The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1879-12-18
The Party Wreck.

The general shakingup and disintegra-
ton of what was once, the Conservative
party Of Virginia, which have attracted at
tention in and out of Virginia, seem to
have brought the warning factions to their
senses, on one point, at least. The Read
iusters have formally declared their pur-
pose to have modified the laws which were
enacted to practically nullify recognized
rights, and, as far as in their power, secure
legislation which will essentially make all
men equal before the law. The opposing fac
ton, which represents the old Bourbon sem
timent and practices, has given the assur-
ance that it is willing to 60 almost as far in
this direction as the followers of Gen. Ma
hone. The appeal is made by correspon-
| dents of the papers in that interest that
reorganization should be effected npon
such basis. Both factions, representing
what was the entirety of the old Conserva-
tive party, and equally responsible for its
blunders, bad faith and reckless disregard
of guaranteed rights, have announced
purpose to make new departure, and do
what ought to have been done ten years ago
practically respect and enforce the Con-
stition and laws of the land.
These admissions are self-criminatiye.
They carry with them the acknowledgment
that legislative devices have been resorted
to for the purpose Of circumventing funda-
mental and statutory laws. and, reaching
direction by indirection," denying rights
which the faith Of the people had been
pledged to observe. 1t is a concession that
political necessities, and the ambition to be
fortified in the possession of power, have
melted to excuses that trampled upon in
dividual safeguards and defied the re-
straints which the laws of the country had
thrown around the privileges and immuni-
ties of helpless class. Whether there Is
any pang of conscious humiliation, or any
penitential conviction, which has lead to
these confessions, we will not here say
Certain it is, that the parties to the wrong
doing have exposed their own short-com-
ings and laid themselves open to criticism,
as untrue to plighted faith and contemp-
tuous of the moral obligations implied in
the law-making power.
Indeed, had the people OF the South
striven as earnestly to live up to the Con-
stitution as amended, and the laws made in
pursuance thereof, for the past ten years as
they have sought to evade and circumvent
them, there would now be different con-
dition of affairs in the Southern States
Practical craftsmanship has been substi-
tuted by sentimental refining, and in
stead OF consulting material growth and the
higher obligations of the law, we have in
dulged in forid appeals to passion and
prejudice to arouse the feelings of the peo-
pie in support Of measures and policies,
that had for their object the practical null
LITIGATION Of conditions and rights, which
we had pledged ourselves to observe and
recognize in good faith. By law OF ma
ture as well as of reason, such excesse had
to have their reaction. No party could
long maintain its ascendancy grounded
upon such insincere and treacherous basis.
No people could long shut their eyes to the
mischievous tendency of such insiduous
and demoralizing methods. The moral
forces which are inherent in human ma
ture, may be for time suppressed, or bur-
led in whirl ofpassion, but the calm must
come, and their Office be performed sooner
or later. They will assert themselves, and
their influence will work out results
through popular upheavals and revolutions,
to the discontinue Of the very agencies
which have been employed to circumvent
them. This is country and a government
of law, and the highest duty of the citizen
is the recognition of the spirit and intent
Of the recorded law. No ingenious de-
vices or cowardly evasions can eliminate
the moral obligation which threads through
and is evolved from the jurisprudence of
the country, and any people or party
which allow scheming demagogues and
trading politicians to lead them from this
safe and conservative anchorage, will as GER
tainly encounter tempests and breakers, as
effect follows cause. We have this Illus
trated in the tattered and torn and disrupted
condition of the Conservative party, as
presented for contemplation at this time.
We will not here attempt to forecast the
future, or mark out line Of policy for
either Of the factions thus thrown into di-
rect antagonism and arrayed in bitter hos
tility, the one against the other. Both have
been brought to the confessional. Both have
promised amends for past wrongs; and for
either 20. be true to these assurances Inn
pliQ nder OF the meth2inh poll
~ kposes whial Ieret2l
ans !, 81 r