The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1877-03-29
Withdraw the Troops

The demand of our Democratic friends o
the President is to withdraw the troops from
Louisiana and South Carolina, and leave thu
settlement of the political differences thcr
to the people, The operation of this policy
especiallyiin Louisiana, would have been thu
butchery of three or four hundred citizens
/ mostly innocent colored men, who consti
tnte. Packard's militia. There is no question
| but what a conflict would have been the re-
suit, and after Il good deal of numbering
had been consummated, The government
would have had to Interfere in the interest
of humanity, il for no other reason.
The President has adopted wise course
| lie proposes to have policy, with facts te
| sustain it. When tie information he is
seeking shall have been obtained, he will dc.
clare that policy and see that tile rights, the
| lives and the interests OF all are protected in
its operation. To ''withdraw the troops
now, would simply mean conflict, bloodshed
and death. and the country has had enough
Of this kind Of ''local self government
The people will trust the President and
they will not be disappointed in him.
The presence Of few soldiers in the South
ern States is not intended, nor has it effect
ed any Interference with individual rights or
the esai operation Of government. They are
there in compliance with a very clear duty
imposed upon the President-to see that the
laws and Constitution OF the United States,
and the rights they guarantee, are respected.
The people themselves are really the benefi-
shed prevented. II the few inilamable pol
itlcians, who have selfish ends to accomplish.
could be banishcd for while. and The free,
unimpassioned aud honest will of the people
made known, local self government would
be established, with the confidence Of all
drawn to those who might u minister it for
the general welfare. 1t is the sclemin.
politicians who are doing all the mischief
They have been the bane OF the Southern
States ever since the close OF the war. All
that was necessary to have had peace and quiet
and good government. was q faithful observ
ance OF the Federal laws and the Con-
stitution, as they are. 1t was to evade or
partially nullify these that has caused all the
1t is mere Imagination that invests the
presence of a few soldiers with 50 much m7
portance. In the proper sense of the term,
and not in the view of it that the people are
deluded to take-there is no army in the
South-tlere is no Federal troops upholding
State government. They are simply pres
emit in a representative sense, to see chat tile
national laws and the rights OF citizens I1n-
Ter them, are not trample'l upon. No good
citizen should object to this, when simply |
he peace is preserved thereby.
Impulsive sentimentalism is not patriotism, |
s not devotion to the right. 1t results, too |
from selfishness, and is made to
operate upon the feelings of the people, thro'
he high sounding yerhiage employed to pre-
ent it, without thought OF tbs real merits Of
practical questions.
II the people Of Louisiana want to BIZ go2d
citizens. the troops viii not prevent then,
they want TO obey the laws and respect
he rights of persons uRdep the laws, the
roops will not prevent them. They will not
revent them from doing anything tina will
ontribute to good government and preserve
ne peace OF community. All the fumc and
ISIS about the troops and the military
rm'' OF the government pressing down
outhern States is for effect. Not legal
CHIT has been compromised, nor q legal
melton of government impaired by their
rescncc. Bad ambitions have been kept in
lcck and human lives saved, and that is all
t IT,