The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1878-01-24
Decay Of partizan Malienity.

Uecdy VI xdIGlLhu MdlS MY
HThe day of the political malignant is fast
passing away. The calm judgment of the
whole country, North and South, East and
West, enters protest against his longer DOM
nancy. The Frustrated industries, and the
suffering millions OF the nation appeal with
eloquent voice for the cessation of sectional
strifes, and the direction Of the energies
and thoughts of the people into legitimate,
healthful channels, that the higher concerns
of government may engage the attention Of
those entrusted with national legislation and
administration. The South, particularly, is
interested i'll return to peaceful methods
of legislation, the supremacy of impartial
reason and the enactment of uniform laws.
She has been torn by dissensions and strifes.
arising from partizan passions, and been
the theatre of bloody collisions, which have
stained her escutcheon and thrown her back
in the march OF civilization ard material
progress, beyond computation. With ma
tural endowments une1ualled in the vast
expanse of our country, the past decade has
not witnessed that development these adj
vantages should have commanded, because
contending parties have been more concern
ed for selfish supremacy than the common
welfare, Under the conciiatory policy
which has thus far marked the national adj
ministration, the people begin to realize
something of the influences of peace, the
abatement of partizan rancors, the loosen
ing of party ties, and higher emprise in
he.popular aspiration. Republicans. as q
distinctive organization, have apparently
lost ground, it is true, but we hear OF no
more cruel butcheres of colored people be-
cause of their political identity, and if there
was no other compensation this would be
ample in justification of the Presidents
policy. The process of disinteSration, too,
is quietly going on in the organization Of
their opponents, not so conspicuous as with
the Republicans, but none the less certain
and effective. The discordant elements
which compose it cannot long remain under
one direction, and as the Republicans as
rion will be the more rapid and the antago-
nisms more irreconcilable. The disappear
anee of the assumed necessities for past
party attitudes, removes the source of the
malignant influence, and remands him to
the shelf to reflect over the mischief he has
instigated and the wrongs he has inflicted.
In this process of dissolution, and as a
consequence, the necessary reformation Of
parties. the principles OF the Republican
party will have nothing to suffer. They ad-
dress themselves to the Judgment and SYM
pathies of the people, and as the sharp
augefs OF sectional prejudice disappear, the
adapta0ility of those principles to the wants
of the country will be recognized. Indeed,
there is no formidable warfare now made
upon the consummated facts. which are
part and parcel OF the Republican creed.
Apart from nomalism, they are accepted as
the irreyersible verdict of the American
people. and must continue to work out the
advancement and elevation of the intellec-
tual and moral forces of the great mass o.
the constitu element.
Republicans, here and there, with whom
we have stood shoulder to shoulder, in MAIN
tanning those principles, and urging them
for popular acceptance under difficulties and
trials which tested the sincerity of their con.
yictions, do not fully agree with the views
we hold and the conclusions we have
reached. We do not question the right they
exercise in the position they maintain, but we
must remind them that popular sentiment
is advancing away from them-is reaching
after the better fruits which are ripenng
under the genial influences of peace and
Cancellation, and that they too will have to
Join in the general advance, or be left in I'M
comfortable isolation. We tell them that
this country cannot prosper under sectional
strifes. The peace of the nation, and es-
pecially of the South, comprehends too
much to be ieopardized by the political agi-
tators who can alone live aud move in tu-.
MOL and contention. The great heart of the
country yearns for the harmony of the sec
tions, the oblivion OF the hates of war, and
tile restoration OF kindly feeling, and it will
be satisfied with nothing less. There is a
higher mission than perpetuating petty
sectional iealousies and race preiudices,
and as the great questions which are
now dwarfng past issues, and absorb
ing popular thought, become shaped
and formulated, the distinctions of parties
in the South upon narrow ieaousies, will
disappear and broader and more vital ideas
constitute the basis OF opposing interests.
National and local welfare demands that
the issues heretofore dividing parties in the
South. should be discountenanced, that parti-
IAN malignants and agitators be frowned into
silence, and the interests OF the people, ire
spectiye Of political identity, be considered
of higher Importance than the qualification
OF the bad ambition of political adventures.
And is in proportion to the service rendered
in such contamination, that the apprecia-
ton of the people will be measured. The
surest way to preserve the rights now guar
anteed by law, is to withdraw them from
parties organized upon the question Of those
rights, must be dissolved. We should not
forget the lessons of the past, and the meth
eds of past invasions and legislation. We,
in Virginia, should remember the constitu-
tional amendments and the manner of their
adoption, and not ignore the fact that like
causes will produce like effects.
Virginia State Officers
On the night Of the 22nd the Lee conser-
vative legislative Caucus made the following
nominations Swami, superintendent of the
penitertiary; Ruffner, superintendent of the
schools; Y. c. Taliaferro, storekeeper Of the