The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1877-08-30
BuIldozing" in Virginia.

virginia, and aspire to be the Official censorS
OF all who hold Federal commissions. They
are particularly displeased with the VALLEY
VIRGINIAN because its senior editor is the
"Staunton postmaster" and seek to hold in
terrorem over him the civil service order of
the President, alleging that there has been
a palpable violation of it by the aforesaid
editor and postmaster, when there is moth
ing in the letter or spirit of the order with
which the course of the VIRGINIAN con-
flicts. The offence we have committed seems
to be the exposure Of the fraud attempted to
be practiced upon the people in the platform
recently adopted at Richmond, and the pur-
poses Of the ring managers and trading poll
ticians to continue their revelry in the ruin
Of the State. If it were possible to use the
authority of the Administration to as effect
ually crush OUT the rings in the Conservative
Democratic party of Virginia as has been
done in the rings in the Republican party,
the people Of the State would be the gamers,
as those of the nation have been. Surely no
more holy work could engage the attention
of any Virginian, whether Republican or
Democrat, than to arouse the people to the
wrongs they are suffering and the outrages
which are year after year perpetrated against
them by the machine politicians, represented
by the journals whose vir.uous indignation
we have excited. They know that the plat
form adopted by the recent State Conven-
ton was designed to delude and deceive the
people. They know, too, that the charge of
a sentiment Of "repudiation against the
VALLEY VIRGINIAN, and those whose views
it reflects in this canvass, is utterly and
totally false, in the sense it is used. All the
reputation we or they aim to accomplish is
that of the Ubiquitous Funding Bill, by which
the State is being run to rum, and to SO re-
adjust the public obligations as 10 make the
creditors of the State equal. They know
that one-third Of the assumed debt is now
substantially repudiated, and that third rep
resented in most instances by widows and
orphans and the original holders of the
bonds, while the other two-thirds, upon
which interest is collected by self adjust
ing operation, are held by stock gamblers
and SPECTATORS. Further, we have the au-
thority of democratic editors, standing as
high, to say the least, in the confidence OF
the party, as the conductors of the Dispatch
and State, that the Funding Bill is the result
Of fraud, and We have every reason to be-
lieve that this conclusion is correct. Weigh.
ing the circumstances attending its concep.
ton, the positive declarations Of those who
profess to know that it is fraud, the injus-
tice that it works to the impoverished peo
pie Of the State, and the burdens it is piling
upon them, which must eventually sink them
into utter bankruptcy, if change is moi
made, we would be false to all THE highel
influences which should control citizenship
did VIC not oppose it.
The sinister and insidious manner in which
the Dispatch introduced its complaint ex
poses the malice that controlled it. Its at
fected respect for the Republican party and
its principles is in keeping with the con.
temptible motive which Influenced it. Il
may itself be subject to the influences which
control the mercenary hireling, but thai
does not justify its conclusion that Others
are similarly influenced. The VIRaINIAN
has proven its devotion to the Republican
party and Republican principles at times
when such political weather-cocks as the
Dispatch would have covered and shrunk
from the contests, and the criticism of that
paper as to our duty is entirely out OF place
and insolently gratuitous. So far from being
"partizan in this canvass-in the sense
that the Dispatch would have 1.-THE VIR-
GILMAN months ago advised against Repub-
lican organization and candidates, and as
signed as a reason that it was of far more
importance to Republicans and Democrats
that the Public Debt question should be set.
tied, than that parties should hold their old
organizations. The object VIC had in view
then we have been striving to accomplish
to adjust the debt SO as to make all the cred
itors equal, and so arrange it that the reve-
nues drawn from the present taxation would
meet the entire interest, preserve the Public
Schools, and maintain the State govern.
ment. The Republicans have thrown nc
obstruction in the way Of such settlement,
nor will they. 1t is debt paying party, but
the debt must be just. It is a party of equal
rights and equal justice, and cannot see the
wisdom or the honor of continuing system
OF payment that gives all to one class Of
creditors and nothing to anothcr-although
that protested is of higher dignity and sane.
tity than that favored. 1t is a party that
favors, as one of its cardinal principles, the
education of the masses, and it cannot sane
ton systematic robbery of the Fund ap-
propriated by the Constitution for the edu-
cation of the poor children Of the State.
And in these views the Republicans are not
alone. Three-fourths of the people of the
State maintain the same ideas, and all that
is partizan" in this paper is the advocacy
it gives to the cause of the people against
the scheming, trading, tricky politicians
represented by the Richmond Dispatch and
the Richmond State.
The simultaneous assault of the two Rich
mond papers upon the VIRGINIAN and the
"Staunton postmaster suggests that it is a
new phase OF bulldozing." and that while
it is not precisely on the IS Mississippi plan, -
its object is the same-to try and crush out
all opposition to the frauds and expressions
which the ring politicians in Virginia are
inf1icting upon the people. The ''Stauntou
post-office " is conducted by Republican,
it is true, but in the interest of all the peo-
Pile, and for their accommodation. There is
nothing partizan about it, or to remind
those who visit it that the administration
that controls it is not of their choice. The
VALLEY VIRGINIAN is a Republican paper,
edited by Republicans, but is devoted to the
interests of the people, and champions their
cause in sense above all "partizan - feel
ing or objects. Upon the issues now before
the public, the editors are as much inter-
ested, as all Republicans are, as Democrats.