Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1879-06-13
IF IT WE'RE A STATE.

Whether the Democrats in congress
wholly or partially back down they will
give up the most righteous struggle they
ever engaged in. The New York ''POst,'
leading Republican paper applies the
present state of affairs to its own State
and inquiries: ''Suppose that the suppor-
''ters of the codes which were before the
Legislature this year with majority Of
"the Senate and General Assembly in
"their favor but the Governor against
''them, after failing to secure the adop-
"tion of these laws should refuse to pass
supply bill unless the Governor would
surrender his convictions On the subject.
Suppose that, finding the Governor firm
sin his position they should propose to
"pass the supply bill but to omit from it
tall appropriations of money to pay judges
sand maintain courts to transact business
''under the old law for which they were
''anxious to substitute new one. What
''woald be the general judgment of their
conduct? Would not they be advised as
patriots, as good citizens, as men of sense,
"to yield gracefully and to take the ques
s'tion before the people hoping for better
sluck next time? Instead Of doing this
''should they persist in their purpose.
wouldn't they be regarded as factious,
''foolishly and childishly factious in spirit.
'scriminally factious in the possible conse
'quence of their acts? There would
''scarcely be two opinions in the State Oh
s'that subject" Now let US carry this
suppositlon of the 'sPost" little further
on. Suppose the Republicans of Virginia
had carried the Senate and House of Dele
gates of the State. Suppose that during
their minority there had been troops judic-
iously placed at the polls in the different
counties by Democratic Governor and
against the protest of the people Of these
counties. Suppose that respectable Re-
| publicans had been arrested by Democrat
ic marshals. tried by Democratic juries
and sentenced by Democratic judges to
the penitentiary. Suppose that when the
Republicans Came INTO a majority and at
tempted to correct that state of affairs and
Democratic Governor were to insist on the
| right to use troops and veto every effort OF
the Republican majority. Suppose then
that this Republican legislature refused to
vote money TO this Democratic executive,
these Democratic judges and marshaIs and
the State troops under Democratic con-
troll with which to enable them to continue
this system of oppression. Suppose all
these things to have occurred and we will
suppose no further, but positively affirm
that every Republican paper in the United
States would be lauding the Republican
legislature of Virginia to the skies, COM
pairing its spirit to that of the faith ers Of
'76 and some of the most enthusiastic OF
the Governors of Republican states would
be talking of another war.
The Democrats may, and to all appear
ances doubtless will, make the appropria.
lions to the National Government. fol-
just now they show no spirit to the con-
trary; but it is consolation in looking at
the debates to know that the Republican
party has taken a position towards the
people of this country that can end only
in it's destruction at their hands.
If this country could be pinned together
with sentiment, no prettier one for the
purpose could be found than the following
from Gov. Holidays speech at Winches-
ter, Friday:
Within sight-just over yonder fence
lie the bodies of thousands who fell upon
these same fields in the Federal uniform.
Those were, 1 doubt not. as earnest as
these, for they died by each others hand.
Think you. that it was in vain2 God does
not so work. The death of the hero is
the life of the State, just as the blood OF
the martyr is the seed of the Church
Those died for the rights of the Union:
these for the rights of the States. From
the monuments erected over either will
one day spring an arch in which the hopes
and memories of both shall be interviewer
with the golden threads Of Gods eternal
love and truth, and on which the eyes of
the people shall ever read how individual
rights and local government can live in
sweet harmony with the central power and
glory of the great Republic.