The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1878-07-04
PARTY Machine

While nothing we may write will have
any effect upon the caucus managers in this
district or State: we are very confident that
we will have willing readers among the peo-
pie who utterly detest and abhor the machi-
merry employed by the self.constituted lead
ers to stifle the popular voice and defeat
popular behests. We have no doubt the
Convention to nominate a candidate for
Congress will be held in this place on the
lst of August, and the delegates will be
cordially welcomed by our citizens, and cs-
pecially by the saloons Of Staunton. But,
notwithstanding this, it is opportune to offer
few pertinent reflections, suggested by the
persistency to keep up che forms of what is
known as the Conservative organization.
Why this is so there can be no good reason
assigned. Parties are organized for some
defined object affecting the interests of the
people, either of State or nation. Without
such purpose they deterorate into mere ma
chimes to be subordinated to the selfish pur-
poses OF designing demagogues. Recog-
nizing the correctness of these premises
the question aries: For what purpose is the
Conservative organization perretuated? 1t
never has had national object in view, for
the reason that no principle of government
or administrative policy, separate from q
dispen sation of the spoils, has directed its
councils or controlled its action. There is
no State policy which it can point to as rep
resenting the interest of the people, or, in
deed, as commanding the approval Of the
constituent body. The organization can claim
no higher motive than to perpetuate the
rule Of ring politicians, who care nothing
for the people and are only interested in
| the selfish aims of the few who use the party
machinery for their own promotion, at the
expense OF the people and to. the harm of
the Commonwealth. When a party can lay
claim to neither national nor State policy,
| its usefulness has ceased, and it becomes a
public nuisance if not calamity mere
machine to defeat the will of the people and
consummatc the sinister and selfish pur-
poses of trading politicians.
We find this illustrated rcry forcibly in
the present management of that party, and
the administration of the State government.
Those who direct The machinery of the
party, Us well as the State government are
in direct conflict with the people in their
views of the vital and essential question af-
fecting the very life of the State. The
s'machine" has been so efIectually manipu-
lated in the interest OF the few that one
tenth controls nnc-tenths of the people, and
IS perfect dcspotism exists as ever marked
the career of Tammany in its palmiest days.
| We find the State and district committees
of the party controlled by the Funders; the
Executive chair filled by Funder, and
nearly all the important Offices of govern
ment directed by men of like association
and identity, with nine-tenths of the people
entertaining different convictions, and strug-
Cling for different policy. Partizanism
has had the mastery. and this is the result
the people antagonized-theirk known senti-
ments disregardcd, and the whole State
PROSTATE under the feet OF the few manag-
ing politicians.
We submit, whether it is not about time
for the people to be looking into this matter
and whether the present is not as good q
period as any to enter protest to the rule
and despotism OF the ring politicians?
If they ever intend to emancpate them
selves from the dominancy of the polit-
ical demagogues who have already effect
ed incalculable harm to Virginia, they should
take action at once, and enter a sol
emn protest against the authority of the two
or three men who assume to tell them O
their duty and demand obedience in the
method prescribed for its discharge.