The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1878-11-14
THE VALLEY VIRGINI AN
A "Solld South


The spirit Of cur Institutions contemplates
enforcement Of the military and civil |
authorities in time of peace, and relegates
he observance and enforcement of law to
he patriotism OF the people under their To-
sal politics. There is an inherent aversion
springing out of the very principles which
anderlie our political system, to the irjec-
ton of the bayonet into civil administra-
ton, ard an appeal to its power to aid in
the securement OF an impartial ballot. You
cannot eradicate this education from the
popular consciousness, for our fundamental
law only contemplates the interference of the
military in civil affairs when the law is sue
cessfully detied after all the agencies Of the
civil authorities have been exhausted. The
presence heretofore of fragments Of the
army in several of the Southern States, fur
nished the occasion for Democratic agita-
tors to appeal to this sentirne Mt so prevalent
among the people, and inflame the resent
ment Of the Northern people against pol
icy so in conflict with the theory of cur GOV
ernment. It was prolific theme for the
rantcr, and cost the Republican party thous
ands OF votes in each election, by the e1-
travagant perversion of the motives which
governed in the policy pursued.
In assuming the duties of Chief Execu-
tive OF the nation, President Hayes deter
Mined as his predecessor had determined,
to withdraw the military from the Southern
States. upon the assurance OF the represen-
tative men of the Democratic party i'll that
section that the laws should be faithfully
enforced, individual rights protected, and
perfect freedom of volition and action Sc
cured. This he did in obedience to his con-
viction of DUTY and the confidence placed
in the pledges Of those in whose hands tie
laws were reposea for enforcement. The
conservative elements of the nation. both
North and South, and irrespective of par
ties. approved the policy, and the country
anxiously awaited the result. The Presi-
dent had advanced first to the discharge of
what he believed to be his duty, expecting a
like observance of the laws and the guaran
tees Of the Constitution from the other
parties to the understanding. Whatever
may have been, or is now the disposition
and we do not question the motives-of
Governors Hampton and Nichols, the sequel
has shown they are utterly powerless to
stay the hand of violence, and give to the
laws their full force and power. The cleo
tons which have recently taken place in
those States clearly demonstrate that the
freedom and integrity of the ballot is not
one of the pledges which was observed, and
that so far as the elective franchise is con-
cerned, that is one Of the rights which is
not to be exercised as the inclination CT the
voter may desire. In three States of the
South-Mississippi, South Carolina and Lou
isiana-where there is, it is reasonable to
presume, Republican majority of over one
hundred thousand, constituted mostly of
colored people, there will not be single Re
publican representative in the next Con-
gress. AL ''solid" for the Democracy. 1t
is not question whether the negro ought
to have the right to vote. That is guaran-
question is whether the citizens of the South
as we'll as the North, should obey the laws,
and as an affirmative assurance came from
the South as to this point, on the action of
the President in removing all restriction to
''local self government" it was expected
by the country that the pledges would be-
faithfully carried out. The enfranchise-
ment OF the negro gave to the South an in
crease of twenty-five representatives in Con-
gress and the Electoral College, yet this ell
ement Of political strength has been sub
stantially disfranchised, while the power pre-
dicated upon it is exercised.
The Northern and Western people see and
feel this, and the result of the recent cleo
ton tells very plainly that they are going to
be influenced by it. A solid Dem ocratic
South is a fatal mistake for the South itself,
and now that there can be no appeal to the
deep feeling OF aversion entertained for the
location of the military in the Southern
States, we may expect a 'ssolid'' Republi~
can North and West to confront a sssolid''
Democratic Sob, and that to determine
the laws and the administration of the coun-
try, for many years to come.
The Northern people will not tamely sub
nit to seeing the political power of the
South increased over that Of it's former
proportion, based upon the enfranchise-
ment of the negroes, while tileir own power
remains as it was, when a free ballot is de-
MED the enfranchised class that secures this
Increase. Sections are jealous OF political
power, and when one has its importance al-
vanced in this respect, the other must know
that it is legitimate and in accordance with
law and the Constitution.
This is neither pleasant nor profitable
subject for US to write about, but we believe
it to be our duty as Vlrginian, to direct
the attention of the people to the satal
folly. to use no harsher term, which this
'ssolid South" business involves. It means
that Virginia is to suffer from such policy,
just as she suffered in 1861 by being ''hitched
on to and dragged'' after the Cotton States.
She then had to breast the storm of war and
desolaton. as she will now have to encoun-
ter the prejudice and distrust which must
follow the aroused resentments of the sec
tons where the laws are observed and the
rights they guarantee exercised. No State
in the Union is SO much interested in the
quiet OF the country and the obliteration of
sectional feeling and hates and the obser-
vance OF the laws. as Virginia. Her CEN
trail location, genial climate, and varied
re sources of wealth, invite immigration
from Ill sections, and whatever policy mil
ltates against the South, must affect her to
4 greater or less degree. The interests of
our people can have no sympathy with the
policy that is pursued to secure ''solid
south'' for the qualification OF political mar
plots and the ambition of sectional agita-
;ors. She wants equality before the law,
he rights of all respected, aud the Consti- |
ution obeyed. She does not want to see the |
Kindly advances of the President met with |
'ad faith. and defiance thrown into the face |
II the recognized laws of the country; and |
he sooner this feeling is made manifest the |
'etter it will be for her material interests,
RI r t,,r !, \