Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1879-01-28
From the Richmond Dispatch.
Words Of Warming.

The following communication is from
one of the gentlemen most prominent
in organizing the Conservative party of
Virginia. We commend his warming
to the attention Of the General Assem-
bly:
TO, THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY OF vIR-
| GINIA-THE PUBLIC DEBT QUESTION.
1 have been an attentive observer of
the proceedings of the Legislature since
it reassembled on the 7th instant, and
have come to the conclusion that there
| is but little prospect of its doing any
thing effectual towards the settlement
of the debt question.
This would, in my judgment, be most
unfortunate, not only to the Common
wealth, but to the Conservative party.
The people, at the last election, elected
large majority of 60 called Conserva-
l.tives in both branches of the Legisla-
ture. These gentlemen were elected, as
| they have admitted, with special refer
! ence to the settlement of the debt ques-
| tion. The power to settle, and the re-
sponsibility of making settlement,
therefore, rest with them. A failure to
settle will be.a grievous disappointment
to the people. 1t will also be q serious
| injury to the commercial and financial
prosperity of the State. And, | fear, it
will be death. blow to the Conservative
party.
Whenever party proves itself incoln-
| petent to deal with great measure of
public policy the people will require
that it shall give place to another that
can deal with it.
| IF the conservative party should now
| nj N n biljtu fC SottIo fhis
question of the public debt, what will
be the consequences?
| It will 60 into the next contest hope
lessly divided into two factions of nearly
equal numerical strength, and exasper-
ated against each other by angry feel
ings. Is it not plain that under these
circumstances the Republican party will
hold the balance Of power, and turn the
scales as they may choose g
| Will not the failure of the Conserva-
tive party to settle this question be a
virtual abdication of its authority and
an appeal to the Republicans to do what
they admit they are unable to do?
| Can any man. calling himself e Con-
servative, desire to bring abaE. such a
condition of things9 Yet it is plain
that unless the Conservative party sue
ceed in settling the debt question the
tendency is inevitably to transfer the
power Of making its settlement to the
Radicals.
It must also be remembered that when
you once bring fragment of the Con-
servatives to cooperate with and rely
on the Republican party for success on
one particular question, a fusion with
that party on other questions will soon
follow; and as the Republican party is
more numerous than either fragment OF
the Conservative party, the faction
which co-operates with and relies on the
| Republican party will ultimately be alb
sOrbed into and controlled by it.
1t may, therefore, be set down as q
'fxed fact" that unless the Conserva-
tive party determines to sacrifice minor
differences of opinion and settle the
question, in less than three years from
this date the Republican party will sub.
stantially, if not 60 n0n1iile, be in the
ascendant in Virginia.
If we persist in remaining divided on
this question, and GO before the people
with our controversies about it, the Re-
publicans must vote on one side or the
other. Both factions will seek theil
votes, and whichever succeeds In win.
ming them will be successful, and owe
its success to the Republicans!
The Republicans will thus become the
controlling element in the new combi-
nation, and it will have TO choose its
candidates and shape its platform to suit
their taste.
No one can fail to rerosive that this
must end in the surrender to Republi-
can rule. Are Conservatives prepared
to make this surrender? The events ol
the next few weeks will show.
SPECTATOR.
| The Pennsylvania couple who were
married few days ago at the ages o.
eighty six and eighty seven are consid-
erably outdone by two representatives
of the Jewish race in Russian Poland
The bride was widow precisely ont
hundred yeara old the groom was 6
youth of eighty eight. Indeed the bride
has a daughter, with whom she hal
lately lived, whose age is as great withiI
-four years as her step-fathers, while 1
great great-granddaughter is girl o
thirteen. Notwithstanding her ad-
vanced age, this bride is said to be strong
in her faculties. She goes out of th'
house alone, hears and sees perfectly
well" +" and retains all her mental pow
ers.
The Prince of Wales always gives tn
Princess an lmmonse hOy of hOn-bOns a