve it from actual destruction
But FOR their sturdy efforts for the suppression |
OF the Rebellion, would We have the constitution
And The enforcement OF the lawsthat greatest
glory q all goyernments-has there been everin
tnis country my party the equal OF the RepTbii-
can party in this regard2 ~
1t began the sacred work with the gigantic law
iessness OF the great Rebellion by raising great
armies Tor Its suppression, spending undisn,ay-
until treason lay dead at its feet, and law, and
order, and the constitution were restored
And during the turbulent times hatWreen tbe
close OF the war up to this very moment wbaf
scenes OF violence, bloodshed. and massacre have
noI peen averted by the resolute determi nation
W use all the powers OF the Government to eya-
cute the laws How many election frauds have
iov oeen prevented How many deadly conflicts
II the Republican Administration had not from
tIne 10 Time Tearlessly employed the military
an ,o1ic /
sion to the laws, what would have been rho CO.
ulion OF all the Southern States? What ayyed The
aIS e ana boodthirsty spirits OF Florida
S 20; Gafol1na and Louisiana, but the unshrfnk-
ing resolve or Gen. Grant to call the Army TO his
al q, 70 enforce the laws and suppress violence
Ihen am right when submit that the old line |
wing party and the existing Republican party
both standing on the honorable basis .of tie
Union, the Constitution. and the enforcement Of |
the Laws, - are in principles one and the same
Henry Clay and Daniel Webster and Oliver p |
Morton and George F. Z imunds are roIiticaIiv /
I
Then, when take position in the ranks Of the | /
republican az, party am alongside the old Federal
party OF Washlngtons time, and the old iyhig :
party OF Clay and Webster's. and hence L hays
1ad the manhood to bear, ,unrufied, the taunts i
hat pursued me through the late canvass +
There is another merit of the Republics, party !
AN honor it is that has shone with especiai
1hrshtness, and that vii, gild It's history down
,houldered the whole Rebel debt, that is. the I
iebt created by the Rebellion, amounting to bill
ions upon billions, and has been paying it of {
very hour since the end OF thewar; that it has
llready paid off seven or eight hundred millions t.
fit; and has made sure arrangements to nav il
III to the last dollar. The Republican party did b
lot create dollar of the vast Indebtedness: no.
lot dollar it was Rebel-do.ng altogetheri Nev
regarding this debt a National debt | ,
which the nations honor and constitutional OBJ
igation required to be paid at all hazards it has
arranged TO 1q ulda Se it to thelast dime Ii there n
anything in the history of the faith OF nations T.
Otter than this let the instance be cited It did
lot even grumble, but quietly levied duty after
luty, tax after tax, by the million day until the
oundatlon was laid, for the abolition of the bill il
luis Oh Il ucUt uOL us own. [ II
Who will esteem 1t q shame to have belonged TO | :
party like this?
But, my dear sir, my aspirations when / accent
ID nomination Tor Congress, looked far beyond
simple election to Congress. designed look. |
ng to the wide field of Federal power for some o
'otent Impulse to rouse up State to brighter =.
expectations in the future y
There is in that broad field abundant instru-
mentality Tor solid and blooming redinteSratiop &
ND proposed III elected) to appeal to the ma u
lonal Legislature to make some fair distribution
I those benign Federal agencies that build up, N
nd give power and strength, and dispense pros y
erity and gladness. wherever they are employed
tnougnt that we OF the South are entitled, Of i,
lght, to our proportion Of these blessed agencies
No lnnaences' put my spirits sank when re-
ected that II the Democracy were restored 70 | :
over the resolutions OF SO would be again the +
elgning political law, and that as Of yore NOT a
ollar would be given for canal or railroad ali
rogress be arrested, cheap Transportation" Il
hat mighty and universal interest abanGonea | ii
nd protection toAmeriean Industries cease = Il
Al so turned for comfort to the hope Of the il
lection OF Hayes and Wheeler, OF which the p
ro liabilities are now very strong.
take IT, my dear sir, that in Gov. HAYES are n
apply blended all the elements OF q great char c
cter simplicity, gentleness, modesty, sinceri- tt
sites. -. | o.
From what have read OF him and have heard IL
him from those that know have come to the ia
onclusion that he is in character OF the NadI- Il
oman cast, and that his administration will be
n tho Maaisonian order. NJ
From such man are bound to have q nre- i
pure and wise administration and IN %